anybody have their hands on the E-3 yet? reviews? reactions? tempt us! :)

Paging Master Norman. You're needed at this thread immediately :D.

hi dex,

Sorry but i just can't resist mentioning those who have e-3's. Tok, Chris, Philip, Norman ... hmmmm. You interested? hehe.

From the peaks of mt. olympus echoes... "dexter, dexter... come back to me..."

Norman and Tok!!!! Report to thsi thread IMMEDIATELY.... I've seen some of those images!!!!! :D:D




Donna....sends SMS to Manong Norman!!!! Hehehe

randy, you have no idea how - ehem - interested i am to go back to my roots! hehehe! about dang time the big-O gets to kick some ar$e! :D

i need a little more convincing though, i know the ZDs are capable enough to give up my Ls... but can the E-3 worth the extra expense of the shift. ;)

i need more than photos guys, honest opinions! convince me! :D

TIA!

Hey Dex!

Haven't really had an outing with the E-3 yet and i'm not the authority on the topic of shifting from Canons to Olys (although i've shot with the 5D).

Well for one thing.. it is definitely cheaper than Canons pro and weather sealed line up.. ISO performance is pretty much okay now.. 800 is far more useable than its predecessor and prints great as well.. there's not much i can say about ISO 1600 though since i've never really pushed it that high.. yet.. 5 FPS is more than enough for me since i don't usually shoot in bursts.. In-body stabilization is effective as opposed to what others say.. i can get away with 1/15sec @ 200mm.. and of the course the articulating LCD.. well it's more than a boon especially for those hard to reach angles!

it's more than i can say basically, what else do you want to know? =D

hi dex,

Sorry but i just can't resist mentioning those who have e-3's. Tok, Chris, Philip, Norman ... hmmmm. You interested? hehe.

From the peaks of mt. olympus echoes... "dexter, dexter... come back to me..."

the brave and the few! =D

The E-3 shines at ISO1600, but I've rarely used my E-1 for that. The articulating LCD is a beauty. I find myself using Live View more than I thought I would. Like the E-1, the E-3 is built like a tank. The viewfinder is BIG. I will buy it just for that (and the LCD, of course).

On the other hand, I don't think the E-3 shines at bulb exposures at ISO100. My tests reveal noise at 8 minutes, worse than what the E-510 can do. I'm not sure if this can be corrected via firmware. At 30 minutes, noise can be horrible, although some samples are worse than others (I've tested two).

Service and availability of lenses and accessories (even bodies, can you believe that?!) is still pathetic. I ordered the E-3 three weeks ago and got in touch with Axis Global's product manager, but he has yet to deliver on his promise and I have yet to get one. Now be the one to judge what that means. The same thing happened when I bought my 7-14mm. They told me to buy it abroad because their price is too high (maybe they didn't take me seriously?). Well, I did buy it from Amazon later.

Okay, I'm rumbling. My point is, if you want the E-3 now, I doubt you will get it immediately. Maybe the guys at Axis don't want to sell it? It beats me up to now.

If you're wondering, the unit that I'm using now is a demo unit that Axis Global lent me to review and write about. If you want to see photos, check the Cavinti thread in the Travel and Landscapes topic. All my photos there were taken with the E-3. Will open a thread soon (I hope) and post E-3 photos from my Bolinao sojourn.

In the meantime, I just got myself a shiny OM-1. You bet it rocks.

Cheers,
Norman

I tried a friend's E3, and its a really good camera...however I was only able to try it out with the a 50mm prime since the new lenses hasnt arrived yet...

thanks tok! thanks norman!

i was actually drawn towards the E-3 when i accidentally (as if) stumbled on it while browsing amazon. the price wasn't as high as i expected it to be (obviously, i wasn't paying any attention to the E-3 release hehe) and it made me browse the other online stores for prices. wow! reach-a-bol!

i was happy to read that the E-3 still has most of the things i love in the E-1 plus new things i wanted to get for the E-1 before and more like:

1. bigger viewfinder (like norman, this was #1)
2. cls-like feature
3. in-body IS
4. live view
5. and more

i have a few questions though --

1. does the E-3 have the focus assist red-lamp as the E-1?
2. can you site comparisons to how big the viewfinder of the E-3 is now?
3. comparing to the E-1, does the E-3 focus faster with your non-SWD lenses?
4. does the OM lenses work with IS? (this would be so great!)

