Olympus just announced the STYLUS SH-50 iHS, a premium, compact long zoom camera, equipped with 5-Axis Video Stabilization, 3-Axis Image Stabilization for stills and Full 1080p HD Video. A first for point-and-shoot cameras, its 24x optical zoom lens (25-600mm equivalent) combines with an advanced image stabilization mechanism, originally developed for the Olympus OM-D E-M5 flagship interchangeable lens camera, to compensate for image blur in all situations regardless of the scene. Olympus claims the result is brilliant still images and beautiful movies, even while using zoom.
The STYLUS SH-50 iHS is a true hybrid optimized for anyone looking to record virtually blur-free memories of any important milestone frozen in time or full of vivid motion. The SH-50 iHS is equipped with an Advanced Movie mode for powerful video recording functions, including Photo-In-Movie that captures a full 16-megapixel still image while simultaneously shooting Full HD movies and High Speed Movies for 120 frames per second shooting in 720p HD and 240 frames per second in HVGA. The STYLUS SH-50 iHS includes 60i Movie–60 frames per second HD recording–for smoother images of moving subjects.
Its 16-megapixel Backlit CMOS sensor combines with the TruePic VI image processor to command an assortment of Olympus’s advanced iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) technologies to capture beautiful, sharp images of subjects even in challenging low-light situations and backlit scenes. The 3-axis Photo Image Stabilization mechanically compensates for rotary shift as well as horizontal and vertical angular shift to further enhance still images and eliminate blur.
An easy-to-use, touch-sensitive, 3.0-inch high resolution LCD screen is powered by the touch of a finger to focus on subjects and activate the shutter. Live Guide, a graphic user interface that provides simple assistance to control settings to capture the perfect image, adjusts color and tone at the swipe of a finger. Advanced photographers will appreciate onboard fully manual controls that customize settings to their comfort and shooting style.
Advanced Shadow Adjustment Technology adjusts dark areas within an image shot under backlit conditions so that a subject’s face can be revealed even under strong lighting, and Hand-Held Starlight mode, which helps users at night by capturing multiple images and stitching them together into a single, crisp photo, can now be used with a flash. With the flash on, the camera automatically merges an image of the subject illuminated with the flash in the foreground with a separate image of the background nightscape, to produce a single, clear night photo. In low-light, HDR Backlight Adjustment takes a collage of images at various exposure levels and blends them into one perfectly exposed photo. Eleven Magic Filters add a range of spectacular effects to both stills and video, and Beauty Mode with Make-up lets users easily apply everything from eyeliner to eye shadow and blush to subjects.
Users can easily share their images on a big-screen HDTV in high definition using an optional HDMI cable or on their social networks using the Olympus Image Share smartphone application (via optional Toshiba FlashAir SDHC card or optional Eye-Fi Card).
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Pricing and Availability
The Olympus STYLUS SH-50 will be available in March 2013 for $299.99 (Available in Black and Silver).
