Olympus PEN E-P3
Encyclopedia
The Olympus
PEN E-P3 announced on June 30, 2011 is Olympus Corporation's seventh camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system design standard. The E-P3 succeeds the Olympus PEN E-P2
, and was announced in concert with two other models, the Olympus PEN E-PL3
(Lite version of E-P3), and the Olympus PEN E-PM1 (a new "Mini" version of the PEN camera line with similar features to the E-PL3).
The EP-3 addresses some of the concerns that critics had about previous PEN models, notably, slow handling, due to slow autofocus speed and difficulty seeing the LCD panel under certain (e.g., bright, sunny) conditions.
The E-P3 increases autofocus speed through use of a 120 Hz refresh rate for its sensor, similar to the technology used in the recently released Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
and G3
cameras. Olympus claims, based on in-house testing, that the E-P3 has the world's fastest autofocus speed of any camera as of the product announcement date. The benefits of the 120 Hz refresh rate also provides the ability for continuous autofocus tracking during bursts of exposures, a faster shutter response (less lag) and less blackout time between exposures.
The E-P3 now uses a capacitive touchscreen for creative camera control, and a new OLED type display that is suppposed to vastly improve performance in sunny conditions, and off-angle viewing. The EP-3 continues with the proprietary Accessory Port, a power and communication port, which allows the use of various accessories, such as an external stereo microphone for HD video recording, LED macro lights, and a bluetooth
communications adapter. The accessory port continues to be compatible with the high resolution, optional hotshoe mounted VF-2 electronic viewfinder (EVF
). The VF-2 had a flip angle eyepiece, allowing viewing from 0–90 degrees. The VF-2 had been criticized for being very expensive and for not having a locking device, with some users reporting easy dislodgement of the VF-2 from the hotshoe. To address these criticisms, in July 2011, Olympus announced the introduction of an optional VF-3 EVF, which has a lower resolution, a locking device, and probably most importantly a USD$100 lower MSRP.
In the United States the E-P3 MSRP with new 14–42 mm kit zoom lens or 17 mm f/2.8 pancake lens was USD 899. The accessory VF-3 EVF was also available separately for USD 180.00. Available body colors were black and silver.
and Panasonic
, as a further evolution of the similarly named predecessor Four Thirds System
system pioneered by Olympus. The Micro Four Thirds system standard uses the same sized sensor (nominal 4000 pixels by 3000 pixels) as the original Four Thirds system. One potential advantage of the smaller MFT system sensor (when compared to market leaders Canon and Nikon APS-C and full frame sized) are smaller and lighter lenses. The smaller MFT sensor allows for a reduced image circle which allows the development of smaller and lighter native lenses. The MFT sensor has a crop factor
of 2.0 when compared to 35mm film equivalent full frame
sensors. By comparison, the more popular consumer (as opposed to professional) DSLRs such as those made by , Nikon and Sony have 1.5 to 1.6 crop factor APS-C sensors
, which means larger and heavier lens designs. For example, a typical Olympus MFT M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens
weighs 112 grams (4 oz), is 56 millimetres (2.2 in) in diameter and 50 millimetres (2 in) in length. The equivalent Canon APS-C DSLR EF-S 18-55mm
f3.5-5.6 kit lens weighs 190g, and is 69mm in diameter and 80mm in length
While the older Four Thirds system design standard allowed the incorporation of a single lens reflex (SLR) camera design including a mirror box and pentaprism
based optical viewfinder
system, the MFT system design standard sought to pursue a technically different camera, and specifically slimmed down the key physical specifications which eliminated the ability to include the traditional complex optical path and the bulky mirror box needed for a SLR optical viewfinder. Instead, MFT uses either a built-in (Panasonic) or optional (Olympus/Panasonic) compact electronic viewfinder
(EVF) and/or LCD back panel displaying a Live view from the main image sensor. Use of an EVF/back panel LCD and smaller four thirds image sensor format
and allows for smaller and lighter camera bodies and lenses. The MFT system standard also specifically includes seamless switching between still photography and HD video recording recording as a design criterion.
