Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
The Olympus EP-1 has become an exceedingly popular camera. Besides the mass amounts of media coverage that one sees/reads, they’re very hard to get your hands on as the units move very fast. But besides being able to take pictures, this camera and its relative the Panasonic GH1 shoot video: good quality video too. One of the criticisms of the system is not having lots of lenses available for the system. That criticism is very, very untrue. [Read more…]
Advanced Imaging Pro has an interesting article on Kodak’s latest developments in sensor manufacturing. This was found via Flickr, which alludes to the possibility of a PMOS sensor.
The new PMOS apparently a new take on CMOS pixels and how they work on a camera sensor. In the Kodak PMOS the underlying polarity of the silicon is reversed, so the absence of electrons is used to detect a signal. This works the opposite way that normal pixels work: which instead detects electrons that are generated when light interacts with the sensor surface.
In addition to this, a new CCD sensor is being developed that, according to Samsung (as noted in the article), only uses 1/10th of the power that a regular CCD sensor uses: which means an insanely long battery life.
For current Olympus (and Panasonic) users, you can be glad to hear that the new sensors are focused on low-light photography, speed and HD video capabilities. However, we can still only just wait to see the results. When the Live MOS sensor was released it promised better low-light capabilities. In truth, it couldn’t match the capabilities of Canon or Nikon. Further, that isn’t a totally fair statement because of the fact that the sensor is smaller in size.
The new PMOS sensor could be what we see in the higher end pro camera models.
You’re in a big, dreamy city at night. Mesmerized by the bright lights contrasting with the beautiful, deep blackness of the night sky, you want to take pictures and capture the stunning gorgeousness before you. However, if you don’t have a Full-Frame DSLR like a Canon 5D MK II or Nikon D700, then chances are that you will have a harder time capturing cleaner images as the smaller sensors don’t have the pixel density or algorithms programmed in to them to deliver the shots that you want. Here’s a couple of things to remember when you go out shooting at night and to get the image almost perfect the first time around with little post-process development.
The following article has been written after many trials with a Canon XSi and Olympus E-510. The former has an APS-C sized sensor while the latter is a 4/3rds camera. Each has their own limitations and differences that can be overcome while traveling with a small kit. I never shoot on Auto: it’s either Manual, Aperture, or Program for me. [Read more…]
The Olympus EP-1 has received tremendous amounts of press since its release as the camera is truly the digital rangefinder that many people have been looking for. However, according to the British Journal of Photography via Photo Rumors there is both a pro Pen camera and a lower grade Pen camera in development.
I shot the above photo at last year’s PhotoPlus Expo. It was the prototype of the EP-1, or at least it was supposed to be. Olympus said that it was the prototype of their Micro 4/3rds camera. However, they never said which one it was a prototype for. Could it possibly be the one that will be aimed more towards consumers? [Read more…]
Olympus is apparently trying to get the most mileage out of their Micro Four Thirds announcement from last year. Yet another (or the same one actually) mockup of an Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera was behind glass at PMA. When asked about the fictional camera, Olympus personnel respond, in a rather mundane chant, that they don’t know anything other than there should be more from Olympus this Summer. [Read more…]
The Olympus FL-BK04 Flash Bracket and FL-BKM03 Twin Flash Bracket are designed for use with Olympus E-System DSLRs. Priced at $199.99 each, they should be available Summer 2009.
More details in the press release below. [Read more…]
Olympus is bringing a new superzoom point and shoot camera to the table in the SP-590UZ.
We’ll have photos and more details once things become official. I expect this to be a CES release that should be happening very soon though.
[via Amazon.com via 1001NC]
PopPhoto has published a review of the Olympus E-520.
Image quality? Impressive. The E-520 showed great consistency, both across the ISO range and in RAW and JPEG capture. It’s one thing to garner Excellent imaging scores at ISO 100 in a huge TIFF made from a RAW file, and another in a JPEG at ISO 1600 — exactly what the E-520 did.
For the latest news and reviews, see Photography Bay’s Olympus E-520 Reviews and Resources.
Digital Camera HQ has published a review of the Olympus Evolt E-520.
Where the E-520 truly shines is in collecting all of the features available on the current entry-level dSLR market in a single device, and in doing many of them better than the competition. Where it stumbles is in the basics: image sharpness, detail, and noise control.
For the latest news and reviews, see Photography Bay’s Olympus E-520 Reviews and Resources.
This large aperture lens becomes a medium telephoto lens offering 100mm equivalent angle of view on Four Thirds cameras. The optimum optical design and molded glass aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction of coma aberration. It ensures superior peripheral brightness and provides sharp, high contrast images even at the maximum aperture. The Super Multi Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting. Superior optical performance is ensured throughout the focusing range. The rounded 9 blades diaphragm creates an attractive blur. This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), ensuring a quiet and high speed AF as well as full time manual focusing capability.