Olympus UK teases new ‘premium compact’ in photo competition launch

Olympus UK has teamed up with exhibtr.com to launch a competition for student photographers, and in the process teased an upcoming ‘premium compact’ as one of the prizes. The Student Photography Competition 2013/14 has a theme of ‘People & Portraits’, the overall winner will receive an OM-D E-M5 12-50mm lens kit, while two runners-up will receive the soon-to-be-announced camera.

UK-based photographers will be able to get an ‘exclusive preview’ of the new model at London’s Covent Garden from November 2nd to 9th, as part of a series of talks and events that form ‘Olympus Image Space @ Icetank’. This includes a series of workshops, presentations and interviews with well-known photographers including Barry Lategan, Damian McGillicuddy and Jill Furmanovsky. Full details can be found at www.olympus-imagespace.co.uk.

Press release:

Olympus & exhibtr.com Student Photography Competition 2013/14

Olympus & exhibtr.com team up to find the best student photographers

London, 21 October 2013 – Olympus have joined forces with Exhibtr, the social network for photographers, artists and writers, to host a competition to discover the best photographers in the student community.

Exhibtr was founded in 2012 by student Harry Hanlon as a vehicle to showcase the best new talent in the arts and to expose them to a wider audience; Olympus saw Exhibtr as a natural fit for a competition aiming to find fresh photographic talent.

Speaking of the partnership Harry said: “Exhibtr is very proud to be hosting the upcoming Olympus Student Photography Competition. The opportunity to give students a chance to show off their best work, whilst being in with a chance of winning some brilliant prizes is incredibly exciting for us. We’re looking forward to seeing the most creative and original take on the competition’s theme.”

About the competition:

The theme of the competition is “People & Portraits”. We want to encourage entries that capture the wide range of human emotions and behaviour, whether in a posed portrait, a shared moment between friends or a candid street shot of passers-by, there should be no shortage of opportunities to capture submissions.

Entrants don’t need to be a professional photographer or on a photography course to enter, just a keen
eye and an interest or passion for photography.

The prizes:

Students entering the competition have the opportunity to win the superb multi award-winning OM-D EM5, a Micro Four Thirds camera that is used by amateurs and professionals alike and loved for both its high quality images and retro good looks, and the runners-up prizes are just as desirable:

Overall winner – Olympus OM-D E-M5 kit incl. M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 lens
Two runners-up – The soon to be announced latest high-end compact from Olympus.

If the mystery runners-up prizes have left you intrigued, head to the Olympus pop-up gallery at The Ice Tank in London’s Covent Garden from November 2 to 9 for an exclusive preview of the new camera. More information on this event will be available on http://www.olympus-imagespace.co.uk.

How to enter:

To enter, simply sign up to exhibtr.com. Once logged in you may upload as many entries as you like.
However, remember to ensure all entries you would like to be judged are tagged with the phrase
“olycomp”.

All we ask is that you are aged 16 years or older and be in full or part time education. The competition is open from now until February 28 2014. Following the closing date we’ll announce a short list of 30 entrants who will all be given premium Exhibtr accounts, from the final 30 we’ll then choose the 3 prize winners.

The 30 short listed entries will be chosen 4 weeks after the competition closes, the final 3 will be announced 2 weeks later.

The competition will be fully promoted through Olympus’ social media channels, exhibtr.com and Olympus Magazine, supporting material will also be sent out to higher education establishments.

Comments

Yawn.

Remember this post from 43rumors?
http://www.43rumors.com/ft4-guess-what-both-compact-camera-rumors-may-be-correct-new-xz-now-and-high-end-compact-later/

Maybe the prize is not the mini OMD.

No funny Olympus. really, Let’s evolve? or continuing to evolve?

Is this special for you enough?

http://digiarena.e15.cz/olympus-om-d-mini-alias-stylu-1—opravdu-se-ho-dockame

Translated from your link:
“Compact should be similarly treated body as the flagship OM-D sensor size 1/1, 7 “and a lens with a range of 24-300 mm. Has even been even expected price 700 USD. Commissioning is said we will see the end of the month.”

So basically it is a tiny-sensor superzoom! Another camera with too little light to support a zoom… another noise-factory!
With the Sony RX10 coming out, if it weren’t for the lower price, this thing would be a stillborn. Thank God for them they can compete on price, if they can’t on technical merits.

Maybe I’m being a bit cynical but I don’t see a lot of takers at the $700 price point unless this camera is really something special.

For some reason, I think that most competing students would prefer premium smartphone over this mysterious mini sensor compact to be revealed. Or am I jumping the gun?

Most students already have a smartphone, an iPod and a Laptop. Both of my nieces who are in school have the latest Apple versions of all three things. But I’m guessing that not all students have decent cameras.

And giving away a smartphone is more difficult because most need a 1 or 2 year contract and many smartphones can be had for a small fee with a contract, so there is little reason to prefer one as a prize.

Besides, most photography enthusiasts would probably prefer a dedicated camera.

Why doesn’t DPR publish photos of the camera when every other photo site has them?