@norman, like my oly gear before, i'd probably source them outside like i used to, especially if there aren't any available from axis g. unless um... your favorite oly pusher has them in stock. haha!

1. does the E-3 have the focus assist red-lamp as the E-1?

No. You have to raise the flash for that. But the focusing is too good in low light you won't need it anyway.


2. can you cite comparisons to how big the viewfinder of the E-3 is now? Check the review of the E-3 at www.imaging-resource.com (http://www.imaging-resource.com) where they give you an idea of the size difference. But you have to see to believe. ;-)


3. comparing to the E-1, does the E-3 focus faster with your non-SWD lenses? It does. It is said that the 50mm F2 macro is no longer a hunter when used with the E-3, but I don't have one. The 14-54mm is better now, though.


4. does the OM lenses work with IS? (this would be so great!) No, it doesn't and I doubt Olympus will offer that support.

Cheers,
Norman

dex, it is calling to youuuuu hehehe :D

Not an authority at all, only used it 3x for 10mins in store displays here in SG... AF is very impressive, noise control on regular shots far exceeds the E-500 (the only Oly I've used for more than 6hrs), handling is very good and really solid, like the E1...

Swiveling LCD is such a nice feature, especially for low angle and off-the-ledge framing... Quite a steal for its price to be honest...

3. comparing to the E-1, does the E-3 focus faster with your non-SWD lenses?


Faster? marginally.. more precise? definitely! I find that i can easily lock on to something even in low light compared to my previous bodies (E-300 and the E-510). And yes, the 50mm doesn't hunt anymore. though it still goes through the whole focus range but on the way back, it locks on the subject.

4. does the OM lenses work with IS? (this would be so great!)

Indeed this will be a beauty! Pentax has this on their bodies so it may not be too soon that Oly introduces this also as a firmware update.

ei, ei. i'm defending my E-1! haha.

In fairness naman, after upgrading the firmware to 1.5, the E-1's focusing ability has marginally improved especially when using the 50mm f2 and the 14-54.

Facts:
1. E-1 + 14-54 versus E-3 + 14-54, the e-1 focuses as fast as the E-3 since that lens is not optimized for the E-3, kaya same lang. I tested it side by side with Philips E-3.

2. E-1 + 50mm versus E-510 + 50mm, the E-1 wins big time. On the E-510, it really hunts like 4 steps. Haven't compared it on the E-3.

3. The new 12-60 SWD will definitely be faster on the E-3.

4. The viewfinder of the E-3 is bigger.

5. Low light focusing is debatable since the E-1 has a built-in Focus lamp while the E-3 pop-ups the flash, well this is assuming na total darkness.

6. I don't think the IS + OM will ever be possible since IS needs data from the lens (focal length, aperture, etc) in order to function properly.

Hope I get an E-3 also soon. As soon as Axis packages the same promos and freebies like what the other distributors do in singapore, hongkong, etc.

Sadly, only around 5 units arrived in our shores since it was launched last October pa (i'm not sure). The 70-300 has been delayed too and only 2 lenses will arrive by the end of the month. The battery grips cannot be supplied to the buyers as of now. Well this is not Axis' fault naman, since there has been a sort of worldwide shortage of supply daw. Other buyers in Europe and some in the US are still waiting for their grips too.

you know, it seems like ever since, there has been a worldwide shortage of olympus e-volt products. maybe they're playing it too safe, afraid to overstock? :D

@randy, the E-1 will always be up there on my list of greatest cams ever!

The battery grips cannot be supplied to the buyers as of now. Well this is not Axis' fault naman, since there has been a sort of worldwide shortage of supply daw. Other buyers in Europe and some in the US are still waiting for their grips too.

Something to do with the glitch perhaps?

tok, well probably that's one of the reasons, the AA battery cartridge glitch. Maybe not. But we will know for sure when you get yours. Let's test my Ansmann batteries on it.

Ooops, I forgot to mention... when I tested the 14-54 on Philip's E-3, it has no grip and my E-1 does. Maybe that's a factor also.

O eto another fact, did you know that the E-1 (ver 1.5) + 14-54 focuses faster versus the Canon 40D + 17-55 2.8 USM on Continues mode? Just can't imagine how fast the E-3 would be paired with 12-60 SWD! Woooohooo! Fastest AF in the planet.