MFT cameras are physically slimmer than most interchangeable lens cameras because the standard specifies a much reduced lens mount flange to imaging sensor plane distance of just 20 millimetre (0.78740157480315 in). Typically this so called flange focal distance
is over 40 millimetres (1.6 in) on most interchangeable lens cameras. The MFT system design flange focal length distance allows for, through use of an adapter, the possibility to mount virtually any manufacturer's existing and legacy still camera interchangeable lens (as well as some video and cine lenses) to an MFT body, albeit using manual focus and manual aperture control. For example, many theoretically obsolete 35mm film camera lenses, as well as existing current lenses for APS-C and full frame DSLR's are now usable on MFT cameras. As an example, an older (i.e., used, obsolete and low priced), but still high quality, 50mm f/1.8 "standard" lens from a 35mm film camera can be used on a MFT camera body. With MFT sensors having a crop factor of 2.0, the old 50mm f/1.8 "standard" lens becomes a high-speed (although manual) 100mm f/1.8 telephoto portrait lens. So the MFT system allows the re-use of expensive lenses that may have outlived their 35mm film format camera, and can be used on a modern digital camera body capable of both still and HD video recording. Similarly, the MFT system design allows current DSLR lenses to be used as well, although only with manual focus and aperture control.
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
PEN E-P3 announced on June 30, 2011 is Olympus Corporation's seventh camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system design standard. The E-P3 succeeds the Olympus PEN E-P2
Olympus PEN E-P2
The Olympus PEN E-P2 announced on 5 November 2009 is Olympus Corporation's second camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds system design standard...
, and was announced in concert with two other models, the Olympus PEN E-PL3
Olympus PEN E-PL3
The Olympus PEN E-PL3 announced on June 30, 2011 is Olympus Corporation's seventh camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds system design standard...
(Lite version of E-P3), and the Olympus PEN E-PM1 (a new "Mini" version of the PEN camera line with similar features to the E-PL3).
The EP-3 addresses some of the concerns that critics had about previous PEN models, notably, slow handling, due to slow autofocus speed and difficulty seeing the LCD panel under certain (e.g., bright, sunny) conditions.
The E-P3 increases autofocus speed through use of a 120 Hz refresh rate for its sensor, similar to the technology used in the recently released Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 is a digital camera with HD video recording capability that uses the Micro Four Thirds System. Though commonly referred to as a DSLR camera, it has no mirror or optical viewfinder, but has instead both a fold-out LCD screen and a electronic viewfinder...
and G3
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 is a digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the joint Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Thirds System system design standard...
cameras. Olympus claims, based on in-house testing, that the E-P3 has the world's fastest autofocus speed of any camera as of the product announcement date. The benefits of the 120 Hz refresh rate also provides the ability for continuous autofocus tracking during bursts of exposures, a faster shutter response (less lag) and less blackout time between exposures.
The E-P3 now uses a capacitive touchscreen for creative camera control, and a new OLED type display that is suppposed to vastly improve performance in sunny conditions, and off-angle viewing. The EP-3 continues with the proprietary Accessory Port, a power and communication port, which allows the use of various accessories, such as an external stereo microphone for HD video recording, LED macro lights, and a bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
communications adapter. The accessory port continues to be compatible with the high resolution, optional hotshoe mounted VF-2 electronic viewfinder (EVF
EVF
EVF may refer to:*Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation*Electronic viewfinder*Erythrocyte volume fraction or hematocrit*Embryonic ventral forebrain-2...
). The VF-2 had a flip angle eyepiece, allowing viewing from 0–90 degrees. The VF-2 had been criticized for being very expensive and for not having a locking device, with some users reporting easy dislodgement of the VF-2 from the hotshoe. To address these criticisms, in July 2011, Olympus announced the introduction of an optional VF-3 EVF, which has a lower resolution, a locking device, and probably most importantly a USD$100 lower MSRP.
