The Olympus µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 digital camera is announced. The Olympus mju 600 has 6 megapixels, 2.5 inch LCD screen, a weatherproof metal body and a 3x zoom lens equivalent to 35-The Olympus µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 will be available from late September at a price around £220.

Olympus UK Press Release

Bright prospects for a shot in the dark

London, 29 August 2005 – The new Olympus µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 with Olympus’ BrightCapture Technology enables photographers to frame a live view in low light conditions, which will appear more than four times brighter on the LCD than on a conventional camera. As well as removing the guesswork out of framing in the dark, three special shooting modes; Available Light Portrait, Indoors and Night Scene enhance night-time images, making the best possible use of available light to achieve incredible quality shots.

Available in a choice of three colours - Navy Blue, Ruby Red and Arctic Silver - this stylish and compact camera boasts a weatherproof metal body, a precision 3x zoom lens (1:3.1-5.1, equivalent to 35-105mm in 35mm format) and 3x digital zoom.

The Olympus µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 – main features:
· 6.0 million pixels
· BrightCapture Technology for better framing and better image results in low light including a special mode that reduces the possibility of image blur
· 6.4cm / 2.5” LCD
· Weatherproof* metal body in Navy Blue, Ruby Red or Arctic Silver
· 3x zoom lens 1:3.1-5.1 (equiv. to 35-105mm in 35mm format)
· 23 scene modes plus Programme Auto
· TruePic TURBO Processor
· Movie function up to memory capacity
· Macro and Super Macro mode (from 7cm)
· PictBridge compatible· Multi-language menu plus possibility to download further languages from the Internet through the Olympus Master software.
· Histogram function in shooting mode and playback
· Special editing functions to enhance images and to add creative effects: e.g. red-eye-fix, adjust brightness and insert frame and/or title

BrightCapture Technology – The fun starts as the sun sets…
Olympus’ unique BrightCapture technology enables the µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 to come into its own once the light begins to fade. A 6.4cm Olympus HyperCrystal LCD, offering three times the contrast of an ordinary LCD, provides an extraordinary viewing angle of up to 160°, returning clear pictures and minimal screen glare in just about any situation. HyperCrystal ensures colour variation across its 215,000 pixels is kept to a minimum and the special cell construction virtually eradicates any blur or afterimages.

BrightCapture Technology produces stunning images in low-light situations, through three bespoke shooting modes:
· Available Light Portrait - makes it possible to increase the sensitivity of the camera for incredible results, using only available ambient light and no flash, perfect for early morning shots.· Indoors - by selecting this mode the camera works with the flash to guarantee even the furthest corner of a room is properly and fully exposed.
· Night Scene – slows the shutter speed right down to allow maximum light in, perfect when taking pictures of landmarks after dark.

BrightCapture also provides the photographer with extra protection against blurring their shots in the dark. When shooting fast moving action in low light conditions the camera uses faster shutter speeds to significantly reduce camera shake.

Versatile operation for the beginner and the enthusiast
The µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 is an ideal compact camera for the beginner with 23 special scene modes covering all manner of shooting situations from portraits, landscapes and night scenes right through to underwater photography (if used in conjunction with the optional PT-029 Underwater Case). Despite being so easy to operate if µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 photographers ever find themselves uncertain they can use the built in Guide Function to reveal the purpose and recommended use of the various camera modes - directly onto the LCD.

However, despite its compact size, the µ (mju) DIGITAL 600 still allows the more experienced photographer room to experiment, especially in night mode. The histogram function not only returns light distribution information on existing images but also provides data in real time when a shot is being composed.

Photographers can utilise the built-in flash to guarantee that images are always taken with the right illumination; Red-Eye Reduction is included plus the new Red-Eye Fix editing function to remove unsightly red-eye effects from photos already saved in the camera’s memory. For extreme close-ups photographers can shoot in Super Macro mode from as little as 7cm away. In addition image quality is further enhanced through incorporation of Olympus’ powerful TruePic TURBO processor and it is PICTBridge compatible.