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Olympus Evolt E-3 Review Summary
10 Megapixels
Single Lens Reflex
Stabilization: Compensates for tiny involuntary movements of the camera.
Continuous Drive
Manual Controls: Both fully-manual (M) and semi-automatic modes (T and V).
Custom White-Balance: Specifies exactly what should be white to the camera.
Action Photography: Shutter speeds of 1/1500 or more.
Night Photography: Reaches shutter-speeds longer than 4 seconds.
Hotshoe: Allows external flash units to be attached.
Spot Metering
Depth-Of-Field Preview: Improve perception of DOF before shooting.
Weatherproof - Seals protect from dust, humidity and light splashing.
Accepts Compact Flash memory.
Accepts xD memory.
Discontinued: No longer produced by the manufacturer. May still be in stock or found used.Olympus Evolt E-3 Assessment
The Olympus E-3 is certainly the most capable 4/3 DSLR to date. It has plenty of pro-features: a viewfinder with 100% coverage, built-in image stabilization, a weather-proof body and 5 FPS continuous drive.
It is certainly as good as several Excellent DSLRs, only we have to say that some DSLRs are less excellent than others and this one is one of them. While the E-3 is a great upgrade for someone with high-quality Olympus lenses, the E-3 lags behind other recent DSLRs in terms of ergonomics and image quality at high-ISO. Although it has a durable body, its hinged LCD is a liability when it comes to being tough.
Choosing the E-3 can be justified by the choice of high quality Olympus lenses which exist. They are expensive, but Olympus has some unique lenses, including 2 F2 zooms (14-35mm and 35-100mm) and a 7-14mm F4 ultra-wide lens. There is currently no better camera to put these lenses on than the E-3.
The closest competitors to the E-3 are the Sony Alpha A700
Sony Alpha A700 and the Nikon D300
Nikon D300. The A700 has almost all the same features, it is only missing the 100% coverage viewfinder. The D300 is only missing stabilization. Both of these cameras offer considerably better image quality and much better ergonomics.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Built-in stabilization works for all lenses | Tendency to under-expose |
| 100% Coverage Viewfinder | Below average high-ISO performance |
| Mostly accurate image colors | Poor automatic white-balance indoors |
| Effective dust-reduction system | Heavy noise reduction at slow shutter-speeds |
| Fast and responsive | Slow focusing in low light |
| Excellent build quality | Poor ergonomics |
| Highly customizable processing and noise reduction | Below average dynamic range, mostly towards highlights |
| Poorly organized menus | |
 Excellent Excellent |
|
Recent Similar Cameras
Related Information
| Sister Models |
|---|
Olympus PEN E-P1 Olympus PEN E-P1 - Micro 4/3, 12 Megapixels, 3 FPS, No viewfinder, No flash |
Olympus Evolt E-30 Olympus Evolt E-30 - 12 Megapixels, 98% Coverage OVF, 3 FPS, Not weatherproof |
Olympus Evolt E-620 Olympus Evolt E-620 - 12 Megapixels, 3 FPS, 95% Coverage OVF, Not weatherproof |
| Reviews | |
|---|---|
| DC Resource | Steve's Digicams |
| DP Review | Imaging Resource |
| DC Views | Photography Review |
| Pop Photo | Photo Review |
| Trusted Reviews | Luminous Landscape |
| Outback Photo | |
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Olympus E-3 Facts
SLR digital camera| 10 Megapixels DSLR | ISO 100-3200 |
| Four-Thirds Mount 2X FLM Sensor-Size: 17 x 13mm  Actual size when viewed at 100 DPI | Shutter 1/8000-60s |
| Built-in Stabilization | Full manual controls, including Manual Focus |
| 100% Coverage Medium Viewfinder | Custom white-balance with 2 axis fine-tuning |
| Weatherproof | Spot-Metering |
| Built-in Dust Reduction | Hot-Shoe |
| 5 FPS Drive, Unlimited Images | Lithium-Ion |
| 2.5" LCD 230K Pixels | Compact Flash |
| xD |
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