Making a professional-sounding recording can be expensive, particularly for ensembles (like rock bands) who want to capture at least some semblance of a live performance.
Sure, you can get an decent recording with a portable stereo recorder, or a couple of inexpensive mics panned left and right and plugged directly into the mixer, but most artists want their music to sound as good as it possibly can--as good as any other artist played on the radio. That takes an array of microphones and other audio gear and somebody who knows what they're doing. In other words, money.
Slicethepie offers an online trading market that lets you speculate on the number of singles and albums a band on the service will sell over two years.
(Credit: Slicethepie)In the post-label world, who funds these recordings? Peter Spellman, director of career development at the Berklee School of Music, explores three fan-funded (or "crowdfunding") options in a blog posting on KnowTheMusicBiz.com.
ArtistShare, which has been around since 2002, allows fans to contribute to particular artists and receive exclusive tidbits, such as in-progress recordings.
SellaBand works more like a small-scale venture capitalist for bands: fans can "invest" $10 apiece, and when an artist reaches $50,000, Sellaband will hook them up with industry professionals, including producers and studios, to record and market an album. Revenue comes from advertisements shown next to free downloads, as well as sales of the finished album, and are split three ways between SellaBand, the "investors," and the artist.
U.K.-based Slicethepie not only allows fans to invest, but essentially asks them to do artist discovery. Fans are compensated a few cents for listening to acts and writing reviews, and bands who score the best end up in a showcase, where labels might find them and offer them a deal.
Fans can also earn money by betting on the success of artists in a stock market. The winner of the showcase gets 15,000 pounds from the organization to fund a recording, while Slicethepie receives some royalties from sales of the album. (I'm always a bit wary of showcase-type models--often bands must pay up front to participate, labels and radio stations ignore them completely, and the only party who benefits is the organizer. In this case, the entry fee for each song appears to be around 20 pounds, although the FAQ isn't entirely clear on this, and entry fees are currently being waived. Still, proceed with caution.)
Whether or not any of these particular organizations actually ends up funding the next Radiohead, it's interesting to see all this business innovation occurring outside the bounds of the traditional label system.
Olympus highlights the E-3's splash-proof design.
(Credit: Olympus America)Olympus shipped its first interchangeable-lens dSLR, the pro-level E-1, in the fall of 2003. Four years is a long time to wait for a new model, especially given the rapid pace of technological change in the dSLR category and a cast of photographic characters hungry for the latest and greatest to help boost their earnings potential. Consumers buying their first (and perhaps even second) dSLRs will follow where great technology leads, but pros must commit to a camera system that includes lenses and flashes. Once they've moved on, it takes more than just a snappy shutter and flashy LCD to lure them back.
That's a big burden to place on the shoulders of the new E-3.
It helps that the camera isn't a hardcore pro model; at $1,700 (body only) it's priced and suited for entry-level professionals and wannabes. But it will compete directly with the Nikon D300, which has an obvious growth path and huge accessory system behind it.
