Olympus has announced a string of new digital compacts, among them an eight-million-pixel model called the SP-350 and the 6MP mju Digital 600.

Billed as an ?enthusiast?s dream?, the SP-350 sports a 3x lens delivering the 35mm viewing angle equivalent of a 38-114mm lens, as well as aperture and shutter priority, manual focus and manual exposure. Features also include RAW and JPEG recording, a 2.5in LCD screen and a hotshoe for attaching external flash. The SP-350 is out in October priced around £310.

Also in this range is a 6MP model called the SP-500-UZ (£300) boasting a 10x optical zoom (38-380mm equivalent), autobracketing, 2.5-frames-per-second burst rate and 3cm close-up shooting. Also out next month is a 7.1MP model called the SP-310 which is exclusive to Jessops and priced £270.

Meanwhile, bolstering Olympus?s mju Digital line-up is the 6MP mju Digital 600 which sports a 35-105mm lens (35mm equivalent) and is due out in September in a choice of three colours and priced around £220. Features includes a 3x zoom and the company?s BrightCapture technology which, claims Olympus, enables the LCD screen to display an image in low-light conditions ?more than four times brighter? than an LCD on a ?conventional camera?.

Expected out in October is a 5MP model called the FE-110 (around £150) and 4MP FE-100 (out in September priced around £120). Finally, a 6MP model called the FE-120 is due in shops from the end of September, but only at Dixons and at a price yet to be announced.

For details of all the new models call Olympus on 0800 072 0070.