Center Valley, PA—Olympus is refining its X series with the addition of the extremely compact and lightweight Stylus XZ-10, which incorporates many of the same performance features of the flagship Stylus XZ-2 but in a stealthier body. The high-end, pocketsize compact blends a super-bright f/1.8–2.7 zoom lens, pro-style manual settings, a 12 megapixel backlit CMOS sensor and a TruePic VI image processor.
Its 26–130mm wide-angle, 5x optical zoom iZuiko Digital lens fits into a body that is about 40% smaller than its predecessor, measuring roughly 4×2.4×1.35 inches. And Olympus’s iHS image-processing technology and a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor combine with the large-aperture lens “to deliver high-sensitivity, low noise and blazing autofocus performance.” Even at high ISO settings, iHS technologies are said to deliver low noise, crisp details and rich gradation in both dark and light parts of the frame.
The XZ-10’s upgrades also include 120-frames-per-sec high-speed HD movie recording and a photo story function that shoots a group of still photos straight into preprepared layouts that are ready for sharing via FlashAir without the need for more work on a computer. Additional modes like handheld starlight with flash are included to help make blur-free shooting without a tripod possible even in difficult lighting, while HDR backlight adjustment aids in achieving ideal exposure when shooting against the light.
Just like the Stylus flagship XZ-2, the XZ-10 has a customizable control ring around the lens so users can adjust key settings, such as aperture and exposure time, manually without taking their eye off the subject. Alternatively, users can assign ISO or metering to the Fn button on the back of the camera for quick handling.
The basic operations and settings of the XZ-10, including touch controls, a live guide and the graphic user interface, will be familiar to Olympus PEN and OM-D shooters. Users can activate the touch AF shutter function to select the subject they want to focus on and activate the shutter by touching the 920,000-dot LCD screen. With a tap of the finger, it can focus on fast-moving subjects and trigger the shot.
The camera’s 1080p Full HD movie capability utilizes stereo sound and multi-motion movie IS image stabilization to correct for the common gradual camera shake that occurs when shooting on the move. Recording options include 1,920×1,080 high-definition size and MOV/H.264 movie compression for compatibility with computers. To share movies and images on a big-screen HDTV in high definition, there’s an optional HDMI cable. To share on social networks, photographers can use the Olympus Image Share smartphone app (via optional Toshiba FlashAir SDHC card or optional Eye-Fi card).
The Olympus Stylus XZ-10 will be available in late March and ships with a USB cable, video cable, a Li-Ion battery pack/charger, a shoulder strap, an Olympus ib software CD-ROM, manuals and a registration card—for an estimated street price of $399.99. olympusamerica.com
