Olympus, the industry leader in opto-digital technologies and pioneer in the digital camera market, today announced a revolutionary digital imaging solution comprising the Olympus i:robe IR-500 digital camera, the P-S100 digital photo printer and S-HD-100 hard disk storage device – everything that is needed to enjoy digital photography to the fullest.

Emphasizing design and mobility, Olympus’ latest products break free from the stringent requirements of the current computer-reliant imaging process. This complete, PC-free, modular imaging system allows consumers to shoot, organize, store, share and print photos quickly and hassle-free virtually anywhere.

Thanks to its compact dimensions, the system may be transported conveniently to capture life’s important moments. With its highly aesthetic design, users will certainly want to place the system where it can be seen – such as right in the centre of their living room.

There is also no fuss setting up the system which is connected via a dedicated cradle – just dock the components together and it is all set to provide a seamless digital experience. Form follows function with all components being lightweight, sleek and pearl white – projecting an image of style, along with ease-of-use and high performance.

Merging Design and Function
At the heart of Olympus’ revolutionary system is the i:robe IR-500 digital camera, drawing its name from the fact that the camera allows users to "robe" themselves in their favorite images wherever they go. The IR-500 will be available for the first time in Singapore at the IT Show 2005 from 10 to 13 March 2005.

The IR-500 is the first Olympus camera to feature a 360-degree rotating (front to back) LCD display. The high-contrast 210,000-pixel Semi-Transmissive TFT Color LCD is designed for greater clarity and easy viewing in bright outdoor light, while the 2.5-inch LCD monitor enhances still image and QuickTime® movie viewing pleasure. By rotating the display, users can view their subjects, including themselves, when taking images from a variety of angles. The multi-swing display also ensures portability and protection by covering the lens and the LCD monitor when in its closed position.

Boasting four million pixels, and a 2.8x optical zoom lens or 30x total zoom including digital zoom, the IR-500 offers a choice of 17 scene programmes for shooting in a wide range of conditions and styles. In addition, the QuickTime® Movie mode incorporates a camera shake correction function to reduce image unsteadiness and allow more carefree movie shooting.

The IR-500 comes with a new Album Function that allows users to organize images into photo albums on the camera's xD-Picture Card. Users can create up to 12 separate albums of 100 images each, sort them, and access them conveniently. With nine transition special effects such as fade and mosaic, slideshows can be personalized even more. A new built-in Calendar Function automatically organizes and recalls images by specific dates. On top of that, an integrated, eye-catchingly designed clock not only keeps track of time but also doubles up as an alarm.


Thanks to the IR-500 docking station that also functions as a camera stand, entertaining friends and family with the day’s latest pictures is a breeze.

Print Top Quality Images Directly From Camera
The IR-500 camera and docking station also connect directly to the optional P-S100 digital photo printer, a new dye-sublimation photo printer designed to work without any connection to a computer, for instant printing. The P-S100 will also be available at the IT Show 2005.

The P-S100 is compact, sleek and lightweight, and measures a mere 16.7 (W) X 7.0 (H) X 14.5 (D) cm, and weighs just 1.1 kg. It can print borderless 4 x 6-inch photo lab quality prints in 84 seconds (approx.), and its 16.77-million color reproduction ensures vivid and beautiful print quality.

The P-S100 offers a higher-than-average 50-sheet paper capacity to reduce the need for frequent paper replenishment. Each print is sealed with a light and moisture-resistant over-coating, which ensures that prints retain their beauty for a long time. Index seals and a case cap are included with the dedicated Paper In-Tray Cases, to be used to organize and store finished prints.

Store Images Anywhere With External Hard Disk Drive
After the shooting is done, users benefit from no-fuss printing and archiving – all without needing a computer. By connecting the IR-500 (or any USB 2.0 compatible digital camera) to the optional compact S-HD-100 hard disk storage device, an astonishing 40,000 4-megapixel-class images (approx.) can be stored on its 40GB hard disk drive anywhere, allowing the user to continue taking images with the same memory card. The S-HD-100's handheld size of 13 cm2 (approx.) and weight of 310 grams makes it extremely portable for image and movie storage.

To be shipped to Singapore by 2Q 2005, the S-HD-100 is equipped with a built-in CPU that enables image file management functions. For example, when downloading images from a digital camera that supports the dock, the S-HD-100 checks each image to see if it has been downloaded previously and only downloads the images that are new.

Besides being a direct storage of digital camera image files without using a PC, the S-HD-100 can also be easily connected to a computer to transfer, edit and back-up images, or to be used as a conventional external hard disk device. This is easily done with the Auto-Connect USB 2.0 that does not require software drivers (for most computers/operating systems), enabling hassle-free and full-speed image downloads.

A Unique Digital Imaging Solution
The i:robe IR-500 camera, and its supporting peripherals of P-S100 digital photo printer and S-HD-100 hard disk storage device, offer a comprehensive "Dock & Done" image printing and storage solution.

Not only does the i:robe imaging solution alter the way the world experiences digital photography, it also streamlines the overall digital imaging experience for the consumer.

IR-500 digital camera
 4.0 megapixels
 Multi-swing display with 360° rotation
 6.35cm high-definition LCD monitor
 17 scene programmes including: P-Auto, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Night Scene, Night + Portrait, Indoor, Fireworks, Sunset, Portrait, Self Portrait, Available Light Portrait, Cuisine, Documents, Sport, Beach & Snow, Candle, Behind Glass, and Vivid
 Camera shake protection in movie mode
 AV output (when using supplied docking station)
 PictBridge compatible & USB 2.0 Storage Class support
 Includes Olympus Master software

P-S100 digital photo printer
 High-quality 306 dpi dye-sublimation printing
 Borderless 148 x 100mm prints
 Prints in approx. 85 seconds
 PictBridge compatible & USB 2.0 Storage Class support
 50 sheet paper in-tray

S-HD-100 storage hard disk device
 40GB capacity
 Multiple image file management functions
 USB 2.0 Storage Class support
 Includes Olympus Master software

Availability
Limited quantities of the i:robe IR-500 digital camera and P-S100 digital photo printer will be available for the first time in Singapore at the IT Show 2005 from 10 to 13 March 2005. Their recommended retail prices will be announced at the IT Show. Both models will subsequently be available island-wide from 14 March 2005 onwards.

The S-HD-100 hard disk storage device will be shipped to Singapore by 2Q 2005. Its recommended retail price will be announced later.