Olympus E-3 (body only)
Manufacturer: Olympus America Inc. Part number: 262010
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Despite some interface quirks and a slightly awkward design, the Olympus E-3 fares quite well against its midrange dSLR competition.
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CNET editors' review
Olympus E-3 (body only) price range: $1,049.00 - $1,699.95
- Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
- Reviewed on: 02/15/2008
- Released on: 11/28/2007
The good: Excellent photo quality; fast performance; solid, dust- and splash-proof body; flip-and-twist LCD; large, 100 percent coverage viewfinder; built-in wireless flash controller.
The bad: Relatively low resolution for the price; smallish LCD, some clunky design aspects.
The bottom line: Despite some interface quirks and a slightly awkward design, the Olympus E-3 fares quite well against its midrange dSLR competition.
I was a big fan of the Olympus E-1 back in the day, and when Olympus belatedly introduced its successor, the E-3, last fall, I was eager to get one in my hands to shoot with it for a while. It comes in a body-only version or a kit with a f/2.8-3.5 14mm-54mm (28mm-108mm equivalent) lens. I evaluated the body with the new f/2.8-4.0 12mm-60mm (24mm-120mm equivalent), a far more expensive lens that uses an extra-low dispersion coating and incorporates a supersonic motor.
The magnesium-alloy body is as solidly made as ever, and now it's dust-, weather- and splash-proof, as well. At a shade less than 2 pounds, the body weighs about as much as its midrange dSLR classmates, with similar dimensions as well. It's quite comfortable to hold, with a deep rubber grip. Like all of its competitors, the E-3 supplies the requisite front and back dials, status LCD, and plethora of direct-access controls. (For more details on the body design, see the E-3 slide show.) While shooting, the layout feels logical enough, though some of the multibutton-plus-dial combos feel a tad old-fashioned. If you want, you can bypass most of them by using the so-called Super Control Panel, an increasingly popular interface for adjusting most shooting settings from a single screen. The control panel doesn't rotate when shooting vertically, however, the way it does on Sony's dSLRs.
When you cycle through each of the direct-access options, they appear in the viewfinder readout--even options that don't normally appear there, such as white balance or image stabilization mode--which is a very nice touch. The viewfinder, too, is great: large with 1.1x magnification and 100 percent scene coverage. Combined with the 4:3 aspect ratio native to the Four Thirds standard of the sensor and lenses (for a 2x focal-length multiplier) and its big, comfortable eyecup, the viewfinder provides the same shooting feel as a far more expensive full-frame camera. On the other hand, when operating at ISO 2,000 or higher, the display blinks continuously, which can get quite annoying.
In addition to the viewfinder, Olympus includes Live View mode--a feature it pioneered in conjunction with Panasonic--for framing via the LCD. Though it still requires a mirror flip-up for prefocus like most of its competitors, which can slow Live View shooting considerably, the E-3 provides a couple of helpful features. For one, its flip-and-twist LCD makes Live View useful in situations where a fixed LCD can't cut it (such as this shot). For another, it lets you preview the effect of the image stabilizer. (The inability to see the stabilized image remains the one advantage of optical implementations over to sensor-shift.) But at 2.5 inches, the LCD is also kind of small, and not quite high-resolution enough for precise manual focus.
Like other models, the E-3 can supply a magnified view assist for manual focusing in Live View, but the slow display update--you have to wait for the display to catch up with you--can bog down shooting. Finally, when you enter Live View, a message appears on the display reminding you to flip the switch on the viewfinder cover (to prevent light leaks). On one hand, the built-in cover is a great touch that all dSLRs should probably have. On the other, that reminder hogs the display for valuable seconds when you're impatient to shoot.
I generally found the operation of Olympus' two My Mode custom preset banks a bit unwieldy to set up compared with almost everyone else's. The available settings aren't neatly arranged in a submenu for you to choose among; you must configure the camera and then register the settings to one of the banks. Nor is there a screen that summarizes the currently assigned settings for you. However, Olympus adds one feature that makes it almost worth the pain: a one-button override. As long as you hold down the Fn key, you can override the camera's current settings with those of the currently selected My Mode. Unfortunately, the only way to know which of the banks is set to Current is to dive deeply into the menus.
Although the 10-megapixel Live MOS sensor it uses may be a bit low resolution for some applications--uncropped and unretouched, the math dictates you shouldn't print photos much larger than 11x15 at 240dpi--that's more than sufficient for many people. (Another 2 megapixels lets you push that to 12x18, big enough for a full-bleed magazine spread, at least in the U.S.)
