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Olympus have announced what they have billed as the “World’s First 100% Digital Interchangeable Lens SLR System”, the new Olympus E-1, which is based on the Four Thirds open standard.
Specifications
The E-1 will have a 5 megapixel sensor with a 4:3 aspect ratio, magnesium-alloy body, 1.8” LCD, ISO range of 100-3200, and interestingly a “Supersonic Wave Filter” which cleans the CCD when the camera is switched on.
A range of Zuiko digital lenses, a flash unit, battery grip and other accessories will also be launched at around the same time as the E-1.
Pricing
DCRP have a handy table of prices for the camera and lenses here; in short, the E-1 will retail for $2199, body only. Digital Photography Now are reporting body-only prices at around ?2,000, or GBP?1,384 (US$2,312).
Availabilty
The Olympus E-1 will be available for sale in September 2003.
Press Release
Here are some snippets from the Press Release that particularly caught my eye:
“Unlike most digital cameras, the Olympus E-1 utilises a Full Frame Transfer CCD sensor, a type specifically developed for the capture of still images. In comparison to Interline Transfer counterparts found in the majority of digital models, the FFT-CCD is distinguished by a larger pixel area, with bigger photodiodes and transfer channels. This means more electrons can be captured. A high signal/noise ratio can therefore be achieved together with a wider dynamic range. Final images benefit from more exposure latitude, greater detail and less noise.”
“For many photographers, speed is the key. That’s why the Olympus E-1 is equipped with three powerful ASICs. This ensures extremely fast image processing and playback. No matter which quality mode or resolution is chosen, thanks to an impressive 128MB buffer and high-capacity working SDRAM memory, up to 12 frames of sequential shooting can be captured at 3fps in every format (JPEG/TIFF/RAW).”
News Websites:
Here’s a list of websites that are all reporting the Olympus news:
A lot of these sites are due to post detailed full-looks of the E-1 at 9am eastern time (they are all under embargo until then), so check back later for more info.
Olympus have announced what they have billed as the “World’s First 100% Digital Interchangeable Lens SLR System”, the new Olympus E-1, which is based on the Four Thirds open standard. Specifications The E-1 will have a 5 megapixel sensor with a 4:3 aspect ratio, magnesium-alloy body, 1.8” LCD, ISO range…
Michael Reichmann has posted a new article called “Levels of Abstraction - Are Your Photographs “Real”?”, which explores the boundaries between so-called straight photography and manipulation.
“For some reason there are photographers who believe that photographs and the real world have more than a passing relationship to each other. When they see a photograph that has been in some visible way altered, modified or manipulated they cry “foul” ? taking on the mantle of protectors of the sanctity of the inviolate image. Sorry folks, but there ain’t no such thing as a “real” photograph. Every photographic image that you have ever seen is but a pale reflection of reality, and a distorted one at that…”
Michael Reichmann has posted a new article called “Levels of Abstraction - Are Your Photographs “Real”?”, which explores the boundaries between so-called straight photography and manipulation. “For some reason there are photographers who believe that photographs and the real world have more than a passing relationship to each other. When…
Digital Outback Photo’s series of articles looking at the more technical aspects of digital photography continues with Number 3 in the series, “Color Separation”. Dick Merrill from Foveon looks at four common ways to do color detection with electronic image capture systems.
Digital Outback Photo’s series of articles looking at the more technical aspects of digital photography continues with Number 3 in the series, “Color Separation”. Dick Merrill from Foveon looks at four common ways to do color detection with electronic image capture systems. Website: Digital Outback Photo - “Color Separation”
Editing your own work can be a painful process. Take these 3 images below, which were taken within the space of a minute at the East Finchley Festival yesterday afternoon.
At the time I was convinced that the middle image was a winner, with the conductor’s hands framing his face and the drummer hitting the cymbal. Only when I reviewed it later did I realise that there’s quite a lot of dead space at the top of the frame. The image on the right fills the entire frame, but the drummer is no longer playing. The left image strikes the right balance, with the conductor filling the top of the frame and the drummer playing, but this time the conductor’s right hand is partly obscuring his face.
