Hasta La Gadget!

Olympus’ E-30 just recently began to hit store shelves after being announced last November, and the shutterbugs at DigitalCameraReview have taken the liberty of critiquing it for all prospective buyers to see. The cam maintained the quirkiness that tends make an Olympus, well, an Olympus, but when it came down to actual performance, the DSLR didn’t disappoint… much, anyway. It should be noted that it couldn’t hold a candle to the D90 at ISO 3,200, so low-light fiends may want to look elsewhere. That aside, critics were more than pleased with the copious amount of features, the top-shelf focusing speed and the remarkable build quality. If it were priced a few hundies lower, it’d almost be a no-brainer, but with an asking price of around $1,300 at present time, it’ll be hard to sway the eyes of those already focusing on another shooter. Have a look at the read link for a few sample shot comparisons and the full writeup.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Olympus E-30 DSLR reviewed: distinctly different, but that’s a good thing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In theory, we can’t really harsh on a diminutive little gizmo that can play back MP3s, record voice notes, capture live video, snap a few stills and double as a card reader in a pinch, but there’s just something about this thing that screams infomercial. As for specs, it’s got 2GB of built-in memory, a microSD expansion slot, USB 2.0 connectivity, a rechargeable Li-ion and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Unfortunately, the thing’s selling for an almost astronomical $60 before shipping, which definitely pushes it into “won’t ever sell without Billy Mays’ endorsement” territory. Seriously, check the vid after the jump if you think you’re immune to coercion.

Continue reading 5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Misc. Gadgets

5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A team of scientists at the University of Glasgow just came into all sorts of cash, and they’ll be using it to advance imaging. If you’re looking for specifics (and we’re assuming you are), a £489,234 grant from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council will be used to study a certain phenomenon called surface plasmon resonance, “which is an effect exhibited by certain metals when light waves fall onto their surfaces.” In short, the gurus behind the research are hoping to discover a method of “creating patterns or small nanostructures in the metal film on the CMOS, which should increase the sensitivity of the sensor and result in higher quality images.” The bad news? The project is expected to last until 2012, which is like, forever from now.

[Image courtesy of Photo]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Researchers tapping into nanotechnology for sharper images originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 04:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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