Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ: Flagship 40x Ultra Zoom takes Ultra to new lengths

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posted Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 2:18 AM EDT

Olympus' SP-820UZ iHS digital camera. Photo provided by Olympus. Click for our Olympus SP-820UZ preview!Olympus has long preferred Ultra over Super and Mega to describe its line of compact zoom cameras, and the new Olympus SP-820UZ iHS Ultra Zoom is now the most ultra of the bunch, sporting a 40x super-wide-angle optical zoom lens that lets you get up close and personal at its maximum 896mm equivalent focal length.

Olympus designed the Stylus SP-820UZ to offer all-in-one versatility far beyond its long-range optics. For starters, its wide-angle setting starts at a very wide 22mm equivalent, making it not just ultra long, but super wide too.

The trademark iHS in the model name stands for the Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed technologies Olympus has built into the camera, most notably a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor and a TruePic V image processor aimed at delivering sharp, high-resolution images and fast shooting even in low light. Also packed into the Stylus SP-820UZ are 1080p Full HD video capabilities, a plethora of scene and creative modes, and Dual Image and Multi-Motion Movie Stabilization to minimize camera shake and blurry shots, which comes in especially handy when the lens is at full ultra zoom.

Not versatile enough for you yet? The Olympus Beauty Make-up mode also lets you add eyeliner, eye shadow and blush just in case your subject didn't have time to put her face on. And the in-camera Smart Panorama mode can create a full 360-degree photo.

Read more about the new flagship Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ iHS Ultra Zoom in our full preview.

Olympus SP-820UZ iHS
Olympus' SP-820UZ iHS digital camera. Photo provided by Olympus. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera Type Mid-Sized
Manufacturer North America: SP-820UZ
Dimensions 4.6 x 3.1 x 3.7 in.
(117 x 78 x 93 mm)
Weight 17.1 oz (485 g)
Planned Price $330
Planned Availability September 2012
Image Capture
Sensor Type CMOS
1/2.3" (approx. 0.43 in. diagonal)
15.30 megapixels (total)
14.00 megapixels (effective)
Filter Type RGBG
Aspect Ratio 16:9, 4:3
Image Dimensions 4288 x 3216 (13.8 megapixels)
4288 x 2416 (10.4 megapixels)
3264 x 2448 (8.0 megapixels)
2560 x 1920 (4.9 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels)
1600 x 1200 (1.9 megapixels)
1280 x 960 (1.2 megapixels)
640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
Capture Speed Continuous: 3.0 frames per second for 3 frames
Image Preview / Review
Viewfinder No
LCD 3.0 in. diagonal460,000 dots
Playback Zoom 10.0
Lens
Image Stabilization Yes
Focal Length 4.0 - 160.0mm (actual)
22 - 896mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Range f/3.4 (wide) / f/5.7 (tele) - ???
Focusing System Contrast Detection; iESP, Face Detection AF, Spot, AF Tracking
Has AF assist lamp
Focusing Range Normal: 4" - infinity (10 cm - infinity)
Macro: 0.4" - 4,082" (1 cm - 10,000 cm)
Exposure
ISO Sensitivity Auto, High Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400
Shutter Speed 4 - 1/2000 second
Exposure Modes Program
Metering Modes Digital ESP Metering, Spot Metering
Exposure Compensation +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White Balance Image Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent 1, Custom (2)
Internal Flash Modes: Auto, Red-eye reduction, Fill-in, Off
Range: ISO 3200: W: 0.2m - 15.0m; T: 3.0m - 8.9m
Flash Exposure Compensation +/- 0.0EV
Creative
Scene Modes Beauty Mode, Panorama, Hand-Held Starlight, Photo+Video Clip, Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Night + Portrait, Sport, Indoor, Self Portrait, Sunset, Fireworks, Cuisine, Documents, Beach & Snow, Pet (Cat), Pet (Dog), Backligh HDR); Magic Filter: Pop Art, Pinhole, Fisheye, Drawing, Soft Focus, Punk, Sparkle, Watercolor, Reflection, Miniature, Fragmented, Dramatic
Digital Zoom Up to 4x
Self Timer Yes, 2, 12, Pet Auto Shutter seconds
Movie Format MOV (H.264 video with Linear PCM monaural audio ) with audio
Max. clip length: 1,740 seconds (1920x1080)
Movie Resolution / Frame Rate 1920x1080 @ 30p, 1280x720 @ 30p/60p, 640x480 @ 30p/120p, 320x240 @ 240p
Storage
Recording Medium SD/MMC including SDHC, SDXC, Built-in
File System Complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File Format JPEG
Connectivity
Other DC Input, Combined AV/USB, Micro (Type D) HDMI
Power
Battery Type Lithium or Alkaline disposable, NiMH rechargeable
Battery Form Factor 4 x AA
Product Bundle
Software OLYMPUS [ib] Software CD-ROM
Battery / Charger 4 x Alkaline AAs battery
Flash Memory 43.0MB Internal
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliant Yes
PictBridge Compliant Yes
Internal Microphone Yes
Internal Speaker Yes
Tripod Mount Yes
Remote Control No
Waterproof No
Notes iHS Technology, Sensor-shift Image Stabilization, 1080p Full HD Movies, Smart Panorama, Enhanced iAuto, Backlight HDR, Hand Held Starlight, Magic Art Filters for Still and Video. Available in silver or black.
More Photos
Olympus' SP-820UZ iHS digital camera. Photo provided by Olympus. Click for a bigger picture!
Olympus' SP-820UZ iHS digital camera. Photo provided by Olympus. Click for a bigger picture!
Olympus' SP-820UZ iHS digital camera. Photo provided by Olympus. Click for a bigger picture!
Olympus' SP-820UZ iHS digital camera. Photo provided by Olympus. Click for a bigger picture!
Olympus' SP-820UZ iHS digital camera. Photo provided by Olympus. Click for a bigger picture!
 

