Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 17mm lens, Black)
Manufacturer: Olympus Part number: V205033BU000
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- While it's not the best in any particular aspect, and you probably don't want to use it for video, the Olympus PEN E-PL3 offers an excellent balance of size, features, performance, and photo quality for the money.
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CNET editors' review
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 17mm lens, Black) price range: $599.00 - $699.00
- Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
- Reviewed on: 10/07/2011
- Released on: 09/15/2011
The good: With a broad feature set aimed at enthusiasts, tilting LCD, nicely implemented filters, good performance, and excellent raw photo quality, plus a price that's less burdensome than the E-P3's, there's a lot to appreciate about the Olympus PEN E-PL3.
The bad: The PEN E-PL3's video disappoints, and the camera's lack of a grip may prove annoying for some shooters.
The bottom line: While it's not the best in any particular aspect, and you probably don't want to use it for video, the Olympus PEN E-PL3 offers an excellent balance of size, features, performance, and photo quality for the money.
In many ways--pretty much everything on the inside--the Olympus PEN E-PL3 is the same camera as its more expensive sibling, the E-P3. As a result, a lot of the trade-offs I dislike in the E-P3, I'm more willing to forgive in its less expensive little brother. In part that's because I expect people considering the E-PL3 to be slightly less picky about the noise reduction quality of the JPEGs. Plus, if you're paying less you're probably less likely to be resentful about needing to tweak settings.
Like many consumer-targeted cameras, the E-PL3 produces JPEGs that show excessive smear in the details from overzealous luminance noise reduction, where the NR kicks in at ISO 800. But if you can tolerate some grain and a little bit of clipping in the shadows, you can produce much better photos at least up to ISO 1600, possibly higher if you spend a little more time on it than I did. Hot pixels also pop up in the JPEG versions of the high-ISO-sensitivity photos. At low ISO sensitivities, there's enough latitude to retouch underexposed photos without unduly increasing image noise.
Olympus also seems to push the sharpness algorithms in its JPEGs just a hair too far, which makes tiny, light-colored details (like schmutz on a flower) pop artificially. You won't notice this unless you plan to view photos at full size on a display; you won't see it when the image is scaled down and it's probably the appropriate amount of sharpening for going straight to print. And for a more natural look, shoot raw.
Exposure and color are quite good regardless of format, though. Dynamic range is better in the shadows than the highlights--I had trouble recovering some blown-out detail--but it's still pretty good overall.
The video is a mixed bag. Exposure, sharpness, color, and autofocus are excellent. But, like the E-P3, the E-PL3 has a problem with rolling shutter (you know, that wobbly effect). Turning off the image stabilization while shooting video seemed to make a difference--but without the image stabilization it gets pretty jittery. Also, the camera automatically crops the picture while shooting video, effectively increasing the focal length, which makes quickly switching between photos and videos slightly annoying. The combination of interlaced video plus relatively low bit rate also results in poor detail resolution in busy scenes, like splashing water. You can always try to shoot in 720p for those cases, however.
Except for a slightly longer startup time, the E-PL3 performs the same as its more expensive sibling. It takes about a second to power on and shoot--not an eternity but a hair longer than comparable models do. It's fast at focusing and shooting, taking about 0.3 second in good light and 0.6 second in dim. Two sequential shots toddle along quickly as well, at about 0.7 second for JPEG and 0.8 for raw. This model actually has a significantly faster burst mode than the E-P3: we clocked it at 4.7 frames per second versus 2.9fps for the E-P3. All that said, in practice I found the autofocus at least felt slower; despite its sharing the updated AF system of the E-P3, it has less processing power. And keep in mind that the continuous shooting slows down significantly after 11 shots unless you have a 30MB-per-second SD card or faster.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
 |
Time to first shot | |
Raw shot-to-shot time | |
Typical shot-to-shot time | |
Shutter lag (dim) | |
Shutter lag (typical) |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Another downside is the LCD. While I love that it tilts, it seems relatively low-resolution and difficult to view in bright sunlight. I really think the optional EVF (VF-2) is a must-have, though it's pretty expensive.
I like almost everything about the design and feature set of the E-PL3, so I'll lead off with my one major gripe: there's no grip. The metal body is well-constructed, but it's a little heavy (especially with the flash attached) and the slippery front makes it difficult to shoot single-handed--something I hadn't realized I did that often. One other oddity is that I frequently, unknowingly, somehow turn the power on while swapping lenses.
