Press Release:
Olympus introduced the FL-36 Electronic Flash, an external flash unit that joins the existing members of the Olympus electronic flash family. Designed specifically for use with digital cameras, the FL-36 rounds out the comprehensive line-up of "designed for digital" accessories for the E-System Digital SLR cameras and other Prosumer models from Olympus. The FL-36 flash offers the robust and full-featured functionality of the larger FL-50 combined with cost effectiveness. "The FL-36 provides photographers with an additional option from the existing suite of electronic flashes Olympus offers for our E-System Digital SLR cameras and Prosumer models like the DIWA Gold Award C-8080 WIDE ZOOM and DIWA Silver Awards winning C-5060 WIDE ZOOM".

"As a result of its completely digital framework, the FL-36 achieves a higher level of exposure accuracy than flash units designed for film based cameras," said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Olympus America.

The FL-36 Electronic Flash is specifically designed for digital with an accurate 1/8 step illumination control to provide the precision required by digital cameras, while minimizing illumination reduction. The built-in wide-angle diffuser panel will allow the flash to provide even illumination with wide angle lenses like the new Zuiko Digital 14mm-45mm zoom. The inclusion of a lockable bounce and swivel mechanism offers a variety of bounce photography options including left-right, as well as top-bottom in addition to a compact zoom head to accommodate lenses from wide angle to telephoto.

The FL-36 also features a newly designed energy circuit that improves recharge rates and enables the flash to operate on just two AA batteries or one CR-3 Volt lithium. In addition, the FL-36 incorporates an ultra-precision mounting technology communicating with the E-1 and new EVOLT E-300 for control. The FL-36 is compact, lightweight and extremely portable, and is approximately 25% shorter and 35% lighter than the larger FL-50 flash, a significant space and weight savings. The FL-36 External Flash will be available in November 2004.