Gizmodo: iii

Audio Engineer: Metallica's Latest Album Sounds Better on Vinyl

Sean Fallon — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:20:00 EDT

Ian Shepherd, the same Mastering Engineer that claimed Metallica's latest album sounds better on Guitar Hero III, has recently come out and said that even the vinyl version sounds better than the CD. Keep in mind that the heavily distorted tracks on the album are the result of an editing process that sacrifices dynamic range for an increase in volume. This philosophy on mastering CDs is based largely on a self-induced paranoia that sales will decline if the album isn't loud enough. Some have even blamed the popularity of the iPod and its lo-fi earbuds for contributing to this problem.

Unfortunately, the vinyl was made from the same mix as the CD, so the distortion is still there. However, it is fairly standard practice to make separate masters for separate formats, and Sheperd's analysis reveals that the analog distortion on the vinyl tracks have less clipping (although the difference is minimal) compared to the the CD version. In reality, this is probably a moot point given the fact that a hardcore Metallica fan is far more likely to to dig up GHIII tracks than buy a turntable. However, even the thought of turning to vinyl these days further illustrates the point that record labels need to re-focus their attention back on quality. [Mastering Media Thanks Michael!]

Canon Readying 22-Megapixel EOS-1Ds Mark III?

Charlie White — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:45:19 EST

Canon designers must be getting penis envy over that Hasselblad 31-megapixel super-camera we showed you last week (or its 39-megapixel bro), because now we're hearing rumors that Canon might at least approach that pixel count with a 22-megapixel digital SLR in the works.

If the scuttlebutt is true, the upcoming 1Ds Mark III will add resolution over the current top dawg at Canon, the $6800 17.2-megapixel EOS-1Ds Mark II (pictured over there), and it'll deliver all these extra pixels in a body that's half the size of its large, heavy predecessor. Now all Canon has to do is create some lenses that can feed such a hungry beast.

Don't be planning any of those high-end shoots of yours around this highly capable shooter just yet, because those in the know say the camera won't be announced until PhotoPlus Expo 2007 in October. – Charlie White

Canon 1DS Mark III Camera? [Image Acquire]

SanDisk Releases 12 and 16GB Extreme III CompactFlash Cards

Jason Chen — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:30:02 EDT

Two cards from SanDisk for photogs who like to shoot first and ask questions later—the 12GB and 16GB Extreme III CF Cards. They both have write and read speeds of 20MB/s, and will be $779.99 and $1,049 respectively in December. – Jason Chen

Press Release [SanDisk]

Digimate III Flash Memory Backup

Jason Chen — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 17:40:11 EDT

The DigiMate III is useful for photographers on the go who need to dump their flash drives into larger storage without having to turn on a laptop or PC. The device fits 2.5-inch laptop-sized hard drives, which as of now are available in up to 160GB sizes—much larger compared to 2 or 4GB flash cards.

The DigiMate has USB 2.0 support, a 6.6x5.0 cm touch screen, a 2 hour battery life, and Windows and Mac Support. It fits SD, MMC, Mini SD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Compact Flash I/II, MicroDrive and xD Picture Cards. There's even an external battery pack that's powered by 4 AA batteries available for separate purchase. – Jason Chen

DigiMate III Touch Screen Version [USB Geek]

Battery Pack [USB Geek]