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| Compact SLR? Olympus E-420 Review Posted: 19 Jan 2009 05:47 AM PST It’s the world’s smallest SLR or at least the smallest with interchangeable lenses. The Sigma DP1 is the “smallest.” Compared to other entry SLRs, this thing is miniscule measuring under 5 x 3.6 inches without a lens attached. All that compactness doesn’t mean Olympus went cheap on power. It’s packed with features! The composite body is solid and feels like it should be heavier than a scant 18 oz. Hit the jump for a full review. To preface, I’m a Nikon user. I know them inside and out and am used to the myriad of lenses available to the brand. I have never used an Olympus SLR before so color me surprised, the entry level E-420 is a powerhouse capable of equaling and in some cases surpassing the more expensive Nikon D60 and Canon Rebel XSi. I don’t want to focus too much on technical specs so lets get them out of the way. The E-420 possesses a four thirds (awesome) 10 megapixel sensor with digital stabilization, a built in dust reduction sensor cleaner, 2.7″ LCD display with Live View, True Pic III image processing, auto face detection and shadow adjustment, multiple scene modes, and a 100-1600 ISO sensitivity range. Supported memory formats are Compact Flash (both types), Microdrive, SD and xD cards. You can purchase the body for under $400 but beginners will probably want a starter package which includes the Zuiko Digital 14-42mm kit lens pictured below. Olympus was kind enough to send what I call the super duo; the 35mm macro and the tiny 25mm pancake lens along with the kit lens for testing. Right out the gate I was disappointed with the kit lens. Unless you’re in a well light area, pictures come out soft and a bit under saturated. White balance was spot on but I prefer my images a little sharper and richer. Even with custom settings I still wasn’t happy. The lens focuses very quickly and snaps instantaneously but I couldn’t find anything remarkable about it. Compare it to the kit lenses that accompanies the Nikon D60 and Canon XSi both of which offer optical image stabilization and sharper focus, the Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens is outclassed. But throw in either the Zukio Digital 35mm macro or the 25mm pancake lens and almost every photo comes out perfect. Simply put, both lenses are tack sharp, beautifully constructed, and for the money produces images rivaling $800 lenses. The bulk of my review time was spent with these lenses and since they’re small, toting the whole camera around wasn’t a problem. Start-up on the E-420 is instantaneous and despite its small size, Olympus clearly worked on ergonomics. The little gem slid comfortably in my hand. There are basic scene modes for sporting, landscape, and night etc… but if you really wanna see what this baby can do, you’ll use either the aperture or shutter priority modes. Just check out the galleries below to see what I mean. Those of you who want the camera to do all the thinking for you, no problem. In auto mode the camera takes less than 2 seconds to focus and if you so prefer, the LCD screen gives you a live image of what the lens sees. In poorly lit situations, you have total control over the flash intensity and output of the camera. I dare say it’s the best automatic flash on any entry level SLR. Both analog controls and digital UI are intuitive with no menu drilling. The screen is bright and the backlight automatically turns off in direct sunlight. The only time auto mode produced less than pleasant results are indoors in incandescent or dim lighting. The camera has a “warm” tendency bathing everything in a yellow glow. However a quick setting change in the white balance or post processing fixes is quickly.
