E-3

The range-topping Olympus E-3 is designed for the professional photographer and advanced enthusiasts requiring super fast auto-focus and responsiveness in a camera that delivers professional level image quality. Industry leading image stabilisation, with outstanding system portability and rugged reliability provides the photographer with a camera that can be confidently used in the most challenging climatic environments.

World's Fastest Autofocus

Featuring the world's fastest autofocus capability*, the E-3 uses an 11 point Full-Twin Cross AF sensor that provides outstandingly fast and accurate autofocus even in low light conditions of -2 EV.

Unlike conventional AF sensors that typically utilise single array cross sensors, the E-3's AF sensor features 11 cross sensors, all with twin line arrays to achieve maximum detection speed and accurate sensing even in very low light or low contrast shooting conditions.

Combined with the all new Olympus designed Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) lens drive mechanism such as that used in the new Pro range standard wide zoom, the 12-60mm SWD lens, the E-3 provides swift and accurate focusing for a wide range of photography applications from fast moving reportage and sport, to low light portraiture and studio photography. Non-SWD Zuiko Digital lenses will likewise benefit from the enhanced AF capability of the E-3 so that users will experience a noticeable AF speed increase when the E-3 is used with their existing Olympus Zuiko Digital lenses.

In the field, a five-frames per second sequential shooting capability in RAW quality mode with a top shutter speed of 1/8000th of a second provides the photographer with a camera that's capable of capturing fast-moving dynamic action shots.

Superb Image Quality

The E-3 features an all-new 10 megapixel High-Speed Live Mos image sensor chip. This new sensor has been developed for the E-3 with wider dynamic range quality and faster data transfer capability than Live Mos sensors used with previous Olympus cameras, to deliver professional class picture quality and operational speed.

A dedicated image processing engine, the TruePic III chip, provides optimal noise filtration with clear image detail reproduction and accurate colour rendition of subtle colour hues and tones.

A dual-sensor white balance system using internal and external white balance sensors assures accurate automatic white-balance results.

An Image Stabiliser effective to -5 EV Steps

To maximise image capture quality, the E-3 features an image stabiliser with shake compensation up to a remarkable five EV steps.** This capability provides the photographer with heightened confidence when handholding long telephoto lenses, or when shooting in adverse low light conditions.

Installing a highly effective image stabiliser in-body instead of in-lens brings a compelling cost-performance advantage by providing stabilisation benefit to all system lenses. It further provides for compact lens designs which would otherwise be size-compromised by additional in-lens stabiliser components. In-body stabilisation further preserves the telecentric light path characteristics of Olympus Zuiko Digital lenses, ensuring that image quality even at picture corners is not sacrificed when stabilisation is activated.

Ruggedness and reliability you can depend on

In the photographer's hand, the strength and robustness of the E-3 body is immediately evident. As is required of a camera that can be confidently used by the professional or enthusiast in inclement weather or harsh shooting environments, the E-3 body is both splashproof and dustproof. Ruggedness and strength is provided by a robust magnesium alloy chassis, manufactured using a special 'Thixomold' process that produces a lighter, stronger and higher precision body than a conventional die-cast type.

The tough metal chassis completely encapsulates the high endurance mechanics, optics and electronics inside the camera body, providing a high degree of protection in rigorous professional use. A newly designed shutter and mirror mechanism are tested to a minimum of 150,000 shooting cycles for professional-class reliability. The world's most effective dust-reduction system, the proven Olympus Super Sonic Wave Filter (SSWF), is used in the E-3 to provide assurance of truly fuss-free, dust-free image captures.

Big and Clear Viewfinder and articulating Live View LCD

Especially important for professional usage, a large and bright optical viewfinder featuring 100% viewing coverage and 1.15x magnification enables the photographer to see the scene clearly, and fully. Olympus optical know-how has resulted in a viewfinder that's virtually distortion free with minimal colour aberrations. An eye-point of 20mm provides comfortable eye-relief for eye-glass wearers.

The built-in adjustable diopter may be further extended using the newly developed DEN-3 and DEP-3 accessory eyecups. Live View capability is enhanced with a flip-out, variable-angle LCD screen, providing maximum Live View shooting flexibility in high and low-angle photography, both in vertical or horizontal shooting camera positions.

White balance, exposure compensation, depth of field preview, live-histogram, grid templates, shadow-adjustment preview, and a powerful digital magnifier to assist precise close-up manual focus are standard with Live View in the E-3.

Wireless Flash System

New to the E-System is wireless flash photography capability with the E-3 and the new wireless remote capable flashes, the FL-50R and FL-36R. With the E-3's built-in flash acting as commander, the E-3 can control up to three separate groups of wireless flash units. An unlimited number of FL-50R and FL-36R flash units may be used within each of the three flash groups. The E-3's built-in flash commander makes buying a separate commander flash or trigger unit unnecessary.

Normal flash synchronisation speed with non-dedicated strobe units is 1/250th second. In the special Super FP mode with the new FL-50R, FL-36R, and current FL-50 and FL-36 strobe units, flash sync speed can be as high as an astonishing 1/8000th second, providing the photographer with enhanced creative fill flash possibilities in bright daylight.

Get a grip! Configure the body the way you like it

To provide flexible user configurability of camera body shape, size and weight for a wide range of photography applications and user preferences, a new optional battery grip has been developed for the E-3. The HLD-4 provides a comfortable and sure grip for vertical shooting requirements and features an additional shutter release button and control dial.

This splashproof and dustproof battery grip utilises up to two standard Olympus BLM-1 Li-Ion batteries, effectively extending shooting capacity if necessary. The AA battery capability with the included AA battery holder of the new HLD-4 ensures that the E-3 user has the ability to shoot in locations where battery recharging is impossible.

Image quality begins with the lens

Olympus understands that image quality is not a function of the camera body alone. Without lenses designed for the unique demands of digital image sensors, even the best sensor technology in the world cannot deliver the best possible pictures. To this end, the Olympus E-system lens catalog provides the widest range of uniquely designed-for-digital lenses, providing 35mm film format equivalent focal lengths from an ultra-wide 14mm to a super-telephoto range of 600mm (and up to 1200mm with the superb new EC-20 converter).

Olympus Zuiko Digital lenses are renowned for class-leading compactness and performance at every focal length, and are surprisingly affordable, providing outstanding price-performance qualities through the range. Used with the E-3, the Olympus range of Pro and Super Pro digital lenses provide the professional and serious enthusiast with lenses that they can trust to deliver razor sharp picture results, even when used at wide open apertures!

* with the new Olympus Zuiko Digital 12-60mm SWD lens

** actual performance depends on lens focal length as well as user characteristics