Olympus IR-300 digital camera introduction : With the announcement of the Easy Imaging System at Photokina 2004, Olympus introduced a new integrated approach to shooting, printing, archiving and sharing digital photos without the need for a PC. Now, a second digital camera joins the line-up to make digital photography easier, more stylish and enjoyable. The 5.0 million pixel camera Olympus 300 stands out with its pure, minimalist design. A precision 3x zoom lens graces the centre of its front and on its rear, a 5.1cm Sunshine LCD monitor ensures shots can be framed, checked and viewed with ease. Versatility is further guaranteed with many more options such as macro and movie recording with sound. The new product stands out with the minimalist design that distinguishes the whole Easy Imaging System range, making it an attention-grabber wherever the Olympus IR 300 is.

A smart solution for image capture: Besides its striking design, the Olympus IR 300 digital camera is rich in photographic features to simplify image capture and enhance results. It lets users shoot sharp with 5.0 million pixels and brings subjects in close with a 3x zoom (38-114mm, 1:3.3-4.0). Its dimensions, however, remain compact. An optical "folded" light path is utilised so that all lens adjustments are made within the camera. As well as a smaller size, this gives the Olympus IR 300 the added benefit of not having a protruding lens.

17 scene programmes, including Portrait, Landscape and Candle, are available for trouble-free shooting in a wide variety of styles and conditions. A boon for nature buffs, the Super Macro mode gives photographers the flexibility to shoot from as close as 5cm. Movie recording with sound is possible too. Moreover, due to the special digital image stabiliser, erratic and jerky video images are a thing of the past. The length of movies is limited only by the amount of memory available, and through compatibility with up to 1GB xD-Picture Cards, it leaves little to be left wanting.

For presenting results, a 5.1cm monitor with Sunshine LCD technology, allowing easy viewing even in bright sunlight, is on hand. This can also be used to present slideshows as well as providing both calendar and album views. The included docking station makes an ideal camera stand when giving the first showing of photos to friends or family, and recharges the battery as you view. Special editing functions such as Resize and Reduce Red Eyes can be carried out directly on the camera.

For those managing and editing their digital images and movies on the computer, the Olympus Master Software which is shipped together with the  Olympus IR 300 is a very versatile but easy-to-use tool to work with. The ultra-compact and very stylish Olympus Easy Imaging System is ready to go wherever you do, making it as flexible as your lifestyle. The Olympus IR 300 digital camera will be available from spring 2005.

Olympus IR-300 digital camera main features

• 5.0 million pixels
  
• 3x optical (38-114mm), 1:3.3-4.0 and 4x digital zoom
  
• 5.1cm / 2.0" Sunshine LCD monitor (206,000 pixels)
  
• 17 scene programmes
  
• Movie mode with sound and camera shake protection
  
• Super Macro mode for shots from as close as 5cm
• 15MB internal memory plus xD-Picture Card slot
• Multilingual menu (additional languages can be downloaded)
• PictBridge compatible (connection to printer via supplied docking station)
• USB AutoConnect and AV output via supplied docking station
• Includes Olympus Master 1.2 software