Press Release

Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ IHS™ Breaks The Glass Ceiling With Incredible 40x Super Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens

Capture Wider Group Shots and Sharper Close-Ups on the Go, Intelligent Technology Delivers Amazing Image Quality with Ease

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., August 22, 2012 – Olympus proudly unveils the new STYLUS SP-820UZ iHS, its flagship Ultra Zoom compact camera, and most powerful optical zoom ever! The Olympus SP-820UZ iHS magnifies subjects up to 40x to capture a level of detail and emotion normally possible only with an interchangeable telephoto lens. With Super-Resolution Zoom, the focus distance is doubled, enabling up to 80x zoom magnification. Beyond its incredible zoom power, bringing the action closer from hundreds of feet away without swapping lenses, the camera’s impressive 22.4mm (equivalent to 22.4- 896mm on a 35mm camera) super wide-angle lens takes in sweeping panoramas, group portraits and up-close macro images, so sports fans, travelers and outdoor enthusiasts alike will enjoy maximum performance wherever they go.

The lightweight Olympus SP-820UZ iHS is compact enough to be an everyday travel companion with a sleek housing and ergonomic comfort grip engineered to help keep the camera steady even when shooting at high magnification – when shake can potentially ruin a great shot.

The camera’s outstanding optics are matched by Olympus’ advanced iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) technologies, a high-sensitivity 14-Megapixel CMOS sensor that combines with the TruePic V image processor for faster reaction times, radiant colors, and beautiful, sharp images of fast-moving subjects and low-light, backlit scenes. High-speed, adjustable-frame rate 1080p Full HD and High-Speed Video (240fps HSQVGA) recording captures video with the best image quality currently available in compact cameras*. Photo with video clip captures a video clip before, and after you take the shot. Dual Image Stabilization and Multi-Motion Movie Image Stabilization minimize camera shake even while the user is moving. Linear PCM audio recording, a technology pioneered by Olympus and incorporated in its line of professional audio recording devices enhances your videos with better-than-CD quality audio. With HDMI output and control, you can use your HDTV’s remote to control playback functions and navigate the camera’s menus from the comfort of your couch.

Powerful technologies are packed inside the Olympus SP-820UZ iHS to overcome challenging shooting situations. At night and in low-light, where image blur is more likely to occur, Hand-Held Starlight mode captures multiple images and stitches them together into a single, crisp, breathtaking photo without the use of a tripod. HDR Backlight Adjustment captures a collage of images at various exposure levels and blends them into one, perfectly exposed image. No time to fix your make-up before someone takes your picture with the SP-820UZ iHS? Olympus’ Beauty Make-up mode will allow you to apply everything from eyeliner to eye shadow and blush.

The camera’s Smart Panorama mode creates a spectacular, sweeping still photo automatically. When a photographer pans across a subject, a series of images simultaneously knit together (up to a 360° field of view). A host of creative in-camera Magic Art Filters like Pin Hole and Pop Art enable users to apply spectacular effects to all of life’s adventures both with stills and in video mode. Eye-Fi® card compatibility and a 3.0" High-Resolution LCD screen makes it simple to share stills and HD videos seamlessly.

U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Olympus SP-820UZ iHS will be available in September, 2012, and ships with a Camera Strap, Protective Lens Cap, USB Cable, Audio/Video Cable, 4 AA Batteries, Quick Start Guide, Instruction Manual, OLYMPUS [ib] Software CD-ROM and a Warranty Card.

Estimated Street Price: $329.99 (Available in silver and black).

About Olympus Imaging America Inc.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets.

Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its ultimate parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality that enhance people’s lives every day. These include:

  • Digital Cameras
  • Professional and Interchangeable Lens System Cameras
  • Related Underwater Products and Accessories
  • Digital and Microcassette Recorders
  • Digital Media
  • Binoculars

Olympus Imaging America Inc. is responsible for sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information, visit: www.olympusamerica.com.
*As of August 2012.

Specifications and design are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.

“Eye-Fi” is a registered trademark of Eye-Fi, Inc.

“Olympus” and “Stylus” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Olympus Corporation, Olympus America Inc., and/or their affiliated entities.

©2012 Olympus Imaging America Inc.