Testseek.co.uk have collected 137 expert reviews of the Olympus Pen E-P3 and the average rating is 79%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Olympus Pen E-P3.
July 2011
(79%)
137 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
(90%)
12 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
790100137
The editors liked
Detail-rich images at low ISO Fast AF Responsive touchscreen Loads of features Accessory port (for viewfinder)
Classic design and brushed metal finish
Fresh inclusion of built-in flash
Art Filters digital effects applicable in both stills and video modes
Metal construction
Fast and responsive
Fun and dramatic effects filters
Full HD video recording
Intuitive
Easy to use
Very fast autofocus in good light
1080i HD video mode with stereo sound
Noise kept in check up to 3200 ISO
Highquality OLED screen
Highquality build and finish
OLED touchscreen
Fast autofocus
Wireless flash control
Quality images
Out of all the things we like the most about the Olympus PEN EP-3
The design and build quality stand out at the top of the list. It's a stunning little camera
With a cool retro feel and the ability to switch lenses whenever you need. Quality is high
With the use of aluminium throughout the body. It feels great
And it's also robust. The display on the back of the PEN EP-3 gets OLED technology
Nice design and solid metal build
OLED touchscreen control is a real time saver
Easy to use features (both auto manual)
Fun effects filters
Great image quality
Enthusiast-level shooting features
Solid build quality and stylish design
The editors didn't like
Poor images at ISO 6400 and above AF tracking can't keep up with fast movement No viewfinder built-in
A costly option in terms of a compact system camera
And not the most 'compact' option either
More expensive than a digital SLR
Too bulky for a pocket
Autofocus slows down in low light with the 1442 mm f/3.55.6 kit lens
No swivel or tilt screen / No builtin electronic viewfinder
No settings (shutter speed
Aperture) available in video mode and rolling shutter issues
Disappointing 3 fps burst mode
Battery life could be better
Expensive
Subject tracking ineffective
Too few shots per charge
The Olympus PEN EP-3 is a great little camera
But it's also expensive. You'll be able to get a decent DSLR for the same price
So you'll really have to want the more compact design. The lack of viewfinder will also put serious photographers off.
Expensive if you need to factor in a better lens
Too bulky to carry in a pocket
Olympus faces regulatory probes that may not bode well for the company
Beautiful images and video. Fast performance. Improved autofocus speed over its predecessor. Built-in flash. Big, bright OLED touch screen.
Expensive. A bit heavy and slightly larger than its predecessor. No optical viewfinder. Touch screen interaction can be confusing.
The Olympus PEN E-P3 Micro Four Thirds camera offers a pleasing mix of a smaller-than-SLR body, fast performance, and beautiful images, but for the best pictures possible you still need a true D-SLR. ...
See Also, Olympus PEN EP3 Improves Almost Everything, NextGen Olympus PEN Hits the Micro Four Thirds Sweet Spot, Olympus Pen EP2, Now in RetroTastic Silver, Olympus Puts Pro Sensor into Tiny PEN EPL3 and PEN Lite, New Olympus Pen Adds Flash, Loses Good L
Would benefit from a new, improved sensor. All that metal means it's no lightweight. It's got so many features and options you might spend more time figuring it out than shooting. What happened to 24fps video?
Published: 2011-06-30, Author: Lori , review by: cnet.com
The Olympus PEN E-P3 is an attractively designed camera that's now one of the fastest in its class.
Poor video quality and suboptimal default image settings aren't that great, so you really need to shoot raw to get good results at midrange to high ISO sensitivities.
While the Olympus PEN E-P3 shoots out in front of its class for performance and holds its own on features and design, it's a bit expensive and you'll need to tweak its JPEG settings to get the most out of its images.
The E-P3 boasts one of the fastest auto focus systems available in a compact interchangeable lens camera. There's plenty to like about this third gen Pen.
The Olympus E-P3 is the newest flagship Micro Four Thirds camera from the co-creators of the format, and it is definitely a mix of old and new. We don’t just mean that it’s pushing forward with the retro styling that made the E-P2 and E-PL2 so popular...
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Published: 2011-06-30, Author: Jeremy , review by: camcorderinfo.com
The addition of Full HD 1080p recording may steal the headlines, but the real joy of recording video with the E-P3 stems from the camera's slick interface and good design. On the E-P3, Olympus lets you record video in nearly any camera mode, or you...
Low image noise, Conservative metering, Fast contrastdetect AF, Short shutterlag, Almost instant video recording, Generally quick and responsive, Effective builtin stabilization, Excellent automatic Manual Focus Assist, Great LCD visibility and antireflec
Poor color accuracy, Below average AWB, Useless ISO 12800, No detents on lower controldial, Poor video framing preview accuracy, Modal ExposureCompensation, Histogram disappears during EC, Not always ExposurePriority and frequently wrong LiveHistogram, Un
This new sensor delivers high-quality images and performance. Image noise is low and metering rarely overexposes. There are some issues with color- and white-balance accuracy though. The Olympus PEN E-P3 is much faster than its predecessor, particularly f...
Very good photo quality (though see issues below), Solid, eyecatching rangefinderstyle body; interchangeable grips let you find the right comfort level, Sensorshift image stabilization, Stunning 3inch touchscreen OLED display offers great color, sharpness, and viewing angle, Very fast autofocus performance in nearly all situations, Full manual controls, with lots of white balance options, five ki
Some noise reduction artifacting visible at base ISO, Colors a bit warm for my taste at default settings (totally subjective, of course), Hard to see screen in bright outdoor light, Camera can struggle to lock focus in low light, No sensorshift IS in movie mode; AF system slow to react to moving subjects, Some redeye, Can't access memory card slot while camera is on a tripod, No AC adapter availa
The Olympus E-P3 is a welcome upgrade to the E-P1 and E-P2, offering significant improvements in usability and performance. While its rangefinder-styled body is mostly unchanged since its predecessors, the E-P3 has gained a beautiful 3-inch OLED displ...
Incredibly high speed, Touchscreen and 3D shooting, Endless customization options, and new hardware for improved, quicker manual use, User-friendly in-camera UI, Stylish look and comfortable feel
Still no viewfinder, Price comparable to many DSLRs, Shooting in low-lighting remains tricky, but improved
Olympus has seriously invested to bring its PEN series up to speed and the E-P3 packs a much more serious punch than its predecessors....
Abstract: New popup flashThe newest member of the Micro Four Thirds Olympus PEN family is without a doubt the company's best model to date. I was fortunate enough to receive an Olympus PEN E-P3 well before the camera's August release date in order to crank out this...