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Olympus Digital PEN Teaser 3

Olympus PenD

Olympus PenD

Here is the 3rd installment of the teaser for the new Olympus micro G digital camera on the Olympus Asia site. They are basically following the history of the Pen camera. The next teaser is next Tuesday, June 9, 2009 [and then it looks like there’s space for one more camera after that]. Check out the Olympus Pen history, celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

The Olympus PenD was introduced in 1962 and featured a fast F1.9 lens and a 1/500 sec. shutter speed. It is most probably the PenF, introduced in 1963, that will interest us as far as the new Olympus Pen micro G is concerned. From the Olympus site, “The Olympus Pen F was the world’s first and only half-frame system single-lens reflex camera, released in 1963. The camera featured a porro-prism finder and was the first to have a rotary titanium shutter. It could be used with a highly versatile range of 20 exchangeable lenses. The Olympus Pen F was a revolutionary camera packed with innovative features.” The PenF was followed in 1966 by the PenFT, which added a built-in TTL exposure meter and a self-timer.

The Olympus PenFT is a beautiful camera and if Olympus introduces a compact “mirror-less” DSLR with all the features enthusiasts are looking for, they may just have a winner on their hands.

See Olympus Pen micro G Teaser

A Visual History of the Olympus Pen

Photos courtesy of Olympus

Feb. 1959 - Olympus 18 (Half-frame = 18x24mm) - Prototype of the Olympus Pen

Feb. 1959 - Olympus 18 (Half-frame = 18x24mm) - Prototype of the Olympus Pen

Oct. 1959 - Olympus Pen

Oct. 1959 - Olympus Pen

1960 - Olympus PenEE Prototype

1960 - Olympus PenEE Prototype

Aug. 1961 - Olympus PenEE

Aug. 1961 - Olympus PenEE

May 1968 - Olympus PenEE2 - Gold Version - To commemorate 2 million Pen cameras sold

May 1968 - Olympus PenEE2 - Gold Version - To commemorate 2 million Pen cameras sold

Apr. 1962 - Olympus PenEES

Apr. 1962 - Olympus PenEES

June 1962 - Olympus PenD

June 1962 - Olympus PenD

June 1965 - Olympus PenEM

June 1965 - Olympus PenEM

Sept. 1963 - Olympus PenF

Sept. 1963 - Olympus PenF

Oct. 1966 - Olympus PenFT

Oct. 1966 - Olympus PenFT

2008 - Olympus Micro FourThirds DSLR Concept

2008 - Olympus Micro FourThirds DSLR Concept

Summer 2009 - June 16?

Summer 2009 - June 16?

Please visit the Olympus web site for more info about these cameras and their features.