Probably because DPReview got a (p)review copy with a non-disclosure agreement attached to it.

other sites may only have a mock-up of what they are speculating it might look like. if you have a credible link, could you please share it with us?

http://digiarena.e15.cz/olympus-om-d-mini-alias-stylu-1—opravdu-se-ho-dockame

its interesting that they include an evf in a compact but not in the pen range. many people are clamouring for a rangefinder style oly pen.

Didn’t Olympus release a high end compact called the XZ10, that was previewed here with hundreds of comments from seemingly excited users because of the fast zoom with a wide range?

We haven’t heard a single word about it since.

I bought the XZ-10 and meets my expectations: solid build, fast operation, decent image quality.
I chose it because it was the sole really-compact that had that fast lens at long end, F2.7.

The LX-7 and Fujifilm X20 also have fast max apertures at full telephoto, but they are considerably larger, so I totally get it.

To me, the XZ10 looks like a very interesting, fun little camera.

I just found it strange how there was so much excitement about it when it was announced and then nothing. Same thing happened with the P330.

they have tiny sensors… try the Olympus night scene mode and let me know what you think of the noise factory you’re holding in your hands… or has that improved now?

also, these tiny sensor “enthusiast” compacts are just that… for noob enthusiasts, not for those in the know. they are kind of non-news, now that we have the RX100 and RX10.

Olympus, come out with a MFT about the size of the RX100, or even slightly larger, and then we’ll talk!

I think, Timmbits is one of those “noob enthusiasts” if he can’t use fully manual mode for night shooting.

BTW, this Stylus 1 would be OK if it
1) shoots as fast as OM-D
2) has Colour Creator

Aren’t the PEN minis about the same size as the RX100? Ok, with their lens on (whichever one) they’re bigger, but their body is tiny.

timmbits this term noise factory ive seen twice in this thread is ridculous, so is using “night scene” mode. Maybe i like a bit of grain.

@Timmbits:
you mean that an enthusiast shouldn’t have a tiny camera to carry almost everywhere?, cause that was my purpose.
the criteria: a compact that has full control, including over depth of field, to back-up my DSLR.
Of course there is the RX100, but costs more than twice (however, the RX100 can replace the DSLR in almost every circumstance)

Wake me up when they finally put a 43 sensor in a fixed lens compact.

The smallest I’ll go is 1″ sensor. The RX100 killed everything underneath that size for me.

What about the DMC-GM1? Or is “good” incompatible with “perfect”? Or there’s the FF RX1: fixed lens, almost “compact,” and luxury pricing. High prices a way of forcing (hypnotizing) buyers to affirm their purchase decisions.

It’ll happen. Patience …

And indeed, today i would much rather get the GM1 than the RX100, though if the lens was built-in like a true compact it could probably be a tad thinner. Good for pockets, but still I would go for the GM1 .. interchangeable is worth it. 🙂

thanks for the tip guys (re: GM1). it’s even slightly smaller than the Q7, which is impressive for a MFT. unfortunately it has some limitations, like max 1/500 shutter speed, among others. I’ll have to check it out in person to see if it might be an option for something I can always have in my pocket (like the expensive rx100 would).

Actually max shutter speed is 1/16,000, it’s just after 1/500 it moves to the electronic shutter. The only own side is max SS with the flash up is 1/50 and I doubt that would be changed(though it should).

Olympus STYLUS1 Leaked Image and Specification surfaced over the web today, the camera features OMD like design, 1:1,7 inch sensor and a 24-300mm zoom lens. The rumored price Mini OMD is $700, expected to be announced at 29 Oct 2013.

http://thenewcamera.com

The focal length seems too big to retain decent speed, with 24-300mm it seems more like a bridge/ultrazoom camera and UZs typically don´t have faste lenses.
But maybe they took inspiration from the RX10 (24-200mm/2,8); we will see soon.

Any chance that it will be rx 100 competitor?
I hope it has large sensor and fast lens

No, it will be usual 1/1,7″ sensor.

/1.7… Olympus so boring ((

And hopefully, the new camera will have the 28-112 F 1.4-1.8 Lens that is patented here:
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=it&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fegami.blog.so-net.ne.jp%2F2013-01-08

That would be nice. Obviously the trend in enthusiast compact segment is brighter lenses and EVF and it seems the XZ-3 (?) will have both.

Stop teasing, Olympus, and just announce it. Only Canon, Panasonic and Sony have a high enough reputation in the compact camera space to warrant this type of marketing.

According to rumour sites this new premium compact should be announced on October 29 and it should have usual 1/1.7 inch like XZ series, but it should have a built-in EVF in the middle (“mini OMD”).

I’ve started my digital shooting with a C-5060, then used C-8080, SP320, XZ-1, for my personal work, and enjoyed all of them immensely. Then I made the mistake of purchasing a XZ-2 with its very poor focusing performance. I waited with patience hoping Olympus would come up with a firmware correction / upgrade, but nothing happened. I’m using the LX-7 now, and I’m very happy with it. I don’t think I will touch another Olympus compact. In the past I’ve also used with satisfaction, LX3, Canon G9 and G15. I’ve still got my C-5060 and LX3. Thought I’d share my thoughts 🙂