Ten new Olympus cameras

The compact camera market today is all about one-upmanship. Samsung releases three new cameras so Panasonic releases five. Kodak match this with five of their own, and Casio, Pentax and Sony all make a couple of announcements to remind us they all still there. Olympus has been strangely quiet throughout all this, and Memory Cards don't count, and here's why - today they have announced TEN new cameras: The [mju:] 725SW, 730, 740 and 750; the FE-170, 180, 190 and 200; and finally the SP-510 UZ.

	[mju:] 725 SW The 725 SW is the successor to the EISA winning 720 and shares its waterproof and shockproof leanings - and extends the waterproof ability to a depth of 5m. Designed specifically for extreme sports the metal-cased camera has a 2.1MP sensor and a 2.5inch LCD with “BrightCapture” technology that keeps it easy to see underwater. The camera will be available from October prices at £300. In a cheeky nod to its ability the camera is available in Deep Blue colour, and also Titanium Grey and Cherry Red. DETAILS >>
	[mju:] 730 A first for Olympus, the 730 is the first camera to offer a 3inch LCD. The benefits of a bigger screen are obvious, with more space for cleaner menu design and shot framing, and even with the bigger screen the 730 is still a very slim camera and weatherproof too. The important specs include a 7.1MP sensor, 3x optical lens and a handful of other technologies: BrightCapture LCD, Digital Image Stabilisation (boosts ISO of low light photos) and PerfectFix (for correcting red-eye, blurring and lighting errors). Available early September for approx. £220. DETAILS >>
	[mju:] 740 Breaking the current trend of only having a 3x optical lens on compacts is the 740, which allows you to get closer to the action with a 5x optical zoom lens. A 7.1MP sensor and 2.5inch BrightCapture LCD also feature, and high-sensitive modes to reduce camera shake. An underwater case will be made available and the camera comes in “Moonlight Silver”, “Twilight Blue” or “Sunset Red” for £260 in September. DETAILS >>
	[mju:] 750 Essentially the 750 is the same beast as the 740 above sharing all its features but adding another measure against camera shake: “Dual Image Stabilisation”. This is a gyro based system that moves the sensor to compensate for any movement when the shutter is pressed. Others may find the colour more important as the 750 isn't available in the 740's funky colours, simply “Starry Silver” and “Midnight Black”. September for £300. DETAILS >>
	[mju:] 1000 Finally there is the 1000, and there is no prize for those of you guessing that the 10MP sensor is the biggest feature because it isn't (although a 10MP sensor is a big feature). Instead it is the news of the impossibly high 6400 ISO which makes the news - allowing sharp images in low-light without the need for Flash, although to use this the camera has to drop to the still-useful resolution of 3MP. 3x optical zoom and a weatherproof casing also feature. October for £330. DETAILS >>
	FE-170 Moving onto the FE range, the 170 intends to make photography fun and fuss-free with a no-nonsense “one button, one function” design and clear 2.5inch LCD screen the camera is worth a look for beginners or holiday makers - and the 6MP sensor, 3x optical zoom, AA-power and Direct Printing deliver on the feature side. Available September for £115. DETAILS >>
	FE-180 Like the duo of the [mju:] 740 and 750, the 180 is a slight improvement on the 170 as it offers a metal front to make it more knock-, kid- and idiot-proof. A higher RRP of £140 is required for this feature. DETAILS >>
	FE-190 For those of you more concerned with style and design, the FE-190 is for you, with a slim 18.5mm deep metal body and a 2.5inch LCD. Style aside, the 190 still has the potential to be a competent camera with a 6MP sensor, 3x optical zoom lens and the FE-series hallmark of “one button, one function design”. The FE-190 is available in September but the RRP hasn't been set - and the camera is Dixons (or Currys-Digital now) exclusive. DETAILS >>
	FE-200 The 200 takes an FE-style no-nonsense design and adds a 5x wide-angle lens suitable for landscapes, close-ups and everything in-between. The camera also has ISO 800 image stabilisation mode and a 6MP sensor. Available in September for £200. DETAILS >>
	SP 510 UZ Finally there is the 510 UZ, a welcome change from all the compacts because it is a super zoom with an optical zoom of 10x, and by limiting resolution to 3MP it can increase this to 15x. Usually resolution is 7.1MP and in low light the ISO can be pushed to a maximum of 4000 (again in 3MP). Despite the 10x lens the camera is still remarkably compact and will be available in September for £260. DETAILS >>