Which begs the question of which image is the “best” one? I’m still undecided, which is where you come in :-) Simply reply to this post, saying which image is your favourite and why. Personally my biggest worry is that all 3 images miss the mark in some way, and that none of them are the “best”...
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Conductor #1
| Conductor #2
| Conductor #3
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Editing your own work can be a painful process. Take these 3 images below, which were taken within the space of a minute at the East Finchley Festival yesterday afternoon. At the time I was convinced that the middle image was a winner, with the conductor’s hands framing his face…
It seems that Olympus are not going to be the only manufacturer to make a major announcement tomorrow. Speculation has it that Leica will join in the fun and announce a 10 megapixel digital back for their R8 and R9 cameras. Even Phil Askey of DPReview is dropping hints…(check out the forum thread below)
Website: DPReview - News Forum
It seems that Olympus are not going to be the only manufacturer to make a major announcement tomorrow. Speculation has it that Leica will join in the fun and announce a 10 megapixel digital back for their R8 and R9 cameras. Even Phil Askey of DPReview is dropping hints…(check out…
Olympus are due to announce further details of their Four Thirds digital SLR camera and lenses tomorrow. As well as the official Four Thirds website, there’s also http://www.olympus-esystem.com which intriguingly requires a username and passowrd at the moment. Will this go live tomorrow?
It will be very interesting to see exactly how much the new camera body and lenses will cost in light of Canon’s recent success with the 10D and the subsequent price-cutting by the likes of Nikon, Fuji and Sigma. Not to mention the Pentax D *ist which is due to ship in August.
Here’s a reminder of what the Four Thirds system is aiming to be (from the Four Thirds website):
“The Four Thirds system establishes a new common standard for digital cameras. Using a 4/3-type CCD or other image sensor, it will facilitate the development of dedicated digital camera lens systems for outstanding quality while also being smaller than their counterparts for 35 mm film SLRs. Furthermore, by creating a standard for camera body lens mounts, it lets photographers combine bodies and lenses from different manufacturers for a wider choice.”
Olympus are due to announce further details of their Four Thirds digital SLR camera and lenses tomorrow. As well as the official Four Thirds website, there’s also http://www.olympus-esystem.com which intriguingly requires a username and passowrd at the moment. Will this go live tomorrow? It will be very interesting to see…
Mike Johnston’s Sunday Morning Photographer column this week considers whether or not you should have a used camera cleaned when you buy it, or if you should take a chance and leave well alone.
“It’s always a tough decision whether to get a camera repaired, especially when the cost of the repair is more than the cost of the camera. My advice to readers back when I was East Coast Editor of Camera & Darkroom magazine was that it is worth it if you intend to use the camera…”
Website: Sunday Morning Photographer
Mike Johnston’s Sunday Morning Photographer column this week considers whether or not you should have a used camera cleaned when you buy it, or if you should take a chance and leave well alone. “It’s always a tough decision whether to get a camera repaired, especially when the cost of…
Photography at About have just published an interesting new article entitled “Raw Power: Using Raw Digital Files”, which “looks at some of the issues involved in shooting raw digital files and takes a close look at two of the best software packages for converting these to tiff and jpeg files, Bibble and Capture One DSLR Lite.”
Website: Photography at About - Raw Power: Using Raw Digital Files
Photography at About have just published an interesting new article entitled “Raw Power: Using Raw Digital Files”, which “looks at some of the issues involved in shooting raw digital files and takes a close look at two of the best software packages for converting these to tiff and jpeg files…
Steve’s Digicams have reviewed the Sony DSC-P10.
“The DSC-P10 is the flagship of Sony’s 2003 super-compact Cyber-shot “P” series of cameras. It packs a high-resolution 5.0-megapixel Sony HAD CCD imager, 3x optical zoom lens and state of the art imaging electronics into an ultra-compact and highly durable aluminum body.”
Website: Steve’s Digicams - Sony DSC-P10 Review
Sanj from Torontopics has emailed to let me know that he has a useful page of Links for the Sony DSC-P10.