How do the E-3's specs stack up? First, here's an overview:
| Alpha DSLR-A700 | Olympus E-3 | Nikon D300 | |
| Sensor | 12.2-megapixel CMOS 23.5 x 15.6mm |
10.1-megapixel Live MOS 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
12.3-megapixel CMOS 22.2 x 14.8mm |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 6400 | ISO 100 - ISO 3200 | ISO 200 - ISO 6400 |
| Focal-length multiplier | 1.5x | 2.0x | 1.5x |
| Continuous shooting | 5 fps 8 (Extra fine) or unlimited (Fine) JPEG |
5 fps unlimited JPEG |
6 fps 100 JPEG |
| Mechanical image stabilization | Yes | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 95% coverage 0.90x magnification 25mm eye point interchangeable matte focusing screen 2 optional focusing screens |
100% coverage 1.15x magnification 20mm eye point changeable to grid matte at service center |
100% coverage 0.94x magnification 19.5mm eye point fixed matte focusing screen with optional gridlines |
| Autofocus | 11-pt AF two cross-type sensors in center (one f/2.8) |
11-pt AF all cross-type (aperture info unavailable) |
all cross-type to f/5.6 |
| Live View | No | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless flash controller | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LCD size | 3 inches/307,200 pixels | 2.5 inches/230,000 pixels | 3 inches/307,200 pixels |
| Shutter durability | 100,000 cycles | 150,000 cycles | 100,000 cycles |
| Price (body only) | $1,499 | $1,699 | $1,799.95 |
Olympus E-3 back
(Credit: Olympus America)So, it uses the same 10-megapixel Live MOS sensor as the Panasonic DMC-L10. Personally, I crop a lot and tend to print at 13x19, so that resolution disappoints me a bit. The full 11 cross-type AF sensors, with slightly offset focusing points, sounds like it should provide a fast focusing system when shooting both horizontally and vertically, but only testing will tell. That goes triple for Olympus' claim that the image stabilization system can deliver up to 5 stops latitude, which the company says is more applicable to long, heavy lenses.
The rest looks pretty encouraging, however. It offers a few things the D300 doesn't: a splash-proof (and dust-proof) design; built-in, independent x/y sensor-shift stabilization; huge viewfinder; and a flip-out display, which (to me) improves the usefulness of Live View mode from "so what?" to "Whoa, yeah!" In addition to a standard 2 percent spot meter, the E-3 also offers high-key and low-key spot meter options, which will meter at something other than 18 percent gray to boost highlights or shadows. And you'll be able to set the matrix metering system to evaluate its 44 points worth of data in a spiral or loop scheme. It all sounds nice and whizzy, but just how useful these really are remains to be seen.
For all you strobers, the E-3 also includes an impressive-sounding flash system. It includes a built-in wireless flash controller that can support three flash groups of four channels each. Maximum X-sync speed is 1/250 second and there's a super FP (focal plane) mode which enables sync speed up to 1/8,000 sec.
New Olympus Four Thirds lenses
(Credit: Olympus America)
Without lens announcements trailing it like a caboose, a new dSLR camera announcement just wouldn't be the same. Four with the Zuiko Digital ED brand follow the E-3:
- f2.8-4.0 12mm-60mm SWD (Supersonic Wave Drive)
24mm-120mm-equivalent; $999.99; available November 2007 - f2.8-3.5 50mm-200mm SWD
100mm-400mm-equivalent; $1,199.99; available December 2007 - f2.0 14-35mm SWD
28mm-70mm-equivalent; $2,299.99; available Q1 2008 - 2x Teleconverter EC-20
$479.99; available December 2007
Olympus hasn't indicated whether or not it's planning to sell a kit version of the E-3. If so, it certainly won't include any of these rather pricey optics.
I don't know for certain, but I doubt there are hordes of E-1 owners who've tenaciously spurned all dSLR suitors while waiting for Olympus to release a new pro model. Then again, for those who invested in the Four Thirds lenses, the E-3 is likely a momentous release. Once we've got one in for evaluation, we'll let you know if it was worth the wait--or too little, too late.
On Sale Now: $1,199.95 - $2,499.95
View the latest prices for Olympus E-3 (body only)
Three images of Olympus' top-end SLR from March
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET Networks)Olympus publicly showed prototypes of its new top-end digital SLR in March, but a leaked document indicates the real thing could be announced in October and on sale in November.
An anonymous person posted a 27-page presentation at the FourThirds Photo discussion site that appears to be from an Olympus marketing presentation in June in Europe on the new camera, called the E-P1. Olympus didn't comment on the presentation Thursday, but the company did request another site, 4-3system.com, remove the file.
The presentation includes numerous details about the camera--including its 10-megapixel sensor, improved viewfinder, sealing against dust and wet weather, wireless flash controller and better autofocus. But another interesting element is what Olympus positions as the competition: the Nikon D200 and Canon EOS 30D. That's interesting because Olympus is pitching the E-P1 as a professional-grade camera, whereas those Nikon and Canon models are considered a notch down in the "prosumer" category.
