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There is a reason the Olympus E- was chosen by NASA for use on the Space Station! Wow this camera is amazing, coming from a couple of entry level DSLR's didn't really think it would be that much better. I couldn't have been more surprised, everything about the camera from instantaneous focusing, feel in hand, quality build throughout, level of customization possible and much more this is truly a professional grade camera. I am sure if I spent $5k, $6k or $7k on a pro body from Canon or Nikon they would also have a high quality build. I spent only a grand on this and I know from experience this thing is built as good as Nikon's flagship $7k machine. To be fair the E-3 doesn't have all the capabilities of the D3x especially high ISO and resoution. The E-3 has as good or better build, faster auto focus and plenty high ISO for everyday shooting and the picture quality well with Olympus Zuiko's outstanding lenses I think it is just as good or better for outdoor and nature shooting. So is the E-3 the best pro body on the market, no it's not. The E-3 is however one of if not the best nature cameras because of it's 2x angle of view, in short what that means is you get the framing of a 300mm lens, with only a 150mm, this is great if you like shooting wild animals. Also the E-3's shortcomings in the high ISO dept. don't matter much outside and it's superior weather sealing will protect your camera if you get caught in the rain. The E-3 was also the camera chosen by NASA for use on the Space Station because of it's weight, sealing, quality optics and build. So can you buy as good a camera? Absolutely yes you can get a better camera for indoor lowlight work, for outdoor I don't think I would trade my E-3 and for the price you can't buy a better pro body. Bottom line, I highly recommend this camera unless your primary photography is indoor low shooting, in which case get a D3s or Mark IV, for me I'll keep the extra $5k in my wallet or buy some great lenses. DarrellRead full review
I just returned from a 8000 mile trip over 7 month shooting Hwy 101 and Byways and continuing into Mexico #1 Baja California Sur. I tested the new mirrorless cameras versus my professional equipment based on a NIKON D700. During the test, I added a water resistant and dust sealed body, the Olympus E3, as the D700 had some problems with the environment. The E3 performed exceptionally well, travelling the washboard roads and shooting whales on the ocean. A used E3 is one of the best investments a photographer can make. I recommend the 12-60mm Zuiko lens, one of the few AF lenses I trust, with quick and precise AF. Compared to other DSLR, the E3 still has one of the best JPEG outputs, you don't have to bother with time consuming RAW editing and still have very good, instant results. Just google Volker Peter Schenk, which will lead you to websites, where you can compare pictures using an E3 versus D700 and the new generation of mirrorless or fixed mirror cameras - I call them DSLE (Electronic Viewfinder). A used E3 is about the price of a new E-P2 and a little bit more than a E-PL2, yet in my opinion the better investment! To understand my 5* rating: This is for a 600$ camera as available USED on eBay, compared to 600$ options!Read full review
I was a Canon user for 25 years. The Canon equipment (DSLR & IS lenses) are great. However, Canon has spent most of their effort hyping the megapixel thing and forgot about technology. I've owned an Olympus of some sort beginning with the original Olympus Pen (half frame) which I carried in my pocket while I was in Vietnam. I've owned other Olympus equipment (OM etc) so I was not a stranger to their quality. When the 4/3rd system was developed it downsized the load a photographer has to carry ... at least by 1/3. That particular feature, the lens quality and the articulating live view LCD (and many other things) clinched the deal for me to leave Cannon. I now own the Olympus E3,12-60mm f2.8, 50-200mm f2.8 and 50mm macro f2, and the 620 body. (I also own the Stylus 770SW which I've used in salt water a number of times with great success. Just hold it under the faucet afterwards to rinse the salt water away!) Another great feature with the Olympus DSLR's is the photographer can access most of the common functions thru a menu on the LCD. Canon is just getting around to that on their DSLR cameras. Olympus has had sensor vibration to clean the sensor for years. Canon is now getting around to that. Olympus has image stabilization which really works! Normally about 2-3 stops. Olympus says their E3 and SWD lenses are rugged. I can verify that they are right on that. Last January while on a bird shoot in Florida I stopped my car and put the E3 and 50-200mm on the roof of my car while getting my tripod out. The camera and lens fell off the car roof and rolled down an embankment about 40-50 feet. My heart stopped for a few seconds. When I retrieved it I brushed the dirt off and pushed the "on" switch. It worked like a champ!! I could continue with the positive things about Olympus but will stop here ..... thanks.Read full review
I received the E-3 in perfect condition and it works like a charm. The price was fantastic! I like the camera so much that I bought a Zuiko 12-60 2.8/4.0 lens and a battery grip. This camera is amazingly fast focusing and pictures are colorful and crisp. I was going to buy the new OM-D E-M1, but now I will stay with the Evolt line (I have an E-620, E-510 and 7 Zuiko 4/3 lens). Using the E-3 brings back the joy of creative photography. And, it is built like a tank! John M.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I have been using the E-3 and various lenses professionally for more than 4 years. I chose the system as the design logic (matching the aspect ratio to standard things like PC monitors and photo-enlargement papers and sharing a lens mount and accessories between brands in the 4/3 system made so much sense). Then I liked the sensor cleaner system as I live and work in Africa - (I have never had to have the sensors cleaned.) Our working environment is tough but I have not had anything replaced or fixed on the cameras yet. They work hard (100K plus shutters on each now) and have to do so in rain, dusty conditions and in vehicles ranging from 4x4s to ships and helicopters. I often shoot fast-breaking news action and in those conditions the camera is secondary to your own safety and they survive it all without any fuss. This is all, of course, in addition to the weddings and studio shots they have to do as well. I like the fact that the system is compact (I can carry 2 full camera sets with the same "reach" in lenses as other systems for half the mass and volume) and the output of the JPEG engine is first-class which is great for fast -breaking news work that has to be sent off from the scene of the shot - there is no time to fiddle with RAW in those situations. Another aspect of the camera's design that is not often mentioned is that each button and control is uniquely shaped or placed so that you can identify it by touch with the camera at eye-level. That is a blessing every day out in the field - it saves so much time over other kit I have used where you have to look at the buttons to make sure you have pressed the correct one - that is a great feature of the design as is the simple access to any adjustment on the display panel with a simple press of one button - other brands are only now trying to use a similar system but the E system solution to camera settings is still, in my view, miles ahead for simple logic and practicality. In short, if you want ruggedness, reliability, great image quality and a tool that is an extension of your thoughts in addition to being probably the best value for money in a pro camera - forget being fashionable and having the highest pixel count. A zillion megapixels are useless if the camera dies in dusty and humid conditions or needs to be handled in cotton wool when in the real world you need to run ahead of a crowd or stay concealed in the game park's bushes to get a saleable shot - get practical and get an E-3. The E-3 has to be, in my view, about the best value genuine working tool on the market - nothwithstanding the E-5's arrival it still makes a lot of sense to get one if you are in the market for a working D-SLR. The SWD lenses are very fast to focus and sharpness is as good as anything else I've used in 3 decades of camera work. Finally, if you are thinking about this great photographic tool, budget for the HLD-4 power grip as well. The entire combination handles very well - especially when using the 50-200 or any similar sized lens and doing portrait format shots - and it adds the bonus of being able to shoot more than 1 500 shots before re-charging or changing batteries (provided you do not pixel-peep at every shot after you take it...) The more I use the E-3 the more it seems to me that that it has a certain something that I seldom find in other machines...there is a certain simplicity of purpose...a purity of design...it wants to make photographs: The E-3 has soul.Read full review
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