Steve’s Digicams have reviewed the Sony DSC-P10. “The DSC-P10 is the flagship of Sony’s 2003 super-compact Cyber-shot “P” series of cameras. It packs a high-resolution 5.0-megapixel Sony HAD CCD imager, 3x optical zoom lens and state of the art imaging electronics into an ultra-compact and highly durable aluminum body.” Website…
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Bangkok #1
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I’ve just started sorting through the photographs that I took when I visited Thailand and Malaysia in August 2002. It was an amazing 3-week journey from Bangkok, through Malaysia to Singapore, and looking through the photos has made me wish that I was there again! I took 30 rolls of film during those 3 weeks and I’ve had them developed and scanned, but never made any prints or put them on the Web. Until now :-)
The first album contains nearly 100 photos of Thailand’s colourful capital city, Bangkok.
Website: Bangkok Gallery
Bangkok #1 Bangkok #2 Bangkok #3 I’ve just started sorting through the photographs that I took when I visited Thailand and Malaysia in August 2002. It was an amazing 3-week journey from Bangkok, through Malaysia to Singapore, and looking through the photos has made me wish that I was…
Version 1.1 of Capture One DSLR Pro for the Macintosh platform has just been released by PhaseOne. A 30-day trial version of this RAW conversion software, which currently supports the Canon 1Ds and 1D cameras, is now available to download. PhaseOne are promising that support for the Canon 10D, D60, D30, Nikon D100 and D1X will be added in October 2003.
Website: PhaseOne
Version 1.1 of Capture One DSLR Pro for the Macintosh platform has just been released by PhaseOne. A 30-day trial version of this RAW conversion software, which currently supports the Canon 1Ds and 1D cameras, is now available to download. PhaseOne are promising that support for the Canon 10D, D60…
Vivid Light Photography is an excellent online monthly photography magazine that has been running since 2001 (found via digicamera.net). I’ve never heard of it before until today, so they should maybe increase their advertising budget! Interesting articles in this month’s issue include:
“Digital Learning Curves - Gary sets out to really understand how his new D100 reads and records light. If you shoot digital or are thinking about it - read this article.
Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G AF-S Zoom - Nikon’s latest entry into the “normal zoom” category.
Your Own Photo Web Site - Want to share your images with family and friends? How about putting your portfolio online or even selling your prints?”
Website: Vivid Light Photography
Vivid Light Photography is an excellent online monthly photography magazine that has been running since 2001 (found via digicamera.net). I’ve never heard of it before until today, so they should maybe increase their advertising budget! Interesting articles in this month’s issue include: “Digital Learning Curves - Gary sets out to…
Quite a few websites are reporting today on another new digital camera from Toshiba, the PDR-3340, which isn’t quite as interesting as the PDR-M500 and PDR-M700 with their 10x optical zooms. The PDR-3340 has “a newly developed 3.2 megapixel CCD, 6x total zoom, AVI extended-play movie mode, and the convenience of a 16MB internal memory plus SD memory card compatibility up to 512MB”. It is due in the shops in August and will retail for $249.
Website: Let’s Go Digital
Website: DP Review
Website: Steve’s Digicams
Quite a few websites are reporting today on another new digital camera from Toshiba, the PDR-3340, which isn’t quite as interesting as the PDR-M500 and PDR-M700 with their 10x optical zooms. The PDR-3340 has “a newly developed 3.2 megapixel CCD, 6x total zoom, AVI extended-play movie mode, and the convenience…
Vincent Oliver over at Photo-i has sat down, watched and reviewed “The Definitive guide to Digital Photography?, a video that aims to help you get started in digital photography. Peter Bargh, the editor of the popular UK-based website ePhotoZine, is the brains behind the video, which is available for sale for ?15.99.
Website: Photo-i
Vincent Oliver over at Photo-i has sat down, watched and reviewed “The Definitive guide to Digital Photography?, a video that aims to help you get started in digital photography. Peter Bargh, the editor of the popular UK-based website ePhotoZine, is the brains behind the video, which is available for sale…
Imaging Resource has followed up its recent review of the 5-megapixel Sony MVC-CD500 with a review of its 3.3 megapixel sibling, the MVC-CD350.