Olympus already has said on the record it's preparing to sell a successor this year to the E-1 launched in 2003, and it's begun offering teaser ads for it.
Going up against the Nikon D200 and Canon 30D, and supposed successors, the D300 and 40D, the E-P1 will have superior weatherproofing, technology for removing dust stuck on the image sensor, live preview of images on the LCD screen, a larger viewfinder, built-in image stabilization and faster autofocus, according to the presentation.
Missing from the presentation was any mention of price, but if Olympus hopes to take on the D200 and 30D directly, it should come in at less than $2,000. Olympus is hoping for indirect effects, though, according to the presentation: a "top-down" effect that will goose sales of lower-end E-410 and E-510 SLRs and of accessories.
Olympus SLRs, along with those from Panasonic and Leica, employ the Four Thirds lens mount system, so lenses and cameras from those companies are compatible. The image on such cameras has a four-to-three aspect ratio, squarer than the usual three-to-two on 35mm film SLRs and most other digital SLRs. The field of view of a Four Thirds lens is half that of a 35mm SLR lens with the same focal length, so a 50mm lens works much like a 100mm lens on a Four Thirds camera.
The presentation also describes four Four Thirds lenses, three of them professional-grade. The good ones are a 50-200mm (100-400mm equivalent) telephoto zoom with an F/2.8-3.5 aperture due in November; a 12-60mm zoom (24-120mm equivalent) zoom with an F/2.8-4.0 aperture due in October; and a 14-35mm (28-70mm) with a fast F/2.0 aperture due in the spring of 2008. The fourth lens, a 70-300mm model of more ordinary quality, has an aperture of F/4.0-5.6, has specs that match an official June announcement from Olympus. Also in the presentation is the EC-20 teleconverter to double telephoto focal length.
But back to the alleged E-P1 specs, which sound pretty good:
• Five frames per second shooting with a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 sec.
• Eleven-point autofocus, and all points are cross-type, meaning they can detect either vertical or horizontal edges. Lower-end SLRs commonly have mostly linear points that aren't as sensitive. And autofocus works better in dim conditions than before.
• In-camera image sensor stabilization to counteract camera shake. That's been Olympus' approach already, but the new version is more powerful, permitting compensation that can allow use of shutter speeds up to five steps slower than otherwise would be possible. That could be significant, since Canon and Nikon build image stabilization into the lens, claiming that it works better when tuned to the specific lens, especially with telephoto lenses.
An apparent collection of new Olympus lenses
(Credit: FourThirds Photo)• Wireless control of flash units--and two new flash units, the FL-36R and FL-50R.
• An LCD that can swivel to different angles to aid with live view composition. Live view modes haven't generally wowed reviewers, but one handy feature permitted by swiveling screens is a better ability to shoot when the camera is held overhead or low to the ground.
• A large viewfinder that covers 100 percent of the camera view and magnifies it by a factor of 1.15. Most lower-end SLRs only cover 95 percent or so of the view and often shrink it, which produces eyestrain and makes manual focusing more difficult.
• A dust-reduction system to clean the image sensor, a bane of digital SLRs but a problem Olympus competitors are beginning to address with sensor-shaking technology.
• A weather-sealed extra battery compartment that can aid in shooting vertically-oriented pictures.
Olympus Stylus 1000
(Credit: CNET Networks)Tomorrow's Independence Day, and practically the whole country has the day off. For once, you get to have your cookout on a Wednesday. How will you document your midweek antics? You'll want photographic evidence of how cute the nieces and nephews were when they made that pyramid in the kiddie pool. You need pictures to explain that funny thing that happened with the mustard squeezer. And even if you just enjoy some epic lounging in the shade, you'll want pictures to remind yourself of ease and leisure when you're cranking through 400 e-mails back at work on Thursday.