Hi guys,
There is no shortage of E-3 body, it is available right now from axis, how many units are you getting? hld-4 haven't arrived yet, fl-36r, fl-50r are also avail, get one now oly guys & ladies, hehehe

Oly,
philip

i have plans of going back to manila soon, might as well drop by axis for a look-see :D

ei, ei. i'm defending my E-1! haha.

In fairness naman, after upgrading the firmware to 1.5, the E-1's focusing ability has marginally improved especially when using the 50mm f2 and the 14-54.

Randy have you tried the 12-60mm with your E-1? I have no more problems with focusing accuracy and speed even in near darkness. This E-1+12-60mm combo (both with latest firmware) is so good IMHO that it is keeping me from upgrading to the E-3.

bert, how big is the 12-60 compared to the 14-54? :) i read from wrotniak that the newer kit lenses have better focus ring feel than the older ZD lenses, is this the same for the SWD lenses?

Randy have you tried the 12-60mm with your E-1? I have no more problems with focusing accuracy and speed even in near darkness. This E-1+12-60mm combo (both with latest firmware) is so good IMHO that it is keeping me from upgrading to the E-3.

Bert, I've been itching to try the 12-60. Unfortunately, i can't get my hands on any. Hmmmm... See you next eyeball!!

i have plans of going back to manila soon, might as well drop by axis for a look-see :D

Before you go back to Davao, Shoot muna tayo, bai.







With your E-3 of course. :Grin:

bert, how big is the 12-60 compared to the 14-54? :) i read from wrotniak that the newer kit lenses have better focus ring feel than the older ZD lenses, is this the same for the SWD lenses?

I don't have the 14-54mm so I cannot compare. I understand that the 12-60 is about the size of the 11-22. What I can say is that it balances well with the E-1 (w/ and w/o the grip).

Since the 12-60 has the SWD, it has "full-time manual focusing" which has better feel than my other ZD lenses (14-45, 50macro). I have tried the new small kit lenses at the stores; not in the same class as the 12-60 as far as "feel' is concerned.

Bert, I've been itching to try the 12-60. Unfortunately, i can't get my hands on any. Hmmmm... See you next eyeball!!

Well you will be amazed...hope I can make it to the next EB, any details when? where?

I don't have the 14-54mm so I cannot compare. I understand that the 12-60 is about the size of the 11-22... Since the 12-60 has the SWD, it has "full-time manual focusing" which has better feel than my other ZD lenses (14-45, 50macro). I have tried the new small kit lenses at the stores; not in the same class as the 12-60 as far as "feel' is concerned.

since the 11-22 is almost as same as the 14-54 in size (only the latter is slightly smaller), i'd say the 12-60's size in nice!

wait, as far as i can remember, don't all the ZDs have focus by wire feature which means you can manual focus at any given time? i might be wrong though, it's almost 2 years since i've held one anyways (somehow there is not one oly user in our local forum).

wait, as far as i can remember, don't all the ZDs have focus by wire feature which means you can manual focus at any given time? i might be wrong though, it's almost 2 years since i've held one anyways (somehow there is not one oly user in our local forum).

You have to set the camera to focus manually.

The 12-60mm does not focus by wire. There is an actual mechanical connection; using my E-1 I can focus even when the camera is off. As you will remember the E-1's finder is nice and bright albeit small relative to other DSLRs.

oh yes, as i remember with my ol' ZD lenses, you can't manually focus when the body's turned off :) thanks for the clarification.

Hello.

The E3 is available already in CameraHaus for a few weeks already (even before the new year), and Philip also can get them for you. Apparently, our dizer in Camera Haus was not advised of Norman's intention to buy. The HLD4, is still unavailable.. don't worry Norman, you'll get yours as soon as it arrives..... seriously..

hi alex, wish you could get a unit here in camerahaus (davao) so i could take a look-see ;)

Dex,

I saw Olympus items there in Davao a few weeks ago. At SM, the camera shop in front of the coffee shop. sorry can't remember them both. But i think they are not from Axis. The brochures came from Singapore i think. unfortunately, no E-3. Only the E-510 is on display. Ask them, they might be able to bring units for you too.

that is CamerHaus, Randy. and nope, no E-3 for me to take a look-see ;)

Thanks, Alex.

I got my own E-3 the other day. I was thinking I would buy it for bulb exposures. I ended up getting it for different reasons. It's a great camera.

Cheers,
Norman

Congrats Norman.

Hi norman, congrates !