Otherwise, the E-PL3 seems designed for the user who might otherwise have bought a Canon PowerShot G12 or other enthusiast "compact," though it doesn't offer the same wealth of direct-access buttons and dials that make cameras like that popular. The mode dial atop the top of the camera serves up the usual PASM and auto modes, as well as access to Olympus' well-implemented Art Filters, the typical set of scene program modes (including an odd, manual 3D option), and a dedicated movie mode where you have full manual controls and access to the Art Filters.
| Nikon 1 J1 | Olympus E-P3 | Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 | Sony Alpha NEX-5N | |
| Sensor (effective resolution) | 10-megapixel CMOS | 12.3-megapixel Live MOS | 12.3-megapixel Live MOS | 12.1-megapixel Live MOS | 16.1-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS |
| 13.2x8.8 mm | 17.3 x13mm | 17.3x13mm | 17.3x13mm | 23.5x15.6mm | |
| Focal-length multiplier | 2.7x | 2x | 2x | 2x | 1.5x |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 3200/6400 (expanded) | ISO 200 - ISO 12800 | ISO 200 - ISO 12800 | ISO 100 - ISO 6400 | ISO 100 - ISO 25600 |
| Continuous shooting | 5fps n/a (60fps with fixed AF and electronic shutter) |
3fps unlimited (LN) JPEG/17 raw |
4.1fps n/a (5.5fps without image stabilization) |
3.8fps unlimited JPEG/7 raw |
3fps unlimited JPEG/6 raw (10fps with fixed exposure) |
| Viewfinder mag / effective magnification |
None | Optional | Optional | None | Optional |
| Autofocus | 73-point phase detection, 135-area contrast AF |
35-area contrast AF | 35-area contrast AF | 23-area contrast AF | 25-area contrast AF |
| Shutter speed | 1/3-1/16,000; bulb; 1/60 second x-sync | 60-1/4,000 second; bulb to 30 minutes; 1/4,000 FP sync | 60-1/4,000 second; bulb to 30 minutes; 1/4,000 FP sync | 60-1/4,000 second; 1/160 second x-sync | 30-1/4,000 second; bulb; 1/160 second x-sync |
| Metering | n/a | 324 area | 324 area | 144 zone | 1,200 zone |
| Flash | Yes | Yes | Included optional | Yes | Included optional |
| Image stabilization | Optical | Sensor shift | Sensor shift | Optical | Optical |
| Video | 1,080/60i/30p, 720/60p H.264 MPEG-4 QuickTime MOV | 1,080/60i AVCHD @ 20, 17Mbps; 720/60p @ 13Mbps | 1,080/60i AVCHD @ 20, 17Mbps; 720/60p @ 13Mbps | 1,080/60i/50i @ 17Mbps 720/60p @ 17Mbps AVCHD or Motion JPEG QuickTime MOV | AVCHD 1,080/60p @ 28, 24Mbps, 1,080/24p @ 24, 17Mbps, 1,080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 |
| Manual shutter speed and aperture in video | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Audio | Stereo | Stereo; mic input | Stereo; mic input | Mono | Stereo; mic input |
| LCD size | 3-inch fixed 460,000 dots | 3-inch fixed OLED 614,000 dots |
3-inch tilting 460,000 dots |
3-inch fixed touch screen 460,000 dots |
3-inch tilting 921,600 dots |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 230 shots | 330 shots | 300 shots | 320 shots | 430 shots |
| Dimensions (inches, WHD) | 4.2x2.4x1.2 | 4.8x2.7x1.4 | 4.3x2.5x1.5 | 4.2x2.6x1.3 | 4.4x2.4x1.6 |
| Body operating weight (ounces) | 9.7 | 13 | 11 | 9.3 | 9.3 (without flash) |
| Mfr. price | n/a | n/a | n/a | $499.95 (body only, est.) | $599.99 (body only) |
| $649.95 (with 10-30mm lens) | $899.99 (with 14-42mm lens) | $699.99 (with 14-42mm lens) | $599.95 (with 14-42mm lens) | $699.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | |
| $899.95 (with 10-30mm and 30-110mm lenses) | $899.99 (with 17mm f2.8 lens) | $699.99 (est., with 17mm lens) | $699.95 (with 14mm f2.5 lens) | n/a | |
| Ship date | October 2011 | August 2011 | September 2011 | July 2011 | September 2011 |
The back also offers a typical control layout that will be familiar to anyone who's used a digital camera recently. A four-way navigation-dial combo provides direct access to exposure compensation, flash, drive mode, and autofocus area options, while the OK button brings up the interactive display of all the most frequently used settings. If you're in auto mode, the settings change to Olympus' Live Guide menus, basic slider-driven options for things like brightness and saturation.