In the United States the E-P3 MSRP with new 14–42 mm kit zoom lens or 17 mm f/2.8 pancake lens was USD 899. The accessory VF-3 EVF was also available separately for USD 180.00. Available body colors were black and silver.
About the Micro Four Thirds System
The Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system design standard was jointly announced in 2008 by OlympusOlympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
and Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
, as a further evolution of the similarly named predecessor Four Thirds System
Four Thirds System
The Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Kodak for digital single-lens reflex camera design and development.The system provides a standard that, with digital cameras and lenses available from multiple manufacturers, allows for the interchange of lenses and bodies from different...
system pioneered by Olympus. The Micro Four Thirds system standard uses the same sized sensor (nominal 4000 pixels by 3000 pixels) as the original Four Thirds system. One potential advantage of the smaller MFT system sensor (when compared to market leaders Canon and Nikon APS-C and full frame sized) are smaller and lighter lenses. The smaller MFT sensor allows for a reduced image circle which allows the development of smaller and lighter native lenses. The MFT sensor has a crop factor
Crop factor
In digital photography, a crop factor is related to the ratio of the dimensions of a camera's imaging area compared to a reference format; most often, this term is applied to digital cameras, relative to 35 mm film format as a reference. In the case of digital cameras, the imaging device would be a...
of 2.0 when compared to 35mm film equivalent full frame
Full frame
In cinematography, full frame refers to the use of the full film gate at maximum width and height for 35 mm film cameras. It is sometimes also referred to as silent aperture, full gate, or a number of other similar word combinations. It is the original gate size pioneered by William Dickson and...
sensors. By comparison, the more popular consumer (as opposed to professional) DSLRs such as those made by , Nikon and Sony have 1.5 to 1.6 crop factor APS-C sensors
APS-C
Advanced Photo System type-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System "classic" size negatives...
, which means larger and heavier lens designs. For example, a typical Olympus MFT M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens
M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42 mm f/3.5-5.6 is a Micro Four Thirds System lens by Olympus Corporation. It is sold as a standalone item, and also as part of a kit along with bodies for all cameras in the Olympus PEN series .- External links :* *...
weighs 112 grams (4 oz), is 56 millimetres (2.2 in) in diameter and 50 millimetres (2 in) in length. The equivalent Canon APS-C DSLR EF-S 18-55mm
Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens
The Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens 3.5-5.6 is a wide-angle to mild telephoto zoom lens for digital single-lens reflex cameras with an EF-S lens mount. The field of view has a 35 mm equivalent focal length of 28.8-88mm, and it is the standard kit lens on Canon's consumer DSLRs.There have been four releases...
f3.5-5.6 kit lens weighs 190g, and is 69mm in diameter and 80mm in length
While the older Four Thirds system design standard allowed the incorporation of a single lens reflex (SLR) camera design including a mirror box and pentaprism
Pentaprism
A pentaprism is a five-sided reflecting prism used to deviate a beam of light by 90°. The beam reflects inside the prism twice, allowing the transmission of an image through a right angle without inverting it as an ordinary right-angle prism or mirror would.The reflections inside the prism are not...
based optical viewfinder
Viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in many cameras of...
system, the MFT system design standard sought to pursue a technically different camera, and specifically slimmed down the key physical specifications which eliminated the ability to include the traditional complex optical path and the bulky mirror box needed for a SLR optical viewfinder. Instead, MFT uses either a built-in (Panasonic) or optional (Olympus/Panasonic) compact electronic viewfinder
Electronic viewfinder
An electronic viewfinder or EVF is a viewfinder where the image captured by the lens is projected electronically onto a miniature display. The image on this display is used to assist in aiming the camera at the scene to be photographed.-Operation:...