Which brings me to the point. J&R this month is offering the Olympus Stylus 1000 digicam with 10 megapixels for $200, a deal which includes a freebie Lexar 256MB XD card. This is less than half of its original list price of $500. You probably can't have it by tomorrow, but you can be prepared the next time a day off rolls around.
As our CNET Review states: "The Stylus 1000 has some very nice features. For low-light and action shots, the Stylus includes digital image stabilization and can shoot at as much as ISO 6,400, but images greater than ISO 1,600 are cut down to five megapixels. ... Like all Stylii, its metal body has rubber gaskets and seals to keep water and gunk out. You can't shoot underwater, but you can splash it without fear or hesitation."
Perfect for that Slip 'n Slide tournament in your yard.
What: Olympus Stylus 1000 digital camera
How much: $200
Shipping: $3.19
Where: J&R.com (via Techdeals)
When: Through July 31, 2007
Click here for product review.
Olympus announced a $400 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens Tuesday for digital SLR camera owners who like to do more than just squint at distant wildlife.
Olympus' 70-300mm zoom lens will ship in September.
(Credit: Olympus)Because of the properties of the Four Thirds system lens mount and image sensor Olympus helped develop, the lens behaves somewhat like a 140-600mm lens on a traditional film SLR (single-lens reflex) camera. It also means the lens will work on SLRs from Panasonic and Leica, which build Four Thirds cameras.
The Zuiko ED 70-300mm supertelephoto lens, whose aperture ranges from F/4.0 to F/5.6, will be available in September, Olympus said. The company's digital SLR lenses have a built-in processor as well as accompanying firmware that communicates with the camera's processor to help compensate for lens problems such as vignetting, in which the corners of an image are darker than the center, or barrel and pincushion distortion, in which parallel lines bow outward and inward, respectively.
The lens uses three extra-low dispersion glass elements to minimize chromatic aberration problems resulting from different colors traveling through the lens optics on different paths.
Unlike SLR leaders Nikon and Canon, Olympus builds image stabilization technology into its camera bodies as a way to compensate for camera shake. That means it doesn't need to be built into each lens, but Canon and Nikon argue that lens-based image stabilization works better, particularly on telephoto lenses.
A teaser to a new Olympus SLR
(Credit: Olympus)Olympus has begun offering new teases about a new SLR (single-lens reflex) camera model, likely a successor to its top-end E-1 introduced in 2003.
Having just released new low-end models, Olympus no doubt is preparing to refresh its high end. Olympus showed off a prototype high-end SLR at the Photo Marketing Association trade show in March but said only it would be rugged, weatherproof, and shipping this year.
You shouldn't believe everything you see on the Internet, though. For example, it seems probable that Olympus engineers actually designed the E-1 successor and that the new camera wasn't just belched fully formed from a volcano.
Olympus' housing for the SP-550 UZ
(Credit: Olympus)The PT-E03 housing is designed for the lower-end SLR (single-lens reflex) Olympus Evolt E-410 camera, and the PPO-E05 can be attached to protect the new 14-42mm Zuiko lens. (Other existing PPO lens ports also are compatible, too.)
Olympus' housing for the Stylus 770 SW camera
(Credit: Olympus)The company also announced underwater housings for four compact cameras, the SP-550 UZ model with an 18x zoom lens, the rugged and already somewhat waterproof Stylus 770 SW, the weatherproof Stylus 760 and the more modestly equipped Stylus FE-230. These cameras also offer underwater scene modes to help novices deal with the lighting and color-balance issues.
The housings will ship this month, Olympus said.
The company didn't immediately announce prices, but all except for the PT-E03 for the DLR were listed on its Web site: the
Olympus' housing for the Stylus 760 camera
(Credit: Olympus)Also, for those of you who enjoy purchasing rubberized protectors for your e-widgets, Olympus announced orange, blue and transparent silicone skins for the Stylus 770 SW.
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