Olympus bundles some nice extras into the E-3's feature set. The pop-up flash doubles as the controller in a wireless-flash setup, and the flash system supports a 1/8,000 sec focal-plane shutter sync. In addition to a standard 2 percent spot meter, the E-3 also offers high-key (Highlight) and low-key (Shadow) spot-meter options, which meter at something other than 18 percent gray to boost highlights or shadows. If you don't have decades of learned behavior to overcome or shoot long runs of high- or low-key photos, this can be a useful tool. For me, and I suspect for a lot of longtime photographers, automatically metering off something other than the subject to achieve the correct exposure is a habit that's probably not worth breaking. (For a complete accounting of the E-3's features, you can download a PDF file of the manual.)
By the numbers, the E-3 performs quite speedily. CNET Labs' tests indicate it wakes up and shoots a bit slowly for its class--about 1.3 seconds--though I'd hardly consider that sluggish. Under good, high-contrast lighting, it focuses and shoots in just under a third of a second, rising to only 0.8 second in dimmer conditions. Typically, it captures consecutive frames in a half second, edging up to 0.6 second with the built-in flash enabled. And it delivers a quick 4.9 frames per second for high-speed burst shooting. In casual testing, the image-stabilization system delivered about 4 stops of latitude over what the reciprocal rule dictates--1/6 second versus 1/120 second for a 120mm focal length--but I was able to get sharp handheld shots without IS as low as 1/30 sec. Olympus says that you should see more of a gap with longer, heavier lenses. (Because of the consistently overcast and/or frigid weather here in New York, I have not gotten a chance to put the continuous-shooting system through its paces at the dog run. I'll have to get back to you with that.)
Overall, I think the E-3's photos look great. In particular, the colors are gorgeous: saturated, yet some of the most accurate we've tested in this class (at low ISO sensitivities, at least), with impressive automatic white balance. The camera has a slight tendency to underexpose, but you can easily compensate for that. The camera disappointingly maxes out at ISO 3,200, but its noise profile looks pretty good; I printed some 11x15 shots taken at ISO 2,000 inside Grand Central Station and found the noise pretty subtle. Nor do Olympus' noise suppression algorithms overblur.
With the exception of its somewhat awkward design and interface, the Olympus E-3 stands up quite well to competitors such as the Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 and Nikon D300. But if you're buying into a system, think carefully: Olympus currently offers only 13 pro-quality lenses, and the gap since the last pro dSLR release was about four years. Will that translate into problems for you down the road? Consider it before committing.
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User reviews
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Great camera and excellent performance
by harold67 on December 2, 2007
Pros: Excellent viewfinder, dust & weather sealed, articluated LCD,fast AF,very well designed navigation
Cons: Not enough wide angle primes in Olympus Zuiko lens system, not as quiet as the Olympus E1
Summary: After having used many DSLR's from different brands, I have finally found the camera that meet most of my expectations.
If you can past the rather meaningless choice of ...Summary: After having used many DSLR's from different brands, I have finally found the camera that meet most of my expectations.
If you can past the rather meaningless choice of marketing cameras classifications ( pro, semi-pro, prosumer) it is obvious that this camera will meet the needs of many Photographers out there.
The main difference of the Olympus system is that it use the 4/3 system, offering a 4:3 ratio that matches better the images ratio (8x10 and others) for print or magazines purposes
This sensor is slightly smaller than the APS, but in practical use , considering its more pleasant ratio ( especially in vertical shots) there is no significant quality difference with APS sensor DSLR's
Having designed lenses specifically for digital, Olympus has in its line lenses offering amazing quality from the center to the corners of the image.
The E3 also manages to offer a great viewfinder, which was not the case before with previous Olympus offerings
Some people will rejoice over the 1/8000 max shutter speed or over the 5 FPS motor capacity but for me this great viewfinder is the best sign of a pro body.
The dust system and weathersealing makes you confortable using this camera in lots of unfavorable outdoor situations
the Live view, pioneered by Olympus, takes all its significance with the 2.5" articulated screen , which will become very handy when , for instance, photographing over the crowd, or taking low angle pictures without having to sit or lay on the ground
Navigating along the different options is also pretty easy once the many buttons have been used and you have direct access to important parameters (ISO, shoot mode, WB) which is also very handy on the field
With the E3 , you will access an amazing DSLR system4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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CNET is confused knocking the lenses
by reginalb on January 18, 2009
Pros: Great image quality, good interface, AMAZING LENSES.
Cons: low-light capabilities lag behind competitors
Summary: Only CNet would knock this system for its lenses. Saying there are 13 pro-quality lenses is a little misleading, since the Panasonic manufactured Leicas are certainly pro-level. That is another ...
