Olympus reached back to its design roots when crafting the new OM-D E-M5 micro four thirds camera. The original OM line of film SLRs was known for its rich feature set and stylish, compact design. Now, released as a digital body, the first offering in the new OM-D line is the E-M5. Based on my initial testing, both in the lab and the field, this latest generation is destined to achieve even greater glory than the original.

Olympus abruptly replaced its CEO on Wednesday after less than two weeks on the job, as pressure continues to build on the company over questionable deals in recent years.

Last week, Nikon casually kicked a small, DSLR-shaped pebble off a cliff when it announced its Nikon 1 camera. In doing so, one of the major names in consumer cameras has started an avalanche that could potentially wipe the consumer-grade DSLR from the market.

At CES in Las Vegas, Olympus got off to a hot start by announcing two new digital cameras that are among the most interesting we've seen at the show so far. The fixed-lens Olympus XZ-1 is a high-end pocket camera that offers full manual controls and impressive hardware, while the Olympus PEN E-PL2 is a well-priced interchangeable-lens compact camera that's designed for casual shooters who want to learn photography on the fly.

It's nearly impossible to recommend a single camera for all types of user--people who would be best served by a simple, slim point-and-shoot aren't the same as those who need the top-notch photo quality, granular controls, and lens-swapping versatility of a DSLR.