DIWA Press Release 20/09/04

Olympus siblings, Camedia C-8080 WZ and C-5060 WZ, win DIWA Gold and Silver awards as proof of excellence

20. September, 2004: DIWA (Digital Imaging Websites Association), a world-wide organisation of collaborating websites, today announces two awards to Olympus for their remarkable wide zoom digital compact cameras, Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom and C-5060 Wide Zoom.

Both cameras passed the rigorous DIWA test procedure with excellent results. The 8 Megapixel Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom scored well above the limit for a DIWA Gold Award, thanks to its fast 5x zoom lens with 28-140 mm. (35 mm film equivalent) zoom range, outstanding overall image quality, flexible handling and good value for money. Similar qualities were noted for the 5 Megapixel Camedia C-5060 Wide Zoom and its 27-110 mm. (35 mm film equivalent) 4x wide zoom lens. The average score from a number of DIWA testing experts rated this fine Olympus camera as a worthy winner of a DIWA Silver Award.

Kai Thon, DIWA’s test manager, says: “Our testing methodology filters out the poor, the good and the excellent digital cameras in a cruel way. Only the best survive, and Olympus cameras are among the few that frequently pass our tests with dignity. Perfect harmony between construction, features, performance and price for its targeted audience may very well be the secret behind Olympus’ success, in particular for these two awarded models”.

About DIWA
A growing independent, authoritative, industry organisation
The Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) is a growing group of independent Web-based specialist publications dedicated to digital imaging. DIWA harnesses the collective talent and expertise of its members, resulting in industry awards that command unparalleled confidence and value, both for consumers and the industry, alike. DIWA awards come in the form of bronze, silver and gold medals.

Unique bullet-proof test scoring procedure
DIWA product test awards are exclusively decided through the analysis of multiple test scores from different DIWA testers, testing different samples of the same product. A very detailed and comprehensive standardized scoring procedure is employed, tailored carefully for each category of product. Multiple testing eliminates the chance of an, isolated, unrepresentative product sample or test error, or even hidden bias, from affecting the trustworthiness of the overall result.

Awards throughout the year
DIWA is also unique in its policy in issuing awards for deserving products throughout the year, culminating in annual best of the year Platinum medal awards.

The DIWA multi-lingual Web site
At the heart of the DIWA organisation is its multi-lingual Web site, www.diwa-awards.com, where you can find links to the latest reviews published by DIWA member publications. The site also archives DIWA awards and is designed to aid consumers in their choice of imaging products.

For further information about DIWA, please visit our Web site or email us at [email protected].