Hi randy, when are you getting yours, hehehe

Oly,
Philip

congrats Norman! i still would like to see long exposures from your new E-3 though! :)

Philip, I'm not getting the E-3 not until the 12-60mm and the Battery Grip arrives. (btw, when will my 70-300 arrive??? excited!!!) Hope we get the same promos of the other countries. Free battery grip if you are an Olympus user. If all the other countries have that, why can't we have that too diba? wink wink

But then again, things are getting better for Olympus users in the Philippines. Prices are getting more competitive, and hard to find accessories/lenses are now just an order away. I can remember year 2006 when I started the OlyGroup@Yahoo, things were really different then. No stocks, no support, and you don't even know where to get your accessories. Things are looking good this 2008. I hope.

i hope so too randy -- just so if ever i jumpship (again), i won't regret doing so. :)

Wish we could have something like this for 'loyal' Olympus consumers here in the Philippines.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08011401olygrip.asp

or like this

http://www.olympusimage.com.sg/images/fximages/IslandwidePromotion.html
See lower left part.

they don't even have that grip promo in sing, i asked Cathay. :)

is this the new E-3 ad?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-3and35-100.jpg

hoY!!!!

wHAT IS that ad doing There??!! I never authorized Saatchi & Saatchi to release that poster ad. hahaha!

we had the free grip and lowepro bag promo here in Singapore but was until dec 31 only. Cathay would be correct to say that they do not have the free grip promo...

i had mine free but never been used until now :Grin::Grin::Grin:

awmigawsh, randy, i got a go signal from the wifey! :D

@arman, why are you not using your hld-4 yet?

@dexter, yooohooo! bili na! don't forget to make wifey happy too. hehe.

awmigawsh, randy, i got a go signal from the wifey! :D

Congrats in advance Dex

@arman, why are you not using your hld-4 yet?

@dexter, yooohooo! bili na! don't forget to make wifey happy too. hehe.

@ Randy, dont have enough reasons to use it right now :Grin::Grin::Grin: i usually shoot outdoors, dont like the added weight of the grip...
but i might try using it with two blm-1 to test for problems, read in some other forums about the grip problems... might also try it with alkaline batteries after that...

@dexter, go go go :Grin::Grin::Grin: buy and e-3 for yourself and a diamond ring for your wife :Grin::Grin::Grin:

@randy, mike and arman --- i'm excited! have to sell my other gears first though :D bye bye L!

@randy, mike and arman --- i'm excited! have to sell my other gears first though :D bye bye L!

Congrats Dex! Welcome back.:Grin:

thanks in advance, Francis! I hope it'll push through!

i was meaning to ask those that has the info, what's available for the E-3 system (body, grip, 12-60, R-flashes, etc.) now and those that aren't when are they expected to be in stock? :) i don't want to be forced to get from outside sources if possible :) thanks!

Hi Dex,
right now E-3 body, fl-36r, fl-50r are avail, 14-54mm lens will arrived these week, hld-4 & 12-60mm swd , 50-200mm tele swd haven't arrived yet.
Oly, Philip

thanks for the heads up philip! :D expect an email from me soon (hopefully!) :)

i downloaded the E-3 manual just for the heck of it and found out that only 2 custom settings are available from the E-1's 4 custom settings. plus, to have it handy, it should be with the Function Button! that would greatly conflict with my preferred 1-Touch WB setting on the Function button in the ol' days. yikes!

e-3 review (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/Olympus-E3.shtml) at Luminous Landscape...

i downloaded the E-3 manual just for the heck of it and found out that only 2 custom settings are available from the E-1's 4 custom settings. plus, to have it handy, it should be with the Function Button! that would greatly conflict with my preferred 1-Touch WB setting on the Function button in the ol' days. yikes!

Dex, the guys at several Oly forums say that the manual can stand a lot of improvement. Check out Louis Dobson's recent posts on the use of the MyMode settings and see how seasoned Oly users use the custom settings. Also, some are hoping that A. Wrotniak will soon publish his review of the E-3 with his usual detailed technical and usage insights.

I held Philip's E-3 for a few minutes recently and the interface is very different from my E-1. I think I will need to spend some time with the camera to be comfortable with the new interface. However, the huge, clear and bright viewfinder is a major plus for me. Philip also showed me his low-light, slow shutter speed shots that prove the effectiveness of the E-3's IS.

I hope you soon get the chance to field test an E-3.

