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Olympus PEN Lite E-PL6 brings OM-D focusing to lower-cost cameras
Sure, Olympus' PEN E-P5 brings the OM-D E-M5's fast autofocusing to a smaller body, but it's not really cheaper when both cameras cost $1,000 lens-free in the US. Thankfully, the PEN Lite E-PL6 is on the way to democratize the technology in earnest. The new Micro Four Thirds model shares the 16-megapixel sensor, TruePic VI engine and fast focusing of its cutting-edge cousins, but makes a few sacrifices to keep the cost in check. The E-P5's built-in WiFi and five-axis stabilization are missing, and the camera otherwise behaves more like its E-PL5 ancestor: it shoots at a slower 8 frames per second with a lower-resolution 460,000-pixel, 3-inch swiveling touchscreen. Not that Americans comfortable with the E-PL6's frugal features can pick one up, mind you. To date, Olympus has only committed to a Japanese launch in late June. %Gallery-187995%
Olympus reveals SZ-15, SZ-16 superzoom cameras with upgraded sensors
It almost wouldn't be a camera introduction without a couple of superzooms, would it? Appropriately, Olympus is updating its lower-cost SZ models at CES with new sensors and a handful of extras to match the long-distance optics. The 24X zoom SZ-16 iHS makes the undeniably larger leap: its 14-megapixel sensor now relies on low light-friendly CMOS (instead of the SZ-12's CCD) and introduces a quicker TruePic VI processor. The added power leads to a multi-shot Hand-Held Starlight mode for would-be astrophotographers as well as 1080p video. Not that the very entry level isn't getting some love, however. The SZ-15 is a meaningful upgrade in its own right, extending to the same 24X zoom as the SZ-16 while replacing the SZ-10's 14-megapixel CCD with a 16-megapixel CMOS imager. Olympus includes a handful of options that the SZ-15's older TruePic III engine can handle, such as a Beauty Mode and SR Zoom (read: digital zoom). Both models ship in March, although the narrow pricing spread between the $200 SZ-15 and $230 SZ-16 leaves us leaning heavily toward the higher-end camera. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
