Now Until March 31, 2005 Purchase EVOLT E-300 SLR and Two Lens for Under $1000 with Rebate

Melville, New York, March 4, 2005 – Olympus Imaging America Inc. announces a $100 rebate on its EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR system both with and without its consumer Zuiko Digital Specific™ lenses. Now, when consumers purchase one of the following items from an authorized OLYMPUS SLR dealer or log on to www.OlympusAmerica.com/rebate they can receive a mail-in rebate coupon for $100 cash back from Olympus:

• The EVOLT E-300 body on its own
• The EVOLT E-300 Kit (that includes the 14-45mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Specific lens) or
• The EVOLT E-300 Two Lens Kit (includes both the 14-45mm f3.5/5.6 and 40-150mm f3.5/4.5 Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses)

The offer applies to all EVOLT bodies and EVOLT Kits purchased from February 7 until March 31, 2005 in the US and Canada (rebates must be postmarked by April 30, 2005).

The greatest savings by far is for the EVOLT E-300 Two Lens Kit, because if the camera and lenses were each purchased separately, they would cost $1,428.90 (approx.). With the $100 rebate until March 31, consumers can purchase the EVOLT Two Lens Kit for just $999.99 – an incredible savings. That’s two digital lenses for just $100 more than the price of the EVOLT body on its own!

This chart illustrates the value of the rebates for these products and the estimated street prices following the rebates.

More Rebates for EVOLT Accessories

As indicated in the chart, the HLD-3 EVOLT E-300 Power Battery Holder will have a $10 rebate and the FL-50 Flash for use with the EVOLT and several other Olympus digital cameras will have a $50 rebate available from March 1 through June 30, 2005.

The EVOLT can accommodate the HLD-3 Battery Holder that holds one or two BLM-1 Li-Ion batteries. With two batteries, the EVOLT can capture almost double the number of images possible with only one battery. The HLD-3 has a shutter release button located at its base to enable vertical shooting, a remote socket for use with the RM-CB1 Cable Release, and a standard tripod socket.

The FL-50 provides Guide Number 28 at a 12mm focal length (equivalent to 24mm on a 35mm camera; ISO 100) and Guide Number 50 at 42mm focal length (equivalent to 85mm on a 35mm camera; ISO 100). It features: the ability to set TTL auto, auto, and manual modes; a bounce and swivel head; flash coverage automatically adjusted in several steps to correspond to the image area when zooming; and a built-in diffuser that can be used to obtain wide-angle coverage at an 8mm focal length (equivalent to 16mm on a 35mm camera).

Supersonic Wave Filter Leaves Other Digital SLR Cameras in the Dust
A common problem with interchangeable lens digital SLR cameras is dust settling on the image sensor. The EVOLT features an Olympus exclusive patented ultrasonic technology, the Supersonic Wave Filter™, to reduce the effects of micro dust settling on the image sensor and impacting the image quality. Located between the shutter and the CCD, the Supersonic Wave Filter uses high-speed ultrasonic vibration to cause most types of dust to fall away from the image sensor so it will not appear in photographs. The filter vibrates at 350,000 times per second virtually eliminating most dust problems, and is activated every time the camera powers on, or manually with a menu selection. The CCD assembly is isolated from the Supersonic Wave Filter by an airtight seal to protect it even more. This unique Olympus feature gives photographers the confidence to shoot photos and change lenses in the field, just as they’ve always done, without the worry of images being damaged or ruined by dust on the imager. (And saves on costly service to clean the imager.)

“Designed for Digital” Lenses
The Zuiko Digital 14-45mm f3.5 – 5.6 Lens (equivalent to 28mm – 90mm in 35mm photography) comes standard with the EVOLT E-300, as part of the EVOLT Kit. Its 3.2x zoom covers the zoom range most frequently used in everyday photography. With 12 elements in 10 groups and a weight of just 9.98 oz/285g (approx.) it offers users an extremely dynamic, portable everyday-use zoom.

A newly developed 'floating' mechanism is incorporated into the focusing system to ensure exceptionally smooth action across the entire focusing range. Close-ups as near as 15 in/38cm are possible throughout the zoom range. The lens also boasts a new multi-coating process, which minimizes ghosting and flaring as well as a reliable metal lens mount, which is designed for ruggedness that ensures confidence in any situation.

The Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f3.5 – 4.5 (equivalent to 80-300mm in 35mm photography) features a 3.8x zoom capability that provides everything from mid-range zoom power to easy-to-use full-fledged zoom. With 13 elements in 10 groups and a weight of just 15.75 oz/450g (approx), the Zuiko Digital 40-150mm Lens is meant to go anywhere. In addition, the lens employs a f3.5-4.5 brightness making it ideal for achieving effects like background blurring and perspective compression, suitable for everything from portraits to sports scenes. As with the 14-45mm lens, the 40-150mm is also reinforced by a new multi-coating process as well as a new reliable metal lens mount.

ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets.

Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies that have revolutionized product design and functionality across diverse consumer and professional product lines. These include:

• Digital and film cameras
• Professional SLR Imaging Systems
• Digital and Microcassette recorders
• Digital Music Players
• Personal Photo Printers
• Digital Print Kiosks
• Digital Video Projectors
• Digital Media
• Binoculars

Olympus Imaging America Inc. is responsible for sales in United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information, visit www.olympusamerica.com.

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