Digicams at CES 2005

Because the Consumer Electronics Show 2005 (Jan 6 to 9) falls smack in between of the long holidays and the PMA (Photo Marketing Association) trade show later in the quarter, there won't be a horde of digicams to look forward to. In any case, there will be some models appearing that'll give us a glimpse of what to expect for this year's offerings. Here are some that managed to wiggle out early.

	Olympus C-170

Made to appeal to people whose blood runs cold when they hear the word digital, it offers eight automatic scene modes, 30fps QVGA video capture, and very straightforward controls.

• 4-megapixel sensor
• 36.7mm (35mm-camera equivalent) autofocus lens
• PictBridge support for direct printing without a PC
• Macro mode
• Red-eye reduction and fill flash
• 14MB of internal memory; xD-Picture Card slot

Olympus gives enthusiasts a broader view

	Olympus C-7070WZ

In addition to the 27mm (35mm-camera equivalent) wide angle of its 4x zoom lens, the C-7070 provides a broad range of manual and automatic controls. The array of accessories Olympus has created for the C-7070 sets it apart from the competition--there's even an optional vertical grip to add battery power and a second shutter release.

• Solidly constructed 15.3-ounce (433g) magnesium body
• 1.8-inch flip-out LCD
• Manual exposure and 15 automatic modes
• Predictive autofocus and selectable focus points
• 3.3fps RAW or JPEG burst mode
• Live histogram that highlights over- and underexposed areas
• Underwater Wide and Underwater Macro modes (optional underwater housing available)
• Dual xD-Picture Card and CompactFlash media slots
• 30fps VGA (640x480) video mode

Olympus courts soccer moms

	Olympus C-55Z

Olympus has done its best to endow the C-55Z with the qualities that casual action photographers seek. The company is touting a camera start-up time of less than a second and a "nearly instant" shutter release, which--if accurate--will please photographers of all stripes.

• 2-inch LCD
• Manual exposure and 15 automatic modes
• Selectable focus points
• 2.7fps capture in five-shot bursts
• Live histogram that highlights over- and underexposed areas