![]() ![]() Of the more than 1,000 images I made in Puerto Rico, only a one or two required spotting for the tiniest of specks. Working in El Yunque rain forest was a test of the camera’s dust reduction system eliminating spots from image files. ![]() If noise at these higher ISO settings bothers you I suggest external digital noise reduction software such as Neat Image (that’s available for Mac OS and Windows computers.Every time you turn on the camera, the E-3’s dust reduction system uses a Supersonic Wave Filter that physically vibrates to remove dust from the sensor and capture it on an adhesive membrane. Noise at higher ISOs was well controlled and wasn’t objectionable until after ISO 1600. The camera’s TruePic III processing engine offers high-speed image processing, accurate color, and low noise up to ISO 1600. ©2007 Joe Farace How’s the image quality?Image quality was excellent and what you’d expect from a 10-megapixel digital SLR. Lens was an Olympus Zuiko Digital 7-14mm f/4. Exposure was 0.3 seconds handheld at f/4.5 and ISO 1600, so the built-in image stabilization helped too. A balanced approach: In this photograph the E-3’s Live View function enabled me in real time to dial in one of the E-3’s White Balance presets to produce neutral colors of the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. My favorite Live View function is real-time image monitoring of white balance and exposure making it useful for photojournalists and wedding photographers who have to work quickly under fast changing lighting conditions. The 100 percent accurate 2.5-inch and swiveling Live View LCD permits creative viewing angles for capturing macro images, overhead “Hail Mary” shots, or street photography where you don’t want to be seen pointing the camera directly at a subject. Is it sharp? You bet! ©2007 Joe FaraceThe E-3’s optical viewfinder provides a 100 percent view and its 1.15x magnification produces a large, clear view matched only by full frame digital SLRs and Canon’s EOS D40. Going Steady: This group of boats at the Ponce Yacht & Fishing Club was photographed handheld at 9:30 at night with an exposure of 0.6 sec at f/3.5 and ISO 2000. Olympus claims this technology compensates for camera movement up to five stops! While shooting at night and without a tripod I tested the camera’s image stabilization ability and captured sharp images that would otherwise be impossible without a tripod. A gyro detects and analyzes vibrations and then uses a Supersonic Wave Drive motor to move the imaging sensor. New wave: The new Olympus Supersonic Wave Drive lenses, such as this ED 12-60mm f/2.8-4, allow fast auto focusing and quiet operation, which is important when shooting in situations where silence is truly golden, such as a wedding ceremony.Built-in image stabilization has the advantage of providing image stabilization for every lens attached to the camera body. This versatile lens is part of three new Digital Supersonic Wave Drive(SWD) lenses from Olympus that also includes the ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD (100-400mm equivalent) and a ED 14-35mm f/2 SWD (28-70mm equivalent) that’s expected to be available in the first quarter of 2008. Whether I agree with that concept or not, the E-3’s AF is fast and crisp and I was able to get sharp, spontaneous images on the streets of Old San Juan.The camera is available as a body or with an ED 12-60mm f/2.8-4 (24-120mm equivalent) lens that charts new territory in defining what a “kit” lens should be. The sensor has a hounds tooth pattern phase detection layout that uses micro-lamination technologies to produce what Olympus likes to think of as forty-four focus points. ![]() The target points for the eleven-point AF sensor can be selected individually or in combination with adjacent points. It’s fastThe E-3 has an eleven-point biaxial cross type AF system, five frames-per-second continuous shooting, and 1/8000th second top shutter speed. I had a chance to test the camera under a wide range of challenging conditions on the island of Puerto Rico and was impressed by the E-3’s handling and image quality. The camera’s shutter is rated up to 150,000 cycles, so it should withstand heavy duty and professional use. It has body-integrated mechanical image stabilization that works with every Zuiko Digital lens, a 10-megapixel sensor, all housed in a dust and splash-proof magnesium alloy body. Overview The new Olympus E-3 is the flagship of its digital SLR line and combines speed of operation–from startup to capture-with live view and dust-reduction capabilities. ![]() Low and available light (ISO 100 – 3200).The cream of the Four Thirds crop Olympus E-3: Front view Olympus E-3: Back view Key features: ![]()
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