What we liked:
What could be improved:
I know a lot of you spend months if not years developing your concepts only to be shot down because of poor photography. You really need to invest in a digital SLR to get the best results but with budget constraints and current economic conditions, it’s very hard to find the right camera to fulfill your needs. The Olympus E-420 is that camera. It’s affordable, compact, lightweight, powerful, compatible with the full range of Zuiko Digital lenses, and produces images even seasoned pros would go gaga over. The E-420 is the best bang for your buck. I can’t say enough about the 35mm macro and 25 pancake lenses. Both do great portraits in low or bright lighting. Colors are rich, vibrant and the 35mm macro gives you a 1:1 scale ratio. I saw parts of flies I don’t think I ever wanna see again. My favorite is the 25mm pancake lens. It’s so flat, it barely adds any bulk to an already tiny camera yet produces some of the most beautiful images I’ve seen from a prime lens. You can purchase both lenses for under $200 and coupled with the kit lens, you pretty much everything you need for work photography and just hanging out with family and friends Company: Olympus
Zuiko Digital 25mm prime lens    
Zuiko Digital 35mm macro lens     |
| Posted: 19 Jan 2009 03:44 AM PST Without getting into an audiophiles debate over music formats, it’s fair to say that for many of us, our music collection still exists in a physical form. Most of these collections I would guess do more dust gathering than anything else. Designer Li Jianye is attempting to breathe new life into such collections with his predictably titled “iShelf”. The iShelf brings Apple’s coverflow to your physical collection, displaying your choice albums in the now universally recognized format. Just in case you missed it, yes this is meant for a standard jewel case so no… your Burt Bacharach greatest hits box set wont fit. Even if it is in your top playlist. Designer: Li Jianye
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| Posted: 19 Jan 2009 01:44 AM PST I made these chairs with giant sheets of origami paper. See how talented I am! Actually, the chair was designed by Enoc Armengol (awesome name!) and Arnau Miquel (equally awesome!) and was inspired by origami. It’s made out of a single sheet of stainless steel carefully folded to create a geometric, harmonious chair. It’s gorgeous IMO. For an added touch of luxury and elegance, the whole thing is finished off in black or white leather. I’m going to try and make 4 miniature ones and train my hamsters to sit in them. Designers: Enoc Armengol & Arnau Miquel
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| Filtered Tap on the Go, French Press Style Posted: 19 Jan 2009 01:40 AM PST We’re seeing a huge influx of filtered tap water designs and they all do the same thing; use some sort of carbon material to filer contaminants and that nasty metallic taste. A few stand out like the 321 Water. It’s like any other bottle, holding more than the recommended daily amount of fresh water but instead waiting for your bottle to fill up via a drip system, is goes all French press style on us. Pretty simple to use, fill the BPA free bottle with tap water, insert the filtration press and slowly push down. I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work but there are a few quirks. The filtering mechanism seems quite large, in fact it seems to occupy a lot of volume inside the bottle. As “fun” as it might be to press my own water, I’d have to refill it constantly. The other tidbit are filter replacements. How cost effective is this, say compared to a filtration system that fits over your faucet? And if you’re frugal, there is one way to kill contaminants and get rid of that nasty tap taste; boil the water and let it cool in the fridge - that’s the old school way. Designers: Gretha Oost, Paul Charlwood & Andrew Howley
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| Scratch Notes On A Plank Day And Night Posted: 19 Jan 2009 12:40 AM PST We need to get innovative with the way we display our feelings. Leaving Post-its or texting is getting a bit outdated don't you think? The classic is of course; leaving a message on the fogged-up bathroom mirror, but that is about to get superceded with the Daywriter, Nightwriter. Both of them are essentially elongated three-dimensional scratchboards that you can use to write messages on. Touting itself as the world's first interactive furniture, the Daywriter (as the name suggests) is used for displaying messages during the day. But the story gets brighter with the Nightwriter. This one is like a florescent glow-in-the-dark type of board. Scratch on the words and watch them glow! Naturally you can erase all your messages and get creative everyday. Designer: Peter Freund
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| Music On Your Wrist, On The Go Posted: 19 Jan 2009 12:10 AM PST The Impossible Mac is back again to amuse us with his futuristic concepts. Here we find a transparent music player that slaps onto your wrist. Don't want it clear; just opt for an image or color graphics instead and use it as a wrist-gear. Teamed with earphones that bring the "concert performance" to your ears, the trip sounds bombastic! I did mention futuristic right? To justify that Mac includes a built-in mic that helps locate and play a song on your playlist, once you hum the tune into it. A heartbeat sensor and compatibility with your mobile phone round up the features. However you got to give it to Mac for coming up with such unique, and sometimes improbable designs…you can't stop a man from dreaming big! Designer: Mac Funamizu
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