We can’t wait for this little beauty to make it to Australia, it’s the Olympus LS-20M and as a first for Olympus combines a HD video camera with PCM audio recording.
That’s a huge picture to make a huge statement, which is exactly what this lovely device is set to do …
Looking a bit like a macho LS-10 or LS-11 the LS-20M is set to take the HD video world by storm. Another smart move by an innovative Olympus saw the innevitable, merge their superb camera technology with their market leading audio recording technology to come up with a little package to appeal to a wide range of users. I can see journalists loving this one along with families looking for an easy way to record high quality memories.
Taking a lead from many of the smart phone imaging apps the LS-20M will come with “Magic Movie” effects, four of them, which can be applied on the LS-20M itself to add some creativity to your movies. The four effects are:
- Rock — create your own rock video! Step on stage with the classic Rock Magic Movie setting, featuring saturated black images and bright, bold background colours;
- Sketch – the Sketch Magic Movie setting turns your video into a living and breathing pencil drawing, reminiscent of some popular 80’s videos. Sketch adds an artistic feel and poetic flavor to your recordings;
- Pinhole –the Pinhole Magic Movie setting allows users to record video with soft, darkened outside edges – enhancing the subject in the center of the video. Pinhole is great for setting a mood to tie in with the melody or focus of your recorded sound;
- Pop — The Pop Magic Movie setting super-saturates colours to create a brighter, more vivid video recording. Turn your world into a work of pop art!
The LS-20M will shoot through a 4.1mm (16:9 at 49mm, 4:3 at 59mm) auto focus lens with 4x digital zoom and can be seen on a crisp 2inch colour LCD screen. The video screen remain uncluttered as audio info is shown on a seperate 1.46inc LCD display just below, leaving you to glance between video or audio settings while shooting.
Here comes the good bit, the audio. The LS-20M records PCM uncompressed WAV audio, which to you and me is really high quality audio (often referred to as better than CD quality) with the option of auto or manual levels. Some common features from the Olympus digital voice recorder range are also included like a low-cut filter, voice activation (start recording when it hears a noise) and even timer record, so you can head off to work and record the dog asleep on the lounge for the rest of the day.
On the bottom of the unit is a USB for data transfer and charging if the lithium-ion battery via your PC or Mac connection and also a HDMI port for playback on your huge plasma or LCD TV.
The LS-20M will hit the shelves in the US in June 2011 and will be priced at US$299. No answer from Olympus Imaging Australia when it will be in Australia or for how much but as soon as we hear we will post an update.