PHOTOS: Olympus Zuiko camera concept hands-on

PHOTOKINA 2010 EXCLUSIVE: Out of the glass box and in our hand

PHOTOS: Olympus concept hands-on

22 September 2010 14:08 GMT / By Dan Sung

While some sites merely look through glass - we actually go hands on. Yep that's right the concept Olympus Zuiko camera in our grubby mitts.

Olympus isn't saying anything official on this in terms of specs but the clues are there for all to see. First up the size and shape puts it in the category of a professional grade ultra compact in the style of the Canon PowerShot S95 and the Panasonic Lumix LX5. The lines, colouring and weight in your hand are almost identical to the latter of the two.

There's an HDMI connector and a dedicated record button on the back, so we know there'll be video recording at at least 720p resolution; there's a hotshoe connector the same size as the Olympus Pen cameras, so we know all the Pen accessories will be compatible - hopefully lenses included - and there's also the ever-popular comeback of the focus ring as well.

Throw into the mix the Zuiko lens system, which allows light to strike the image sensor at a near-perpendicular angle, minimizing degradation and light loss, and you've got yourself something a lot of people are going to waiting for with bated breath. So far so good on all the design and specs. We'll know come Q1 2011 just how tasty this thing really is.