The New Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Ultra-Zoom Digital Cameras

Olympus has just announced the new Stylus SP-820UZ, a 14MP compact digital camera with a 40x optical zoom that enables you to shoot pictures and Full HD videos, and it’s powered by four AA batteries. The SP-820UZ is available in black and silver, and it features a high-sensitivity CMOS sensor, a TruePic V image processor, fast auto focusing iHS Technology and a 3” (7.6 cm) 460K dot TFT color LCD screen. Its 22.4mm wide angle to 896mm super-telephoto (35mm equivalent) lens enables you to capture close-up images from far away, and DUAL IS and CMOS shift-type image stabilization help to keep images steady.

A dedicated movie button allows you to shoot Full HD 1920 x 1080 video in .MOV and H.264 file formats, and Multi-Motion Movie IS image stabilization helps you capture smoother-looking footage when shooting handheld while walking. You can take advantage of the SP-820UZ’s super-telephoto lens when shooting video, as well as its Magic Filter effects like Pop, Pinhole, Fisheye, Sketch, Wedding, Rock, Watercolor and Mirror. The Magic Filter effects are available when shooting stills as well.

There are numerous automated features on the Stylus SP-820UZ that make it easier to capture great-looking shots. iAUTO mode detects scenes and subjects and optimizes the settings of the camera. You can also choose from several different Scene Modes when shooting in challenging conditions. Face Detect AF detects faces and automatically focuses the camera, and Auto Tracking AF follows moving subjects and automatically adjusts the focus. In addition to human faces, the SP-820UZ can also detect the faces of dogs and cats. Up to ten dog or cat faces can be detected at a time, and focus will adjust automatically. The Auto Shutter mode can even detect a single animal’s expression and automatically take a shot when your pet faces the lens.

An SD card slot handles memory storage; SD, SDHC, SDXC and Eye-Fi cards are all supported. Eye-Fi cards are SDHC memory cards that have built-in wireless networks, so you can wirelessly send your images to computers and other devices. The SP-820UZ also features an HDMI output and a USB port, and an In-Camera Panorama Merge feature makes it possible to shoot panoramic images quickly, by panning the camera.

The Olympus STYLUS SP-820UZ is anticipated to be available in late September 2012, but you can pre-order now at B&H.