Jump to content

Olympus E-3 preview


Riley

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 61
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Matches almost exactly the "leaked" PDF and other preliminary rumours. Several things look good to me: bigger, brighter VF, in-body IS, fast auto-focus, 5 FPS, large RAW buffer, articulated 2.5" LCD, and sub-$1700.00 price. I think I'll probably buy it to replace my Digilux 3, but I'll wait to see if the high ISO performance is truly better (camera goes to 3200, but what will be usable?), and the auto-focus is indeed appreciably faster in low light or with non-SWD lenses.

 

Jeff.

Link to post
Share on other sites

in this generation they have come a long way

the OVF the AF, and noise is tackled to an extent

LV, FPS, IS of 5 stops now, apparently improved DR, and the price isnt as bad as all that

it looks like a very good wedding photog rig now

the AF is a lot faster BTW, yes the lenses are needed for all speed, but the lower light ability of the AF is much better

 

but as you say, indeed the iso3200, just what goes on there

Link to post
Share on other sites

The camera looks very interesting, but it is almost the size and the full weight of a 5D, which to me is too large (and the reason I bought an M8).

 

The viewfinder is apparently a little better than a 40D, which is a very large improvement upon the previous 4/3 cameras, but doesn't approach a FF viewfinder (or an M8) for size and brightness.

 

I do not expect the noise to be able to compete fully with a 40D/5D, but let's see.

 

I will be curious to try one out in person. It is an interesting camera, but likely not one that I would ever buy.

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 stops of image stabilization and a superfast 14-35mm f/2 or a 35-100mm f/2 zoom are a very interesting antidote against "noise". AF is able to get precise focus with very low levels of light. Now consider the most effective dust reduction system. This is a very well designed and balanced camera.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If this camera is as quiet as an E-1, and Shawn Barnett wrote "The shutter is very quiet, with no buzzing or winding like many other cameras do, including the E-410 and E-510" that, all by itself, could make the camera very interesting.

 

I think that some photographers on these forums may want to take a look at the E-3 because :

 

A) It uses the same lenses as the D3 that some have already begun with

B) It may well have the very quiet shutter release that many of us have been wishing for in the M8, etc.

 

It could never replace an M8 for me but I'm very interested in testing it as I *really* liked the E1. I'll be at Photo Expo later this week and will try to get a sense of the shutter noise as well as nailing down a review copy ASAP.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

Link to post
Share on other sites

If this camera is as quiet as an E-1, and Shawn Barnett wrote "The shutter is very quiet, with no buzzing or winding like many other cameras do, including the E-410 and E-510" that, all by itself, could make the camera very interesting.

 

I think that some photographers on these forums may want to take a look at the E-3 because :

 

A) It uses the same lenses as the D3 that some have already begun with

B) It may well have the very quiet shutter release that many of us have been wishing for in the M8, etc.

 

It could never replace an M8 for me but I'm very interested in testing it as I *really* liked the E1. I'll be at Photo Expo later this week and will try to get a sense of the shutter noise as well as nailing down a review copy ASAP.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

A review would be very welcome Sean! Especially if it could include the Leica D lenses!

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 stops of image stabilization...

 

I've never understood what they mean by this. If I can normally handhold at 1/30th will this camera magically let me handhold at 1 second? Is it that stable for that long a time?

Link to post
Share on other sites

If this camera is as quiet as an E-1, and Shawn Barnett wrote "The shutter is very quiet, with no buzzing or winding like many other cameras do, including the E-410 and E-510" that, all by itself, could make the camera very interesting.

 

I think that some photographers on these forums may want to take a look at the E-3 because :

 

A) It uses the same lenses as the D3 that some have already begun with

B) It may well have the very quiet shutter release that many of us have been wishing for in the M8, etc.

 

It could never replace an M8 for me but I'm very interested in testing it as I *really* liked the E1. I'll be at Photo Expo later this week and will try to get a sense of the shutter noise as well as nailing down a review copy ASAP.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Hi Sean, look forward to hearing your opinion. I've an E-330 and E-500, looking forward to the next iteration. I think Oly has been doing a great job making cameras that aren't "me too" plastic boxes.

 

Insofar as the people on here that say, "Why don't you use x instead of Oly or Panasonic", I think you should be careful not to sound like the trolls that ask, "Why an M8?"

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've never understood what they mean by this. If I can normally handhold at 1/30th will this camera magically let me handhold at 1 second? Is it that stable for that long a time?

 

That's a good one, Alan.

 

I guess when you can handhold at 1/30 ... the darned camera must think that it's sitting on a Gitzo 1548 and gets all these gimmicks switched off by itself. :D:p:D

Link to post
Share on other sites

evidence has it, that IS on Olympus cameras does better shooting long than wide

however I have seen images shot at 1/2 sec that seem quite sharp, but this with older system iterations that are rated 2-4 stops. While 5 stops seems extraordinarily deep, it likely requires a steady handhold at that. Excessive hand movements demonstrated here by some, probably better left for more self satisfying things...

 

looking forward to Sean's review

Link to post
Share on other sites

Modern photography has been invented more than a hundred years ago and people were able to take countless sharp pictures without IS ... but, I do understand some people's special needs and that's not a problem. LOL

 

The E3 looks fantastic from almost all aspects (at least on paper) however ... I think the Live MOS sensor will be its Archille's Heel, it's like a crappy Yugo engine under the hood of a Porsche 911.

 

The fact that Olympus dare not show the public a sample image taken by the darned camera at this late stage doesn't bode well.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Modern photography has been invented more than a hundred years ago and people were able to take countless sharp pictures without IS ... but, I do understand some people's special needs and that's not a problem. LOL

 

The E3 looks fantastic from almost all aspects (at least on paper) however ... I think the Live MOS sensor will be its Archille's Heel, it's like a crappy Yugo engine under the hood of a Porsche 911.

 

The fact that Olympus dare not show the public a sample image taken by the darned camera at this late stage doesn't bode well.

 

You can make everything bad, isn't it?

Link to post
Share on other sites

The fact that Olympus dare not show the public a sample image taken by the darned camera at this late stage doesn't bode well.

 

late stage ?

perhaps its worth pointing out that it hasnt been released 24 hours yet

 

tip: change hands

Link to post
Share on other sites

You can make everything bad, isn't it?

 

Peter, it is not a secret on the Internet ... everybody knows that I don't like 4/3.

 

It's just the digital version of Olympus Pen F half frame camera ... and they've never been shy to admit that it's a "huge failure" in their own words.

 

Read this ...

 

Olympus Olympus History : the Semi-Olympus I - the Pen Series

Link to post
Share on other sites

late stage ?

perhaps its worth pointing out that it hasnt been released 24 hours yet

 

tip: change hands

 

Isn't it target to ship on the 23rd of this November?

 

Take a look at Nikon, they bring the D3 and D300 to every trade show, every camera store ... and let everybody insert their own cards in it. Why?

 

Because they're not afraid of comparison.

 

Don't get me wrong, I've zero problem with friends using 4/3 cameras ... say "Cheese". :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...