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Author Topic:   Koichi Wakata's Olympus "Space Project"
Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-31-2009 10:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Olympus Corporation release
Olympus Launches 'Space Project' On Shuttle's Next Mission To International Space Station

Olympus E-3 DSLR to Capture Earth's Beauty from Space Station, Raise Awareness for Environmental Protection

Olympus Corporation commemorates its 90th anniversary by creating the 'Olympus Space Project' to photograph the majestic beauty of our planet and raise awareness to protect it. The company's flagship E-3 digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera and ZUIKO digital lenses will journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on the next Space Shuttle Discovery mission.

Dr. Koichi Wakata, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut, will take images of the earth with the Olympus E-3 throughout his three-month mission on the ISS. Specifically, he will stay in the "Kibo," which is the Japanese Experiment Module. It is located in the ISS and is Japan's first manned facility where astronauts can conduct experiments for long periods of time. 'Hope' is the English translation for Kibo, and Dr. Wakata will be the first astronaut to inhabit the new experiment module. Images captured by Dr. Wakata will be available on Olympus' Web site.

"For 90 years we've continued to develop innovative products that help improve peoples' lives every day - from capturing memories to documenting environmental changes," said F. Mark Gumz, president, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "Olympus cameras are used by the National Park Service to track air quality at our nation's parks and by wildlife photographer Mitsuaki Iwago, whose images focus on global environmental issues and nature preservation. We're taking this commitment to the next level by capturing our planet's delicate beauty from space."

Designed for professional and aspiring photographers, the E-3 offers amazing image quality, splashproof and dustproof durability, and a magnesium-alloy body that survives the toughest shooting environments. The E-3 complies with NASA's standards for use in space. Olympus continues to be an innovator, developing new technologies to expand the frontiers of digital photography and leading where others have followed. Proof that Olympus enables consumers to capture it all.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-31-2009 10:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
CNET: Olympus celebrates 90th anniversary with Commemorative Space Kit
As part of its space expedition initiative, Olympus will announce a commemorative set of transparent lens caps and camera strap specially designed for Wakata to bring up into space. The company explained to CNET Asia that the see-through lens cap will enable Wakata to evaluate if the lens has been damaged should it be subjected to impact. This will prevent shards of glass from floating around the space station, which could happen if the usual opaque lens cap is used and the photographer cannot see the extent of the damage to the optics.

Olympus commented that the Space Commemorative Kit will be produced in limited quantities, and will probably be launched after Wakata returns to Earth a few months later. The company was unable to confirm how much it'll cost or where it will be available.

Leon Ford
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Posts: 309
From: Shreveport, LA, United States
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-31-2009 05:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Leon Ford   Click Here to Email Leon Ford     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Is this something that Olympus is doing to market the E-3 camera? I seem to remember that NASA just made a large purchase from Nikon.

Leon

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-31-2009 10:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I don't think it's meant to market a particular product, but it is most certainly a brand building exercise.

The same could be said, for example, of Seiko's watch for Richard Garriott. The Spacewalk Spring Drive itself wasn't the focus as much as Seiko, the brand, was.

Rather than product placement, its brand placement.

I don't own an E-3, I don't plan to own an E-3, but I sort of want one of the commemorative space kits. I don't know if that makes me odd, but I suspect I am not the only one.

GACspaceguy
Member

Posts: 2474
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 04-01-2009 05:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for GACspaceguy   Click Here to Email GACspaceguy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Robert, I have been a Nikon user as long as I remember and I plan on buying the kit as well. I guess if there is one more out there like us we have a crowd (ie three is a crowd). Can't be odd if we are a crowd.

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