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Olympus E-3

Olympus E-3
alaScore 90

450 reviews

May, 2024

alaTest has collected and analyzed 450 reviews of Olympus E-3. The average rating for this product is 4.5/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras for all reviews. Reviewers are impressed by the screen and lens. The image quality and usability are also mentioned favorably. There are some less positive opinions about the low light performance, while there are mixed views on the price and portability.

performance, usability, image quality, lens, screen

low-light

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Digital Compact Cameras the Olympus E-3 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 90/100 = Excellent quality.

See all Olympus Digital Cameras

Review analysis

(Based on 450 reviews)

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Showing 231 review(s)

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Showing 1 - 133 of 231 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (217)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Olympus E-3

 

alaTest has collected and analyzed 3 user reviews of Olympus E-3 from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 5.0/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.co.uk. Reviews about the image quality and focus are generally positive. The zoom and performance are also appreciated, whereas there are some mixed comments about the durability.

usability, performance, zoom, focus, image quality

100% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

May, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Olympus E-3

 

alaTest has collected and analyzed 120 user reviews of Olympus E-3 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.5/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.com. People really like the image quality and lens. The portability and usability are also appreciated, whereas there are mixed reviews on the low light performance and price.

performance, usability, portability, lens, image quality

94% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

May, 2024

Expert review by : David Gussman (pcmag.com)

Olympus E-3

 

While it can't quite beat the Editors' Choice–winning Nikon D300 in image quality or features, the less-expensive Olympus E-3 is a fine alternative to a Nikon or Canon D-SLR.

Articulating LCD. Live view. Mechanical image stabilization. Fast autofocus. Excellent image quality in nearly all environments. Well-placed buttons.

Large body. Small LCD. Unintuitive menu system. Flash shots slightly underexposed at times. ; Watch the Olympus E-3 Video Review!

More digital camera reviews:• Sony a9• SeaLife DC2000• Nikon Coolpix W100• Canon EOS M6• Fujifilm GFX 50S• more

Mar, 2008

Expert review by : Tracey Capen (pcworld.com)

Olympus E-3

 

Updated 12/23/08: The 10.1-megapixel E3, the top dog in Olympus's line of digital single-lens-reflex (DSLR) cameras, is an attractive package for both pros and serious amateurs. You have to be serious about your photography--and have plenty of arm...

Rotating, swiveling LCD with live view ; Very quick autofocusing

Very heavy

This big, heavy, rugged camera has extensive advanced controls, fast burst-shooting speed, and can autofocus very quickly.

Mar, 2008

Expert review by : Jackson Lynch (wired.com)

Review: Olympus E-3

 

Olympus has been the avant-garde of a few notable DSLR trends like dust removal, live view and the articulating LCD. Initially poo pooed, the first...

The comfiest eyepiece. One-touch menu access to nearly 20 functions. The quickest focusing. Articulating LCD makes Live View a real asset, instead of an afterthought

The back of the camera is a jumble. The 2.5-inch LCD is smallish compared with competitors. Employs Olympus’s XD memory card format, instead of SD, as the second memory card slot. Presently only two super-fast focusing lenses in the quiver

Mar, 2008

Expert review by : Simon Joinson (dpreview.com)

Olympus E-3 Review

 

Four years is a very long time in the digital camera market, and four years in the digital SLR market is virtually a lifetime. In the four-odd years between the launch of the Olympus E-1 - the camera that heralded the first all-new SLR system for over...

Excellent build quality, weatherproofing, 150,000 shot shutter life Big, bright viewfinder with 100% view Articulated screen Effective sensor-shift image stabilization Very fast focus with new SWD lenses (less impressive with other lenses, however)...

Resolution not as good as best in class (stronger AA filter?), though you won't see it in JPEGs Highlight dynamic range not quite as good as competitors (better than other E-Series cameras): Some highlight clipping on bright days unless you reduce...

If you've taken the trouble to read every page of this review you'll already have a good idea where this conclusion is likely to go. To start with there's no doubt that the E-3 is, without a shadow of a doubt the best Four-Thirds camera ever made and a...

Feb, 2008

Expert review by : Lori Grunin (cnet.com)

Olympus E-3 review: Olympus E-3

 

Olympus E-3

Excellent photo quality; fast performance; solid, dust- and splash-proof body; flip-and-twist LCD; large, 100 percent coverage viewfinder; built-in wireless flash controller.

Relatively low resolution for the price; smallish LCD, some clunky design aspects.

Despite some interface quirks and a slightly awkward design, the Olympus E-3 fares quite well against its midrange dSLR competition.

Feb, 2008

Expert review by : Steve's Digicams (steves-digicams.com)

Olympus E-3 SLR

 

Physical Views Olympus E-3 and a Panasonic L10 for size comparison Continue on to Page Two Olympus E-3 Specifications Product type Single-lens reflex Live View digital camera with interchangeable lens system Memory CompactFlash Type I/II, Microdrive,...

Dec, 2007

Expert review by (letsgodigital.org)

Olympus E-3 review

 

In 2003 Olympus introduced the first model of the FourThirds System: the E-1, aiming at the professional photographer and equipped with various innovations. Four years later Olympus have come up with the successor to the E1. There had been some rumour...

The past few years we have seen a lot of DSLRs from Olympus passing by but it took a long time before the successor to the E1 arrived. Apparently Olympus wanted to test a few things before surprising the professional photographer. And the new Olympus...

Expert review by : Gavin Stoker (photographyblog.com)

Olympus E-3 Review

 

The Olympus E-3 is the new flagship of the Four Thirds Standard-based Olympus E-System. This long-awaited replacement for the original E-1 model offers a plethora of advanced features to tempt the professional photographer away from the competition....

Speaking both literally and figuratively there's a lot to get to grips with on the Olympus E-3. I was surprised at its bulk given the inherent â?? and much boasted about â?? properties of the Four Thirds system allowing for smaller and lighter...

Jan, 2008

Expert review by : Shawn Barnett (imaging-resource.com)

Olympus E-3 Digital Camera - Review - The Imaging Resource!

 

Update: 11/15/2007 Full test results and analysis posted. Look for the full review by the end of the month

Olympus has finally announced their long-awaited flagship DSLR camera, the E-3. Billed as a pure pro camera, the Olympus E-3 is really more comparable to the cameras by Olympus's competitors that we've been categorizing as semi-pro, such as the Pentax...

Expert review by : Jeff Keller (dcresource.com)

E-3

 

And there's a lot more too, and I'll cover those features in the review of the E-3, which starts right now

Excellent photo quality in most situations (see issues below) ; Optical image stabilization for every lens you attach ; Superb build quality; body is sealed against dust and moisture ; Supersonic Wave Filter "shakes" dust off sensor ; Live view on a...

Camera tends to underexpose ; Low light / high ISO performance not as good as some of the competition; banding visible at highest sensitivities ; Too many buttons on camera body + poorly located front command dial makes E-3 more difficult to use than...

All things considered, the Olympus E-3 is a solid midrange digital SLR, in more ways than one. It does almost everything well, with just a few weaknesses, most of which have easy workarounds. If you're an enthusiast looking for a powerful D-SLR that...

Feb, 2012

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