Four New SWD Lenses From Olympus

SWD is the new acronym in the Olympus arsenal. It stands for Supersonic Wave Drive, which sounds like something from a Star Trek: Enterprise episode. It’s actually the company’s new autofocus system integrated into four new digital SLR lens models due later this year. These new Zuiko Digital ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses will be part of the Olympus HG (High-Grade) series and SHG (Super High-Grade) series. I think Olympus is trying to challenge Canon as the company with the most alphabet soup in a lens name. In addition to the SWD system, each lens will also allow for mechanical manual focus and reduce chromatic aberrations with new optics.

The Super High-Grade (SHG) lens is the Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm f2.0 SWD, which has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 28-70mm.

The High-Grade (HG) lenses include a Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-120mm, and the Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 100-400mm.

Finally the Standard series lens is the Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm f4.0-5.6 with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 140-600mm.

A new EC-20, 2x teleconverter for the Olympus digital SLR system will also be available but no specific release dates or retail pricing for the teleconverter or the new lenses have been revealed. Along with the recent announced EVOLT E-410 and E-510, Olympus has hinted at a late 2007 unveiling of the long-awaited successor to the E-1 digital SLR.