Summary: Only CNet would knock this system for its lenses. Saying there are 13 pro-quality lenses is a little misleading, since the Panasonic manufactured Leicas are certainly pro-level. That is another 4, plus the EX line from Sigma are good, and getting better as they sort out their QC issues.
But this also ignores the fact that Zuiko's pro lenses are some of the best on the market, and in many cases surpass Canon's L line. But the fact is there are pro lenses for everything that you need. Sure, there aren't a bunch of f/1.4 primes at slightly different focal lengths like in the L line, but do you need that? And the L line also doesn't have Leica quality. Although admittedly, Zeiss lenses are available for Canon mounts, and surpass the L line, they are in the ballpark of Zuiko/Leica, but like the Leica and Zuikos, there aren't as many options.
The bottom line is that the E-3 is a great camera. The 2x crop is helpful for nature photography, and the sensor allows for better correction of distortion in wide angles, too. As a result, in their review of the 7-14mm Zuiko, Camera Labs said the lens was so good, that if you are a landscape nut this one piece of glass should be enough to compel you to buy in to the Four Thirds system. That is quite the promotion, and I can confirm the lens produces AMAZING images.
There is a world outside CaNikon. And this camera is a great example of that.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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excellent build quality
by vmurko on August 3, 2009
Pros: picture quality
Cons: difficult to use
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Olympus America Inc.
- Part number: 262010
- Description: With the E-3 Olympus has developed an impressive array of highly reliable new technologies essential for serious SLR photographers. Olympus cameras have a history of raising the bar when it comes to reliability, toughness and durability - and the E-3 takes it to a whole new level. The E-3 is equipped with a large optical viewfinder that provides 100 percent accurate viewing and 1.15x magnification for reliable composition - what you see is exactly what you'll get. Even fine details are seen with astonishing clarity. The E-3's large, precision-crafted pentaprism is crafted from high refractive index glass with a highly reflective silver coating. The eyepiece uses glass lenses. All the lenses are surface coated to maintain brightness. The focusing screen features a Neo Lumi-Micro Mat for bright, easy-to-adjust manual focusing. Spots on photos are now banished forever. The Olympus dust reduction system is an industry first and a proven technology. Every time you turn on the E-3, our Supersonic Wave Filter - located between the shutter and the image sensor - silently vibrates an amazing 30,000 times per second. Dust is blasted away. The dust reduction system even removes dust attached by intermolecular force that can't be shaken off or discharged with static electricity. Dust will no longer get between you and a great shot. Shoot anywhere, anytime, in any condition. The E-3 body, the built-in flash and the LCD are all splashproof and dustproof. Constructed from a magnesium-alloy with a homogeneous composition, the E-3 is lightweight yet strong and rugged. The same goes for Zuiko Digital lenses. You'll find splashproof and dustproof models that are as tightly sealed as the camera. To ensure you can keep shooting, even at 5 frames per second, Olympus utilizes a durable shutter mechanism tested to 150,000 cycles making the E-3 the perfect choice for photographers who demand the most from their equipment, in any situation.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - SLR with Live View mode
- Width 5.6 in
- Depth 3 in
- Height 4.6 in
- Weight 1.8 lbs
- Body Material Magnesium alloy
Main Features
- Resolution 10.1 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type Live MOS
- Total Pixels 11,800,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 10,100,000 pixels
- Field of View Crop Factor 2
- Sensor Dust Reduction Yes
- Sensor Features Supersonic Wave Filter (SWF)
- Light Sensitivity ISO 100-3200
- Special Effects Muted, Vivid, Monotone, Portrait, Custom Effect
- Image Stabilizer Optical (image sensor shift mechanism)
- Max Shutter Speed 1/8000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 30 min
- X-sync Speed 1/250 sec
- Exposure Metering Spot, Multi-segment, Center-weighted
- Exposure Modes Manual, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority
- Exposure Range EV 1-20 ( ISO 100 )
- Exposure Compensation ±5 EV range, in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps
- Auto Exposure Bracketing 5 steps in 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV steps
- Exposure Metering Zones 49
- White Balance Custom, Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Flash, Shade, Cloudy, Evening sun, 3000K - 7500K, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light (daylight), Fluorescent light (cool white), Fluorescent light (warm white)
- White Balance Bracketing Yes
- Still Image Format RAW, JPEG, RAW + JPEG
