e-30

Adobe Lightroom now supports Nikon D3X

LAS VEGAS--Adobe Systems has released the final version of Lightroom 2.3, its photo-editing and cataloging software, along with its close relative, the Camera Raw 5.3 plug-in to let Photoshop CS4 edit raw images from higher-end cameras.

The new software (available as a download for Windows and Mac OS X) supports Nikon's top-end D3X, an $8,000, 24.5-megapixel machine whose owners likely will usually prefer raw files for their flexibility and quality advantages over JPEG. Also supported is Olympus' new midrange E-30.

The Lightroom 2.3 update also fixed a number of bugs and adds support for … Read more

Olympus E-30 Art Filters surprisingly addictive

During and after the rollout of the E-30 dSLR, Olympus really pushed the Art Filters feature--a handful of preset special effects--which seemed a bit out of place on a $1,300 dSLR (especially a dSLR that has quite a bit going for it, including very good photo quality and speedy performance).

But in the course of testing the camera I discovered that the Art Filters, or at least some of them, are pretty useful and interesting. Which is another way of saying that they're kind of fun and addictive and completely derailed my completing the review.

More expensive than … Read more

Adobe tests support for Nikon's top-end D3X

Adobe Systems on Friday issued near-final release candidate versions of Lightroom 2.3 and the Camera Raw 5.3 Photoshop plug-in, software that can support Nikon's new top-end, $8,000, 24.5-megapixel D3X camera and Olympus' mid-range, $1,299, 12.3-megapixel E-30.

According to the release notes, the new Lightroom version also fixes a few bugs: a memory leak that could crash the software while people were making local editing adjustments to photos, a processing error handling smaller sRAW photos from the Canon 5D Mark II, a slideshow glitch, and problems uploading and burning files to discs.

Lightroom is designed for editing, labeling, and cataloging photos--in particular, the flexible but non-standard raw files from higher-end cameras. Adobe Camera Raw is used to handle raw files in the more general-purpose Photoshop software, letting people convert them into JPEG, TIF, or other more portable formats. … Read more

Olympus announces midrange E-30 dSLR

With a price gap of about $900 between the Olympus E-520 and the E-3, Olympus has long had a pretty big hole in its dSLR lineup--a hole populated by extremely popular competitors like the Nikon D90, the Canon EOS 40D, and the Canon EOS 50D. But with the announcement of the E-30, it looks like Olympus is entering the ring swinging.

First, some key specs:

  Canon EOS 50D Nikon D90 Olympus E-30 Olympus E-3 Sensor 14.7-megapixel CMOS 12.3-megapixel CMOS 12.3-megapixel Live MOS 10.1-megapixel Live MOS Color depth 14 bits 12 bits 12 bits 12 bits Sensitivity range ISO 100 - ISO 3,200/12,800 (expanded) ISO 100 - ISO 3,200/6,400 (expanded) ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 Focal-length multiplier 1.6x 1.5x 2x 2x Continuous shooting 6.3 fps 90 JPEG/16 raw 4.5 fps 100 JPEG/n/a raw 5 fps n/a JPEG/12 raw 5fps n/a JPEG/12 raw Viewfinder 95% coverage 0.95x magnification User interchangeable focusing screens 96% coverage 0.94x magnification fixed focusing screen 98% coverage 1.02x magnification fixed focusing screen 100% coverage 1.15x magnification Mfr. interchangeable focusing screens Autofocus 9-pt AF all cross-type 11-pt AF center cross-type 11-pt AF all cross-type 11-pt AF all cross-type Live View Yes Yes Yes Yes LCD size 3 inches 3 inches 2.7 inches 2.5 inches Approximate street price (body only) $1,399 $999 $1,299 $1,499

… Read more