Olympus will soon release the Air 01 to the United States, which will allow consumers to take better pictures using their smartphone or tablet.
Previously only available in Japan, the device will be released in the United States this month for the price of $299 for only the body and $499 including a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens.
Within the Air 01 is a 16MP Micro Four Thirds sensor, which is what consumers would expect to find inside mirrorless cameras in the same price range. The battery will last for 320 shots, and it is not replaceable.
The camera will connect to both Android and iOS devices through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and once connected, the user is supposed to use their smartphone or tablet as the viewfinder and to review the pictures that were taken by the Air 01. It can take images in either JPEG or RAW format with either manual or auto focus. The Air 01 can also take videos with a resolution of 1080p.
Users can transfer the pictures that they take with the device to their smartphone or tablet, though the Air 01 does feature a microSD card slot for storage purposes.
An extendable clip at the back of the Air 01 allows users to attach the device to their smartphone or tablet, though users are also given the freedom to set up a wireless connection to move the camera around for a creative shot.
In addition, the Air 01 can also be mounted on any of the user's Micro Four Thirds lens, effectively giving the user access to a huge system of interchangeable lens for a relatively low cost.
However, the question remains whether it is worthy to carry around the Air 01 to be paired with the user's smartphone when a dedicated camera can be taken along which uses the same space.
The device will prove to be a very compelling one to purchase for users that are looking to take high-quality pictures while traveling as light as possible. In addition, it would be a very useful tool for photographers that would like to gain access to the different kinds of shots that a user can take with Air 01.
