The elegant and ultra-compact Olympus µ 1000

With the µ 1000, Olympus presents a new camera that’s marked by a striking elegance and cutting-edge imaging technology. Its weatherproof* stainless steel body boasts a flashy silver finish, and while this camera is stylish enough to turn heads, it’s also sufficiently robust to withstand most challenges it may be confronted with. 10.0 million pixels power the camera’s imaging abilities to ensure ultra-sharp results. Of course the µ 1000 continues the µ series camera tradition of being particularly well-suited for shooting in low light thanks to BrightCapture Technology. Maximum ISO is boosted to an amazing 6400** to brighten the picture and significantly reduce the need to use a flash. In that way, the unique mood of night-time situations can be reproduced more faithfully. And now, BrightCapture is also available in the movie mode.

Beautiful design and crystal-clear pictures with 10.0 million pixels

First impressions last – and with the µ 1000 it is one of classic elegance. Its weatherproof* body is finished in high-quality stainless steel, giving an immediate and unmistakable feeling of style, durability and performance. At 10.0 million pixels, the ergonomically-designed µ 1000 has more power than any of its predecessors. Framing is easy and fun via the large 6.4cm LCD with 230,000 pixels which naturally also allows for instant viewing of pictures. Meanwhile, a 3x zoom lens (equivalent to 35-105mm on a 35mm camera) brings far away subjects in closer without actually having to change positions. And to get even nearer to the action, Olympus has thought of a particularly innovative way to boost zoom performance. A Fine Zoom option boosts magnification power to 5x, at 3.0 million pixels, while retaining the full optical quality of the precision lens.

Blur-free photos – even in the dark

Due to BrightCapture Technology, the µ 1000 achieves significantly better results in low-light conditions. The ISO value is boosted to a maximum of 6400**, which decreases the need to use a flash. This consequently makes details recorded in low light appear more true-to-life because of a more natural colour reproduction. The technology also assists with framing in dark surroundings as the LCD contrast is up to 4x higher. And because the most exciting and memorable videos are often taken at night, BrightCapture Technology is now also available in the camera’s movie mode – allowing stunning recording with sound up to the full memory capacity in a resolution of 640×480 at 30fps.

Should a picture be blurred, the µ 1000 has another surprise in store – the Digital Image Stabilisation Edit feature. It can decrease blur at the touch of a button. A dedicated Gyro Senor measures the camera shake intensity and automatically determines the level of compensation that’s necessary. The improved photo is then saved as a separate file – so there’s no loss of the original data.

Exceptional ease of use

For best results in any shooting situation, the µ 1000 offers 20 pre-defined scene modes that automatically select the best values for the given conditions. They cover a wide variety of shooting situations – from Portrait and Landscape over Sports through to less conventional situations like Cuisine, for example.

Whereas digital corrections to photos are usually made on a computer with special software, a new Perfect Fix function lets this be executed directly on the camera. It allows users to perform various editing procedures right after shooting. Activated by pressing the Perfect Fix button, users can correct image blur and backlight as well as red eyes. One, two, or all three corrections can be performed at the same time.

A built-in Guide Function explains the different camera options directly on the LCD. That way, quick and uncomplicated assistance is available anywhere and at any time, even when the manual is not around. The user interface is available in 25 languages – making it completely understandable in 39 European countries, which is a feat that no other camera manufacturer can claim.

Storage-wise, the µ 1000 is optimally equipped with an xD-Picture Card slot plus internal memory. A high-performance LI-12B lithium-ion battery and charger is included as well as the Olympus Master Software for effortless viewing, editing, etc. of pictures on the computer.

The µ 1000 is the ultimate choice for lifestyle enthusiasts who want a camera that does exactly what they want in any situation, in the highest quality. This photographic gem will hit stores from October 2006.

The Olympus µ 1000 – main features:

– Stainless steel, weatherproof* body

– 10.0 million pixels

– 3x optical zoom (equiv. to 35-105mm) 1:2.8-4.7

– 6.4cm/2.5" LCD (with 230,000 pixels)

– BrightCapture Technology for better low-light photography (also available in movie mode with sound (640×480 pixels at 30fps))

– ISO 64-1600 with full 10MP, ISO 6400 in 3MP mode

– Digital Image Stabilisation Edit for compensation of blurry images caused by hand-shake

– Perfect Fix button for correction of image blur, backlight & red eye

– 20 scene modes (incl. Sports, Beach&Snow, Candle)

– Multi-language menu with 10 languages plus possibility to download 15 more languages from the internet (on board: English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, Czech, Polish, Danish, Dutch)

– Supplied with Olympus Master Software and LI-12B lithium-ion battery and charger

* Weatherproof equivalent to the IEC standard publication 529 IPX4

** In 3 million pixel mode