SAcamera.co.za

Olympus E3 Body Only

Features

•    World's fastest autofocus* for quick and precise image capture
•    Fully-biaxial high-speed 11-point AF system
•    1/8000th sec. high-speed and
•    high-precision shutter control, X: 1/250
•    5fps sequential shooting with 19 image RAW buffer
•    High-performance built-in image stabiliser to stabilise all lenses
•    High Speed 10 Megapixel Live MOS sensor
•    LiveView 2.5”/6.4cm multi-angle HyperCrystal LCD for greatest flexibility
•    Preview of Shadow Adjustment Technology (SAT)
•    Splashproof body and lens system
•    Built-in flash and wireless flash control from the camera body
•    High sensitivity (ISO 100-3200)
•    Accurate White Balance with two sensors
•    Dual slot for CF and xD-Picture Cards
•    2 year warranty

Ergonomics and Design

The E3’s tough magnesium alloy body  (810g body only) is full-bodied without being overgrown and is ergonomically snug. Button layout is intuitive with aperture, shutter and exposure adjustments in shooting position made through the main and sub-dials located in easy reach of your thumb and index finger respectively. The body is also dust and water resistant with important components sealed against the effects of sand, dust and rain.

Round the back the viewfinder provides 100% coverage of the scene with a 1.15x magnification factor for precise viewing. Composed of octagonal microprisms, it delivers a brighter display for easier manual focusing.

Live View is enabled on the 2.5 inch high resolution LCD, which is also adjustable both horizontally and vertically, making shooting from any angle easy to compose. A sensor in the corner of the adjustable LCD measures available light and automatically modifies the brightness of the image on the LCD. It’s HyperCrystal technology allows a clear viewing from 176 degrees around it.

Picture Quality

With 10.1 megapixels you can get an 8x12 inch print at full resolution with room for cropping and greater enlargement possible to achieve high quality poster size prints. Processing speeds over the E1 have been achieved with the use of Olympus’s new 12 bit TruePic III processor, with advanced noise filter III technology.
In combination with Four Thirds lenses’ telecentric design, edge to edge brightness across the picture area is preserved with little or no drop-off due to the near perpendicular angle with which light is able to focus on pixels at the picture edge.

Perfomance Features

At time of release, the E3 boasted the world’s fastest autofocus system, with exceptional accuracy achieved through 11 twin cross-type focus points.
Four autofocus modes are available: single AF, which focuses for a static point and then stops; continuous AF, which continuous to adjust focus while your shutter is semi-depressed. The other two modes are the same as the previous but with manual focus override enabled while in autofocus mode.  The E3 is capable of shooting RAW image bursts of 17 images at 5 frames per second.
Shutter speeds (1/8000 to 60 sec) and Aperture are adjusted in 1/3 or ½ stops with a 49 zone multi-pattern through the lens auto-exposure. In Live View mode, an advanced 1200 zone metering system uses the dedicated live view image sensor to evaluate light levels and colour distribution to achieve optimum image exposure. Multi segment, centre-weighted and spot metering modes is also available. ISO settings are available from 100-3200ISO in 1/3 stop increments. The camera uses automatic white balance, calculated from image sensor and independent white balance sensor information. Manual white balance adjustment is available as 8 different preset values ranging from 3000K to 7500K. A one-touch white balance function allows photographers to save up to four optimal white balance settings to suit conditions Also notable is the 2% spot meter function where other SLR spot meters only achieve 3-5%. Flash synchronisation is a high 1/250 second.

Technology Features

The E3 features a powerful  built-in image stabilisation system to eliminate blur caused by camera movement. Tiny gyro sensors detect changes in the orientation and respond by shifting the CCD to counteract. An effective gain of up to 5 stops can be made in light sensitivity by enabling the effective use of slower shutter speeds in low light conditions. All Four Thirds lenses used on the E3 are automatically stabilized.
Shadow Adjustment Technology is an editing technology that is best set to work while shooting as it automatically brightens shadow areas in high contrast situations for more visible detail and better exposure of faces in backlit situations.
Dust reduction is effected through a Supersonic Wave Filter that vibrates to shake dust off the sensor and activates each time the camera or its Live View function is switched on.
This camera also has a built-in wireless trigger system for compatible Olympus flash units.
The following picture modes are available: Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted, Monotone, Custom (default setting: Natural)

Compatibility
Lenses: All Four Thirds Lenses 
Memory Card: Compact Flash and xD card (dual slots)
Remote shutter release: Not available
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery: BLM-1 (approx 610 shots)
Battery Grip: HLD-4

In the box:
BLM-1 Battery, BCM-2 Battery Charger, USB Cable, Video Cable, Shoulder Strap, Instruction Manual, Warranty Card, BC-1 Body Cap, OLYMPUS Master 2.0