- Continuous Shooting Speed 5 frames per second
- Remote Control Optional
- TV Tuner None
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory Microdrive, CompactFlash
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage RAW 3648 x 2736 - 11 MB, Super-fine JPEG 3648 x 2736 - 6.8 MB, Fine JPEG 3648 x 2736 - 4.7 MB, Normal JPEG 3648 x 2736 - 2.2 MB, Basic JPEG 3648 x 2736 - 1.5 MB, Super-fine JPEG 3200 x 2400 - 5.3 MB, Fine JPEG 3200 x 2400 - 3.7 MB, Normal JPEG 3200 x 2400 - 1.7 MB, Basic JPEG 3200 x 2400 - 1.1 MB, Super-fine JPEG 2560 x 1920 - 3.6 MB, Fine JPEG 2560 x 1920 - 2.2 MB, Normal JPEG 2560 x 1920 - 1.1 MB, Basic JPEG 2560 x 1920 - 0.7 MB, Super-fine JPEG 1600 x 1200 - 1.3 MB, Fine JPEG 1600 x 1200 - 0.8 MB, Normal JPEG 1600 x 1200 - 0.5 MB, Basic JPEG 1600 x 1200 - 0.3 MB, Super-fine JPEG 1280 x 960 - 0.8 MB, Fine JPEG 1280 x 960 - 0.5 MB, Normal JPEG 1280 x 960 - 0.3 MB, Basic JPEG 1280 x 960 - 0.2 MB, Super-fine JPEG 1024 x 768 - 0.5 MB, Fine JPEG 1024 x 768 - 0.4 MB, Normal JPEG 1024 x 768 - 0.2 MB, Basic JPEG 1024 x 768 - 0.1 MB, Super-fine JPEG 640 x 480 - 0.2 MB, Fine JPEG 640 x 480 - 0.2 MB, Normal JPEG 640 x 480 - 0.1 MB, Basic JPEG 640 x 480 - 0.1 MB
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
- Guide Number (m / ISO 100) 13
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Rear curtain sync, Red-eye reduction
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Features AF illuminator, Flash +/- compensation, Flash exposure bracketing, Wireless off-camera control
Lens System
- Type Autofocus - 12 mm - 60 mm - F/2.8-4.0, Manual focus
- Focal Length 12 mm - 60 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic, Manual
- Auto Focus TTL phase detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 11
- Lens Aperture F/2.8-4.0
- Zoom Adjustment Automatic
- Lens System Mounting Four Thirds
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec, 12 sec
- Flash Terminal Hot shoe
- Additional Features AE lock, AF lock, IR filter, Splashproof, DPOF support, Direct print, Auto power save, Contrast control, Histogram display, Resizing an image, Sharpness control, LCD live view mode, PictBridge support, Saturation control, PRINT Image Matching, Shadow point display, USB 2.0 compatibility, Highlight point display, RGB primary color filter, Display brightness control, Depth-of-field preview button
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Optical - Fixed eye-level pentaprism
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
- Field Coverage 100%
- Magnification 1.15x
- Dioptric Correction Range -3 to +1
- Viewfinder Frames Autofocus frame
- LCD Display Information AE lock, AF lock, Aperture, Record mode, Exposure mode, Frame counter, Shutter speed, White balance, Battery status, ISO sensitivity, Metering system, Exposure compensation, Flash charge completion
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.5 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 230,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type None
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x DC power input, 1 x Composite video output, 1 x Remote control
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x CompactFlash Card - Type I/II, 1 x xD-Picture Card
Software
- Software Olympus Master, Drivers & Utilities
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Peripheral Devices USB port, CD-ROM drive
Miscellaneous
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
- Included Accessories Shoulder strap
- Cables Included 1, 1 x USB cable, Video cable
Power
- Power Device Battery charger - External
Battery
- Supported Battery Olympus BLM-1
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 1500 mAh ( Included )
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Product series
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Manufacturer: Olympus America Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.1 megapixels, 2.5 in LCD display
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Olympus E-3 (with 14mm-54mm lens)
Manufacturer: Olympus America Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.1 megapixels, 3.9 x, 2.5 in LCD display, - CompactFlash Card, - XD-Picture Card
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Manufacturer: Olympus America Inc.
Specs: SLR, 10.1 megapixels, 5 x, 2.5 in LCD display
Accessories
- Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD lens (32738943)786.95 - 999.99
- Olympus EX-25 - extension tube (31988736)121.49 - 123.90
- Olympus Zuiko Digital - wide-angle zoom lens - 11 mm - 22 mm (31017890)629.95 - 749.00
- Olympus flash memory card - 2 GB - xD Type M+ (33024374)15.60 - 247.50
- Sandisk CompactFlash 512MB (30828339)19.00 - 54.99
- SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash Card (8GB) (32143124)78.90
Manufacturer info
- Olympus America Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Olympus America Inc. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.olympusamerica.com/
- Address:
Two Corporate Center Dr., Melville, NY 11747 - Phone: 631-844-5000
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