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Pre-CES: Olympus has released the VR-340, an affordable 10x compact superzoom. It features a 24-240mm equivalent zoom and stands out from most of today's other Olympus announcements by being based around a 16MP, stabilized CCD sensor. It also offers a very respectable 460k dot LCD despite its recommended selling price of $149.

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Press Release:

NEW OLYMPUS VR-340 PROVES BEAUTY IS MORE THAN SKIN DEEP

Slim, Stylish and Full of Features, the Olympus VR-340 Offers a Powerful 10x Zoom and Cutting-Edge Performance Inside Its Sleek Metal Casing

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., January 9, 2012 – Olympus today announces the launch of a new V Series camera that once again proves you can have an affordable, great-looking camera with advanced digital technology all packed into an exquisitely attractive slim metal casing. Whether you’re out for a night on the town, a birthday dinner with friends or a weekend stroll, the Olympus VR-340’s 10x super wide optical zoom lens (24-240mm equivalent*) is ready to capture and share superb close-ups and group shots of life’s most important moments, like births or weddings.

The Olympus VR-340 includes all the technology you’d expect from more expensive compact cameras, including a standout 16-megapixel sensor, AF Illuminator and higher ISO for shooting in low light, designed to enhance your shots.

Add style and artistic flair to your photos with nine Magic Art Filters that work with videos and still photos alike. The new Beauty Make-up mode enhances the look of faces in your shots. Laid out like a cosmetic toolbox, it lets you apply everything from eyeliner and eye shadow to rouge for skin blemishes. You can even lift cheekbones and morph your subjects to give them a cover-model look.

A simple, one-touch button allows you to record video clips with amazing clarity in high-definition, right from your camera. With sophisticated AF tracking, you can have confidence in capturing fast moving subjects like kids & pets. Simply preview and share all of your images on the Olympus VR-340’s large 3.0-inch, high-resolution LCD for proof that this camera’s beauty is more than skin deep.

*35mm camera equivalent.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Olympus VR-340 will be available in March and ships with a Camera Strap, USB Cable, USB-AC Adapter (F-2AC), Lithium-Ion Battery (LI-50B), Audio/Video Cable, Quick Start Guide, Instruction Manual and OLYMPUS [ib] Software CD-ROM and a Warranty Card.

Estimated Street Price: $149.99 (Available in white, silver, black, purple and red).

For a complete list of specifications, visit the Olympus website: www.getolympus.com.

Olympus VR-340 specifications

Body type Body typeCompact Sensor Max resolution4608 x 3456 Other resolutions3264 x 2448, 2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 Image ratio w:h4:3, 16:9 Effective pixels16.0 megapixels Sensor photo detectors16.6 megapixels Sensor size1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) Sensor typeCCD Image ISOAuto, High Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 White balance presets5 Custom white balanceNo Image stabilizationSensor-shift Uncompressed formatNo File format

• JPEG 2.3

Optics & Focus Focal length (equiv.)24 – 240 mm Optical zoom10× Autofocus

• Contrast Detect (sensor)
• Multi-area
• Tracking
• Single
• Face Detection

Digital zoomYes (4x) Manual focusNo Lens mountNone Screen / viewfinder Articulated LCDFixed Screen size3" Screen dots460,000 Touch screenNo Live viewYes Viewfinder typeNone Photography features Maximum apertureF3.0 - F5.7 Minimum shutter speed4 sec Maximum shutter speed1/2000 sec Exposure modes

• Program AE

Scene modes

• Portrait
• Beauty
• Landscape
• Night Scene
• Night + Portrait
• Sport
• Indoor
• Candle
• Self Portrait
• Sunset
• Fireworks
• Cuisine
• Documents
• Beach & Snow
• Pet
• 3D

Built-in flashYes Flash range4.8 m External flashNo Flash modesAuto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Drive modes

• Single
• Continuous
• Self-timer

Continuous driveYes Self-timerYes (2 or 12 sec) Metering modes

• Multi
• Spot

Exposure compensation±2 EV (at 1/3 EV steps) WB BracketingNo Videography features Format

• Motion JPEG

MicrophoneMono SpeakerMono Resolutions1280 x 720 (30,15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 180 (30,15 fps) Storage Storage typesSD/SDHC/SDXC Connectivity USB USB 2.0 (480Mbit/sec) HDMIYes WirelessEyeFi Remote controlNo Physical Environmentally sealedNo BatteryBattery Pack Battery descriptionLithium-ion rechargeable LI-50B battery & charger Weight (inc. batteries)125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz) Dimensions96 x 57 x 19 mm (3.78 x 2.24 x .75") Other features Orientation sensorYes Timelapse recordingNo GPSNone


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