Olympus has announced the 12MP Stylus 1, a compact camera with a 1/1.7-inch back-illuminated CMOS sensor, a constant f/2.8 lens offering an equivalent focal length range of 28-300mm and a large electronic viewfinder.
Image processing is handled by the same TruePic VI engine as in the Olympus O-MD E-M5 (AKA the original OM-D). This enables sensitivity to be set in the native range of ISO 100-12,800.
Viewfinder
Unlike many compact cameras, the Olympus Stylus 1 has a viewfinder built in. This is the same 1.44-million dot electronic device found in the OM-D E-M5.
This EVF is backed-up by a tilting 3-inch 1.04-million dot LCD screen which is touch sensitive and uses capacitive technology to speed AF point selection and the like.
OM-D style
Olympus has given the Stylus 1 an SLR-like shape that's very similar to the OM-D E-M1's, with a mode dial, control dial and direct movie button on the top-plate.
Meanwhile on the front of the camera there's a sprung switch next to the lens to control zooming and a dial around the lens to control aperture and focus.
Price and availability
The Olympus Stylus 1 will be available in black for US$699.99/£549 from late November.