(EVF) and/or LCD back panel displaying a Live view from the main image sensor. Use of an EVF/back panel LCD and smaller four thirds image sensor format
Image sensor format
In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.The image sensor format of a digital camera determines the angle of view of a particular lens when used with a particular camera...
and allows for smaller and lighter camera bodies and lenses. The MFT system standard also specifically includes seamless switching between still photography and HD video recording recording as a design criterion.
MFT cameras are physically slimmer than most interchangeable lens cameras because the standard specifies a much reduced lens mount flange to imaging sensor plane distance of just 20 millimetre (0.78740157480315 in). Typically this so called flange focal distance
Flange focal distance
For an interchangeable lens camera, the flange focal distance of a lens mount system is the distance from the mounting flange to the...
is over 40 millimetres (1.6 in) on most interchangeable lens cameras. The MFT system design flange focal length distance allows for, through use of an adapter, the possibility to mount virtually any manufacturer's existing and legacy still camera interchangeable lens (as well as some video and cine lenses) to an MFT body, albeit using manual focus and manual aperture control. For example, many theoretically obsolete 35mm film camera lenses, as well as existing current lenses for APS-C and full frame DSLR's are now usable on MFT cameras. As an example, an older (i.e., used, obsolete and low priced), but still high quality, 50mm f/1.8 "standard" lens from a 35mm film camera can be used on a MFT camera body. With MFT sensors having a crop factor of 2.0, the old 50mm f/1.8 "standard" lens becomes a high-speed (although manual) 100mm f/1.8 telephoto portrait lens. So the MFT system allows the re-use of expensive lenses that may have outlived their 35mm film format camera, and can be used on a modern digital camera body capable of both still and HD video recording. Similarly, the MFT system design allows current DSLR lenses to be used as well, although only with manual focus and aperture control.
Differences over Olympus PEN E-P1
- Addition of an Accessory Port that can be used for an electronic viewfinderElectronic viewfinderAn electronic viewfinder or EVF is a viewfinder where the image captured by the lens is projected electronically onto a miniature display. The image on this display is used to assist in aiming the camera at the scene to be photographed.-Operation:...
or external microphone - Two new Art filters-simulating DioramaDioramaThe word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
and Cross process in camera - Black finish widely available, silver finish available in Japan
- Auto focusAuto FocusAuto Focus is a 2002 American biographical film directed by Paul Schrader that stars Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe. The screenplay by Michael Gerbosi is based on the book The Murder of Bob Crane by Robert Graysmith....
tracking - Colour boosting function named i-Enhance
Micro Four Thirds Camera Introduction Roadmap
| Item | Model | Sensor | Electronic View Finder (EVF EVF EVF may refer to:*Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation*Electronic viewfinder*Erythrocyte volume fraction or hematocrit*Embryonic ventral forebrain-2... ) | Announced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is the first digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the recently developed Micro Four Thirds System system design standard... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.1 mp effective) | EVF; 1.4x magnification; 1.44K dots | 2008, October |
| 2 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 is a digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the Olympus and Panasonic developed Micro Four Thirds System system design standard... |
4:3; 3:2; 16:9 (multi-aspect); 14.0 mp (12.1 mp effect) | EVF; 1.4x mag; 1.44K dots | 2009, April |
| 3 | Olympus PEN E-P1 Olympus PEN E-P1 The Olympus PEN E-P1 announced on 16 June 2009 is Olympus Corporation's first camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds system design standard. The first camera to use the Micro Four Thirds mount was the Panasonic's G-1 camera.-Features:... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | optional hotshoe optical VF-1; 65 degree AOV AOV -Technology, science, and medicine:* AoV or aortic velocity, the speed of blood flow in the aorta of the heart, a maximum measurement of can be noted as AoVmax or more commonly as Vmax* Air operated valve* Analysis of Variance, also known as ANOVA... |
