The XZ-2 houses an f/1.8 lens – designed to deliver the 35mm viewing angle equivalent of a 28mm lens – and a 12.3-million-pixel 1/1.7in imaging sensor.
The XZ-2 is due out in late October, priced £479.99.
A key feature of the XZ-2’s f/1.8 lens is a customisable hybrid control ring designed to sped up access to camera settings.
In analogue mode this can be used to control focusing or the zoom. While, in digital mode photographers can use it to change exposure settings, flash and exposure compensation, for example.
A catch next to the ring allows users to ‘toggle’ between digital and analogue modes, while favourite digital functions can be assigned to a button on the back of the camera.
The XZ-2’s 3in tiltable, hypercrystal, LCD touch screen carries a resolution of 920,000 dots and allows touch AF.
The XZ-2 will be compatible with Toshiba FlashAir cards, allowing Wi-Fi image transfer to social networking websites via a smartphone.
Asked why the camera features a 12.1-million-pixel CMOS sensor no larger than 1/1.7in, an Olympus spokesman said the firm wanted to keep the body as small as possible, to help reduce the required lens size.
• Olympus has announced that all its future compacts will be branded ‘Stylus’, in a move to consolidate them under a single banner from this autumn