Likewise, Olympus' menu system has a couple of hidden screens you have to enable to view, one for the accessory port and one with a plethora of custom settings options. The latter includes welcome advanced controls that include options affecting autofocus areas, noise filter strength, and whether or not auto white balance should preserve the warm tone of indoor shots. There's also a programmable function button, but it's not in a convenient spot to use with any regularity, and using it in combination with the dial is downright contortionist. There are four custom settings slots, which is nice, but there's no really convenient way to switch among them.
Conclusion
The E-PL3 isn't the best at anything in its class. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 is faster, smaller, and cheaper; the Sony Alpha NEX-5N has better photo and video quality. But I like the E-PL3 for its balance of features, performance, photo quality, and design that makes many of the trade-offs worth it for the enthusiast.
User reviews
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This camera is phenomenal.
by hertelp on February 21, 2012
Pros: This camera is phenomenal. Outstanding range/depth of focus for landscapes. At the aquarium - didn't need any special setting in any light - when flashed used 95% of the time no flash back in the glass. The built in wide angle setting is a dream. Seldom h
Cons: I have not found anything negative about this camera.
Summary: I am an advance armature photographer. I have won a couple of awards for some of my pictures. I shoot landscape, family, animal and aquariums. Most cameras I end up ...
Summary: I am an advance armature photographer. I have won a couple of awards for some of my pictures. I shoot landscape, family, animal and aquariums. Most cameras I end up using manual settings and cover the flash with tissue to avoid flash backs. I feel like I was buying a new camera every couple of years because the one I have doesn't meet my expectations. Every picture I take with this camera is a WOW in quality of focus. I also had a small camera for when I didn't want to pack in my SLR and all the attachments. This camera gives everything a big SLR camera has but in a smaller - almost point and shoot size. No more lugging around big SLR camera and lenses.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Olympus
- Part number: V205033BU000
- Description: Beautifully designed and engineered with all the very latest technology, the E-PL3 might be small in size but it is certainly big on features. It promises all the razor-sharpness, background blur and vivid colors of a professional SLR camera - despite being a fraction of the size. These powerful optics are all thanks to pixel-perfect lenses, a brand new 12.3 million pixel sensor and an optimized image engine TruePic VI processor. This innovative model also features a 3-inch tilt LCD, enabling maximum visibility and flexibility in both shooting and playback mode - from any angle. This is also particularly convenient and beneficial when using the full HD movie functionality that comes with this new PEN generation. The E-PL3: So powerful it can capture everything. So small you can take it everywhere.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Mirrorless system
- Enclosure Color Black
- Resolution 12.3 megapixels
- 3D Technology Yes
- Optical Sensor Type Live MOS
- Total Pixels 13,100,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 12,300,000 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 VI
- Image Stabilizer Optical (image sensor shift mechanism)
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) Qty 35
- AE/AF Control Subject-tracking AF
- Digital Video Format AVI,
AVCHD,
MJPEG - Image Recording Format JPEG,
MPO,
RAW,
RAW + JPEG - Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
- AV Interfaces HDMI,
Composite video/audio Exposure & White Balance
- Light Sensitivity ISO 200-12800,
ISO auto (200-12800) - Exposure Metering Multi-segment,
Center-weighted,
Spot - Exposure Metering Zones 324
- Exposure Modes Program,
Bulb,
Automatic,
Shutter-priority,
Manual,
Aperture-priority - Shooting Programs Candle,
Night scene with portrait,
E-portrait,
Sports mode,
Sunset,
Beach/snow,
Landscape-portrait,
Anti shake,
Panorama assist,
Night scene,
Low key,
High key,
Fisheye converter,
Macro converter,
Fireworks,
Children,
Macro,
Document,
Nature macro,
Portrait mode,
Landscape - Special Effects Portrait,
I-Enhance,
Muted,
Vivid,
Diorama,
Soft Focus,
Monotone,
Black & White,
Sepia,
Grainy Film,
Pop Art,
Pin Hole,
Dramatic Tone,
Natural - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Daylight,
Overcast,
Tungsten light,
Shade,
Fluorescent,
Flash,
2000K - 14000K - Max Shutter Speed 1/4000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 60 sec
- Exposure Compensation ±3 EV range, in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps
- White Balance Bracketing Yes
- X-sync Speed 1/160 sec
- Exposure Range EV 0-20 ( ISO 100 )
Lens System
- Type Zuiko,
Lens - 17 mm - F/2.8 Micro Four Thirds - Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 34 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual,
Automatic - Min Focus Range 7.9 in
- Max View Angle 65 degrees
- Lens Construction 4 groups / 6 elements
- Filter Size 37 mm
- Lens System Mounting Micro Four Thirds
- Features Aspherical lens
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Detachable flash
- Guide Number (m / ISO 100) 10
- Flash Modes Rear curtain sync,
Fill-in mode,
Slow synchro,
Auto mode,
Flash OFF mode,
Red-eye reduction - Features Wireless off-camera control,
Flash +/- compensation,
AF illuminator Additional Features
- Continuous Shooting Speed 5.5 frames per second,
4.1 frames per second - Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
12 sec - Flash Terminal Hot shoe
- Additional Features Intelligent AUTO (iAUTO),
Display color control,
Display brightness control,
In-camera red-eye fix,
1080i Full HD movie recording,
Audio recording,
Eye-Fi Card Ready,
PRINT Image Matching,
Resizing an image,
Cropping an image,
Shadow Adjustment Technology,
Saturation control,
In-camera RAW processing,
Exif Print support,
AF lock,
Full-time Live View,
DPOF support,
Face detection,
RGB primary color filter,
Built-in speaker,
AE lock,
Auto power save,
Digital noise reduction,
Dolby Digital AC-3 (2 channel) recording,
Histogram display,
Digital image stabilization (video mode),
Built-in help guide,
Sharpness control,
Contrast control,
USB 2.0 compatibility,
Eye Detect AF Display
- Type 3 in LCD display
- Display Features Folding
Microphone
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Hi-Speed USB,
1 x Composite video/audio output,
1 x HDMI output - Memory Card Slot SD card
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Peripheral Devices USB port,
CD-ROM drive Miscellaneous
- Microsoft Certifications Compatible with Windows 7
- Included Accessories Battery charger,
USB cable,
Lens cap,
Shoulder strap,
Dust cap,
Body cap,
Audio / video cable - Body Material Metal
Software
- Software Olympus Viewer 2,
Drivers & Utilities,
[ib] software Battery
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Memory / Storage
- Supported Memory Cards SDHC Memory Card,
SD Memory Card,
SDXC Memory Card - Image Storage RAW 4032 x 3024 - 13.8 MB,
JPEG 4032 x 3024 - 5.9 MB,
JPEG 4032 x 3024 - 2.7 MB,
JPEG 2560 x 1920 - 1.1 MB,
JPEG 1024 x 768 - 0.3 MB - Video Capture AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 17Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 13Mbps,
AVCHD - 1280 x 720 - 17Mbps,
AVCHD - 1280 x 720 - 13Mbps,
MJPEG - 1280 x 720,
MJPEG - 640 x 480 Dimensions & Weight
- Width 4.3 in
- Depth 1.5 in
- Height 2.5 in
- Weight 9.3 oz
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Product series
-
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 14-42mm lens, Red)
Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: 12.3 megapixels,
28 - 84mm F/3.5,
3 x x Zoom lens - 14 mm - 42 mm - F/3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds,
13.0 x 17.3mm,
Live MOS,
Optical (image sensor shift mechanism) -
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 17mm lens, Red)
Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: 12.3 megapixels,
34mm F/2.8,
Lens - 17 mm - F/2.8 Micro Four Thirds,
13.0 x 17.3mm,
Live MOS,
Optical (image sensor shift mechanism) -
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 14-42mm lens, Black)
Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: 12.3 megapixels,
28 - 84mm F/3.5,
3 x x Zoom lens - 14 mm - 42 mm - F/3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds,
13.0 x 17.3mm,
Live MOS,
Optical (image sensor shift mechanism) -
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 17mm lens, Black)
Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: 12.3 megapixels,
34mm F/2.8,
Lens - 17 mm - F/2.8 Micro Four Thirds,
13.0 x 17.3mm,
Live MOS,
Optical (image sensor shift mechanism) -
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 14-42mm lens, White)
Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: 12.3 megapixels,
28 - 84mm F/3.5,
3 x x Zoom lens - 14 mm - 42 mm - F/3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds,
13.0 x 17.3mm,
Live MOS,
Optical (image sensor shift mechanism) -
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 14-42mm lens, Silver)
Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: 12.3 megapixels,
28 - 84mm F/3.5,
3 x x Zoom lens - 14 mm - 42 mm - F/3.5-5.6 Micro Four Thirds,
13.0 x 17.3mm,
Live MOS,
Optical (image sensor shift mechanism) -
Olympus PEN E-PL3 (with 17mm lens, Silver)
Manufacturer: Olympus
Specs: 12.3 megapixels,
34mm F/2.8,
Lens - 17 mm - F/2.8 Micro Four Thirds,
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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