2009, July |
| 4 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 is the third camera in Panasonic's Lumix G-series, using the Micro Four Thirds System. Its body design similar to that of the recently released Olympus E-P1, the GF1 is 35% smaller than earlier G models... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.1 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF LVF1; 1.04x mag; 202K dots | 2009, September |
| 5 | Olympus PEN E-P2 Olympus PEN E-P2 The Olympus PEN E-P2 announced on 5 November 2009 is Olympus Corporation's second camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds system design standard... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF VF-2; 1.15x mag; 1.44K dots | 2009, November |
| 6 | Olympus PEN E-PL1 Olympus PEN E-PL1 The Olympus PEN E-PL1, announced on 3 February 2010 is Olympus Corporation's third camera that uses the Micro Four Thirds mount after the Olympus PEN E-P1 and Olympus PEN E-P2.... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF VF-2; 1.15x mag; 1.44K dots | 2010, February |
| 7 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 is the sixth digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera introduced that adheres to the recently developed Micro Four Thirds System system design standard, and the fourth Panasonic model MFT camera introduced... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.1 mp effect) | EVF; 1.04x magnification; 202K dots | 2010, March |
| 8 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 - Introduction :The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 is a digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the Olympus and Panasonic developed Micro Four Thirds System system design standard.... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.1 mp effect) | EVF; 1.4x mag; 1.44K dots | 2010, March |
| 9 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 is a digital camera with HD video recording capability that uses the Micro Four Thirds System. Though commonly referred to as a DSLR camera, it has no mirror or optical viewfinder, but has instead both a fold-out LCD screen and a electronic viewfinder... |
4:3; 3:2; 16:9 (multi-aspect); 18.3 mp (16.0 mp effect) | EVF; 1.42x mag; 1.53K dots | 2010, September |
| 10 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 is the sixth camera in Panasonic's Lumix G-series, using the Micro Four Thirds System. The model number implies that it is the successor to the DMC-GF1, although critics complain that the GF2 is not a true successor to the GF1 because the photographer's interface with... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.1 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF; 1.04x mag; 202K dots | 2010, November |
| 11 | Olympus PEN E-PL1s | 4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF VF-2; 1.15x mag; 1.44K dots | 2010, November |
| 12 | Olympus PEN E-PL2 Olympus PEN E-PL2 The Olympus PEN E-PL2, was announced in early January 2011 at the CES. This is Olympus Corporation's fourth camera that uses the Micro Four Thirds mount after the Olympus PEN E-P1, Olympus PEN E-P2 and Olympus PEN E-PL1. At the time it was announced, it had a US dollar MSRP of $599.99... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF VF-2; 1.15x mag; 1.44K dots | 2011, January |
| 13 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 is a digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the joint Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Thirds System system design standard... |
4:3 / 16.6 mp (15.8 mp effect) | EVF; 1.4x mag; 1.44K dots | 2011, May |
| 14 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 is the eighth camera in Panasonic's Lumix G-series, adhering to the Micro Four Thirds System design standard, and was announced in June, 2011. The model number implies that it is the successor to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.1 mp effect) | N/A | 2011, June |
| 15 | Olympus PEN E-P3 | 4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF VF-2; 1.15x mag; 1.44K dots | 2011, June |
| 16 | Olympus PEN E-PL3 Olympus PEN E-PL3 The Olympus PEN E-PL3 announced on June 30, 2011 is Olympus Corporation's seventh camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds system design standard... |
4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF VF-2; 1.15x mag; 1.44K dots | 2011, June |
| 17 | Olympus PEN E-PM1 | 4:3 / 13.1 mp (12.3 mp effect) | opt hotshoe EVF VF-2; 1.15x mag; 1.44K dots | 2011, June |
External links
- Olympus PEN E-P3 Product Site
- Olympus PEN E-P3 Press Release
- Olympus PEN E-P3 Review - dpreview.com
- Olympus PEN E-P3 Overview - imaging-resource.com