Olympus Cameras were first linked to Clipper Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, when he raced Olympus III in the Route de Rhum back in 1982.
They were a fleet sponsor, supplying cameras for The Times Clipper 2000 Race, when digital cameras were in their infancy. The company makes a welcome return for Clipper 09-10 with the supply of their latest 12 million pixel digital compact.
The Mju TOUGH-8000 is a hard working model that can be used underwater to a depth of 10 metres, it’s shock proof to 2 metres, freeze proof to temperatures as low as -10°C and crush proof to withstand weights of up to 100kg - more than capable of meeting the challenges of the Clipper Race.
In addition to cameras being placed on every boat, Olympus is also supplying digital voice recorders so that crews can send back regular audio blogs that will appear on the website. The WS-450S features WMA playback and stereo recording mode to ensure premium audio quality – ideal to capture crews’ audio blogs during the race.
Olympus was formed in 1919 as a manufacturer of microscopes and their expertise in optics saw the company quickly expand. Innovation has always been a key word and they are now a world leader in medical and industrial research through their range of Microscopes, Endoscopes, Gastro Cameras and Blood Analysers. The consumer division is equally successful and having led the 35mm photographic market with products like the Olympus OM1, Olympus Trip and Olympus XA series, they now hold a commanding position in digital photography with their revolutionary E-System series of digital SLR cameras, the stylish Mju digital compact range and most recently, the highly acclaimed Olympus PEN.