Manage updates with the Download AppOlympus E-3 (Body Only)
Manufacturer: Olympus Part number: 262010
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- 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: $1,399.99
- 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.
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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Great Camera, Great Glass, Great Hardware.
by scotpeden on February 25, 2010
Pros: What amazed me most about this review, is the negative start to all features. Olympus has the features that Panasonic and others have COPIED, and she made it look like Olympus was lagging or following others. Not a single mention of the GREAT GLASS.
Cons: Software in some of the better competitors is better, but that is about it.
Summary: When Olympus releases a new Camera, it is a NEW Camera with New features, not copying others. Other camera companies Copy Olympus.
In it's price range, you cannot get ...Summary: When Olympus releases a new Camera, it is a NEW Camera with New features, not copying others. Other camera companies Copy Olympus.
In it's price range, you cannot get better glass/lenses. IS is in the body, Weather or splash proof models and lenses. I can have IS in my Original 35 mm lenses. And it is affordable, more features per dollar then the competitors in a RUGGED BODY and TOUGH LENSES. I've never had to replace one and I'm in the woods off trail all the time. -
excellent build quality
by vmurko on August 3, 2009
Pros: picture quality
Cons: difficult to use
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Olympus
- 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
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type Digital camera - SLR with Live View mode
- Resolution 10.1 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Type Live MOS
- Total Pixels 11,800,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 10,100,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 13.0 x 17.3mm
- Field of View Crop Factor 2
- Sensor Dust Reduction Yes
- Sensor Features Supersonic Wave Filter (SWF)
- Image Processor TruePic III
- Image Stabilizer Optical (image sensor shift mechanism)
- Auto Focus TTL phase detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) Qty 11
- Image Recording Format JPEG,
RAW,
RAW + JPEG - AV Interfaces Composite video/audio
Exposure & White Balance
- Light Sensitivity ISO 100-3200
- Exposure Metering Multi-segment,
Center-weighted,
Spot - Exposure Metering Zones 49
- Exposure Modes Shutter-priority,
Manual,
Aperture-priority - Special Effects Portrait,
Muted,
Vivid,
Monotone,
Custom Effect - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Evening sun,
3000K - 7500K,
Tungsten light,
Shade,
Cloudy,
Fluorescent light (daylight),
Fluorescent light (warm white),
Fluorescent light (cool white),
Flash - Max Shutter Speed 1/8000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 30 min
- 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
- White Balance Bracketing Yes
- X-sync Speed 1/250 sec
- Exposure Range EV 1-20 ( ISO 100 )
Lens System
- Type Autofocus - 12 mm - 60 mm - F/2.8-4.0,
Manual focus - Focus Adjustment Automatic,
Manual - Zoom Adjustment Automatic
- Lens System Mounting Four Thirds
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
- Guide Number (m / ISO 100) 13
- Flash Modes Rear curtain sync,
Fill-in mode,
Slow synchro,
Auto mode,
Flash OFF mode,
Red-eye reduction - Features Flash exposure bracketing,
Wireless off-camera control,
Flash +/- compensation,
AF illuminator Additional Features
- Continuous Shooting Speed 5 frames per second,
4 frames per second,
2 frames per second,
3 frames per second,
1 frame per second - Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
12 sec - Flash Terminal Hot shoe
- Additional Features Display brightness control,
Depth-of-field preview button,
PRINT Image Matching,
Resizing an image,
Saturation control,
IR filter,
AF lock,
DPOF support,
RGB primary color filter,
AE lock,
Auto power save,
Histogram display,
Highlight point display,
LCD live view mode,
PictBridge support,
Shadow point display,
Sharpness control,
Contrast control,
USB 2.0 compatibility,
Direct print 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
- Viewfinder Information ISO sensitivity,
Frame counter,
Exposure compensation,
Shutter speed,
Aperture,
Flash charge completion,
AE lock,
Exposure mode,
White balance,
Metering system,
Record mode,
Battery status,
AF lock Display
- Type 2.5 in LCD display
- Resolution 230,000 pixels
- Display Features Rotating
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB,
1 x DC power input,
1 x Composite video output,
1 x Remote control
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 Battery charger,
Video cable,
USB cable,
Shoulder strap - Body Material Magnesium alloy
- Protection Splashproof
Battery
- Supported Battery Olympus BLM-1
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 1500 mAh ( Included )
Memory / Storage
- Memory Card Slot xD-Picture Card,
CompactFlash Card - Supported Memory Cards xD-Picture Card,
CompactFlash,
Microdrive - 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 Dimensions & Weight
- Width 5.6 in
- Depth 3 in
- Height 4.6 in
- Weight 1.8 lbs
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Product series
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Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: SLR,
10.1 megapixels,
13.0 x 17.3mm,
Live MOS,
Optical (image sensor shift mechanism)
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Olympus products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Olympus
- Address:
3500 Corporate Parkway, Center Valley, PA 18034-0610 - Phone: 1-888-553-4448
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