“While still significantly more expensive than competing flash memory-based three megapixel cameras with similar capabilities, the CD350 puts CD-based digital photography in reach of more people than ever before. Given the appeal of “infinite” storage via low-cost CD-R/RW discs, and the near-universal compatibility they offer for file exchange, I predict that the CD350 will be a popular model…”
Imaging Resource has followed up its recent review of the 5-megapixel Sony MVC-CD500 with a review of its 3.3 megapixel sibling, the MVC-CD350. “While still significantly more expensive than competing flash memory-based three megapixel cameras with similar capabilities, the CD350 puts CD-based digital photography in reach of more people than…
Digital Outback Photo have added another brand new feature to their website; the Outback Photo Review.
“Each month the well known fine art photographer Alain Briot and Uwe Steinmueller write an independent review about one photo that was selected for the review of that month. The review is about learning and opening the artists (of course our readers and ours too) perspective. As important as the reviews by Alain and Uwe are reader comments. We will add them to the review if we feel they add a new perspective.”
Website: Outback Photo Review - Rules
Digital Outback Photo have added another brand new feature to their website; the Outback Photo Review. “Each month the well known fine art photographer Alain Briot and Uwe Steinmueller write an independent review about one photo that was selected for the review of that month. The review is about learning…
I sat my City & Guilds Photography - Level 2 exam last night; 45 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour, with only 40% required to pass. The questions ranged from the straightforward to the ridiculous, with my favourite being:
Why does a tripod only have 3 legs?
a) it costs less to make
b) it’s easier to level and adjust
c) it’s lighter
d) it’s easy to adjust
I nearly spluttered out loud when I read the question, then I saw the answers…Who wrote this thing?! For your information, I opted for answer b) it’s easier to level and adjust. I’ve still got no idea if that’s right or wrong…
I sat my City & Guilds Photography - Level 2 exam last night; 45 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour, with only 40% required to pass. The questions ranged from the straightforward to the ridiculous, with my favourite being: Why does a tripod only have 3 legs? a) it costs less…
Canon have announced 2 new inkjet printers, the Bubble Jet i250 and i350, which will be available from July 2003 for around ?49 and ?69 respectively, inc VAT.
“Replacing Canon?s S200x and i320 respectively, the Bubble Jet i250 and i350 offer 4800 x 1200dpi * printing - the highest resolution of any entry level printers.
The Bubble Jet i350 features 4 x 6? as well as new 5 x 7? borderless printing to allow full bleed photographs with no white border, indistinguishable from traditional photos.”
Website: Canon Bubblejet Printers
Canon have announced 2 new inkjet printers, the Bubble Jet i250 and i350, which will be available from July 2003 for around ?49 and ?69 respectively, inc VAT. “Replacing Canon?s S200x and i320 respectively, the Bubble Jet i250 and i350 offer 4800 x 1200dpi * printing - the highest resolution…
ePhotoZine have reported that Microtek are launching a new 2700 dpi film scanner, the FilmScan 2700, which will retail for an RRP of just ?180. This will allow prints up to 20” x 12.7” in size at 200 dpi. The Filmscan 2700 has the same optical resolution as Nikon’s Coolscan IV (RRP ?500), but lacks some of the more advanced options such as Digital Ice. Still, it does only cost ?180…
Website: ePhotoZine - Microtek FilmScan 2700
ePhotoZine have reported that Microtek are launching a new 2700 dpi film scanner, the FilmScan 2700, which will retail for an RRP of just ?180. This will allow prints up to 20” x 12.7” in size at 200 dpi. The Filmscan 2700 has the same optical resolution as Nikon’s Coolscan…
Steve’s Digicams have some interesting news about 2 new digital cameras from Toshiba, which both boast 10x optical zoom lenses and 2.5-inch LCDs. The PDR-M500 2.0 megapixel camera ($349) and the PDR-M700 3.2 megapixel camera ($449) will ship in early July. They certainly look like an attractive alternative to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1…
Steve’s Digicams have some interesting news about 2 new digital cameras from Toshiba, which both boast 10x optical zoom lenses and 2.5-inch LCDs. The PDR-M500 2.0 megapixel camera ($349) and the PDR-M700 3.2 megapixel camera ($449) will ship in early July. They certainly look like an attractive alternative to the…