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NEWS • AUGUST 1 , 2000
Olympus D-490 Gains QuickTime Capture
2 megapixel still camera comes in at less than $500

by David Nagel
Executive Producer
dnagel@digitalmedianet.com

Olympus today announced its new D-490 digital still camera, a 2.11 megapixel model that comes in at less than $500. The camera, based on the D-460 Zoom, comes with a 3x optical zoom lens packed into a 9.5 ounce body measuring 5" x 2.6" x 2.1". It's the first of Olympus' D-series cameras to come with QuickTime capture capabilities.

Olympus says the D-490 has improved menus and function buttons for easier access to the camera's full line of features; new Olympus branded long life Lithium batteries; a wider choice of compression modes with a new Standard Quality mode for better pictures for the Web; DPOF support for setting the camera to print specific images and quantities with DPOF printers; and the ability to display file names on the LCD.

Standard features include:

• 3x optical zoom, 2.5x digital telephoto at any focal length;
• Five-mode pop-up intelligent flash (red-eye reduction, force-fill flash, automatic low-light and backlight mode, flash-off and slow-sync);
• 100, 200 and 400 selectable ISO;
• 1.3 frames per second burst mode;
• Through the lens auto focus;
• Auto white balance with four-step manual override;
• Center-weighted and spot-metering systems for auto exposure with +/- 2 step exposure compensation control in 1/2 step increments;
• Video out for viewing on televisions or recording to a VCR;
• Direct printing to the P-330/P-400 Instant Dye Sublimation Photo Printers.
• Eight-element all-glass aspherical F2.8 autofocus lens;
• Built-in optical viewfinder and 1.8" LCD;
• Macro capability as close as 8";
• Resolutions: 1,600 x 1,200 (SHQ/HQ mode), 640 x 480 (SQ1/2 mode);
• Lens: Olympus lens 5.4 mm to 16.2 mm; F2.8 to F4.4; eight elements in six groups (Equivalent to 35 mm to 105 mm lens on 35 mm camera), including two aspherical lenses;
• Shutter: 1/2 to 1/1000 second mechanical shutter;
• Pre-set exposures for daylight, overcast, tungsten light and fluorescent light;
• Motion picture mode format: QuickTime Motion JPEG: high quality: 320 x 240 pixels, 15 frames per second for about 15 seconds; standard quality: 160 x 120 pixels, 15 frames per second for about 60 seconds;
• With the internal high-speed D-RAM enhancement, shots can be held in the memory buffer while another shot is being taken. The D-RAM also allows for burst mode shooting.

An 8 MB SmartMedia removable card is included with the camera. It comes standard with two Olympus CR-V3 Lithium batteries, strap, serial cable for Mac and PC, video connection cable for TV or VCR, Olympus Camedia Master Utility Software for downloading images from the camera and instruction manuals. The D-490 Zoom will be available August 15, 2000 with an expected street price of $499. For more information, visit http://www.olympusamerica.com.

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