I hope you soon get the chance to field test an E-3.

bert, i hope i could do more than just field test an E-3, if you know what i mean :Grin:

dex, i guess it's time to change your signature... i mean soon pala. hehe

hahahaha! :P will do randy, will do! :D

just to satisfy my hunger, i think i'll have a bite of some of what came in the mail today!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-31.jpg

;)

just to satisfy my hunger, i think i'll have a bite of some of what came in the mail today!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-31.jpg

;)


hahahahaha!! congrats dex!

how does it taste? =b

just to satisfy my hunger, i think i'll have a bite of some of what came in the mail today!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-31.jpg

;)

Hahaha... Congrats Dex!

haha thanks Tok and Keith! good thing i didn't chip my teeth! dang thing's as hard a tank haha! :)

ooooooh the VF is fantastic!

anybody have their hands on the E-3 yet? reviews? reactions? tempt us! :)

after 23 days, i was tempted!

E-3 user in the house! :D

Welcome back Dexter! Ayus sa timing, with all new software updates for retro lens and all ;D

Big Bite ha?

Sana ako rin b4 year end.:Grin:

Congrats Dex! And Welcome back! :D

congrats dex...
sample naman jan e-3 with om lens

hi jon, welcome back and congrats on your new toy :)

i visited Oly booth at Photoworld and the offer for E-3 is so tempting :) still have 2 days to think about it

thanks thanks thanks!

@jimmy -- i posted some pics of our street shoot this afternoon -- in the other thread.

Wrotniak recently had a hands-on with the E-3 here (http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/oly-e/e3-look.html) -- he doesn't looked too impressed. hehehe! :D maybe he needs more time! :D

Dex, I actually like Wrotniak's review. He was clearly impressed with image quality and performance but was not in sync with the "external control system". He also found it bigger and heavier than he desired. All very valid points. More and more IMHO these "handling" issues are becoming as important as image quality, resolution, etc. which have gotten so good anyway for snapshooters like me. A camera that operates seemlessly with the user enables that user to shoot better images and more importantly to spend more time doing so.

hi bert! i have to say, i agree with you (and wrotniak). he's got good points. i may have just been bitter hahaha! :D anyways, come to think of it, i still look for the E-1's perfectly placed buttons. and it dang heavy. the reason i prefer pro-grade bodies is because of their handling, maybe in time i'll get used to the E-3 but it's taking longer than expected. i suck! hahaha!

i actually posted an ISO comparison in our local forum with the E-3, the E-1 and the 30D (the E-1 and 30D i did Aug of 2006) and am really impressed how the E-3 has improved! :D

finally, wrotniak's released a proper E-3 review (http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/oly-e/e3-rev.html)! :D

OT: just curious on olympus FL range ... and i'm not sure if i ask this right ... someone told me that if you have 40-150 lens, it's actual range would be 80-300???

Yes the 40-150 on an Oly has equivalent field of view to a 80-300 lens of a 35mm full-frame SLR.

Ic ... is that only for oly? how about nikon, canon and pentax?? Sorry for the OT question ....

hi roy!

oly's 4/3 sensor enables it to have a 2x field of view equivalent to 35mm. nikon has a 1.5x crop and canon, 1.6x. if you use a 40-150mm on a nikon wit 1.5x crop, it's going to be a 60-225mm equivalent. :D

Thanks Jon, now i know ... i'm considering on having E-510 soon even though i have my D40 ... that's why i'm checking everything about oly :)

the in-body is is awesome :D

hey dex, you finally went back huh!! glad to know you are happy with your new toy...been a while since you bought the D70s from me..hehehe

parick! hahaha! that was a long time ago! :D thanks again!

a question struck me in the office this afternoon.

What would an E-3 user do on a boring and rainy afternoon, you know, just for the heck of it?

well, how about this for an answer --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-3/rain01.jpg
raining hard, yes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-3/rain02.jpg
afraid to get wet, no!

so's my E-3 ;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-3/E-3WET01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-3/E-3WET02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-3/E-3WET03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jondextan/E-3/E-3WET04.jpg

forgive the low res shots, i had to borrow my aunt's camera phone just so i can take these posts as soon as i got out of the rain. :D

hahahaha! proven? proven! god am i crazy! good thing i got an E-3!

tsk tsk tsk..

Wow...this is really great....are the other OLY cameras the same as the E-3 in terms of weather sealing?

only the E-1 and E-3 bodies are weathersealed Raf :D