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Steve Russell

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Who has been completely underwelmed by the Oly E3 specification ?

Wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking, but did expect it to be a little more exciting then it has turned out to be.

Compared to the fireworks generated by the Nikon D300 and D3 announcements this has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib

Regards

Steve
 
Steve Russell said:
Who has been completely underwelmed by the Oly E3 specification ?

Wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking, but did expect it to be a
little more exciting then it has turned out to be.

Compared to the fireworks generated by the Nikon D300 and D3
announcements this has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib

Regards

Steve
Click to expand...
 
Me either, however I would not say 'completely'.

Maybe it was the long waiting time, perhaps it's due to the 'mystery marketing strategy' with no official statements or info until the anouncement.

But now I think, it is a pretty average 10 MPX cam, nothing that would make me yell out of enthusiasm or leave me crying on the ground.

Some features sound promising, others do not and IQ still remains a big question mark.

Ok, the marketing policy of Olympus is a big load of rubbish, in my opinion boycotting DPR was a stupid decision. But I would not let me getting influenced by this behaviour when it comes to judge about the final product.

Although from my current view I think that the D300 would be a better bet for someone who intends to build up a new semipro SLR system I would still give the E-3 a final chance to prove it is worth the buck.

If it fails due to quality problems, like the magenta flaw or lacks improvement with the dynamic range, I won't waste my time any more thinking about Oly.
 
To 'whelm you?

I'm not an Oly DSLR user, myself, but we haven't seen the IQ yet, and apparently the claimed speedy AF doesn't mean anything to you. But sometimes the entire package as a whole is the standout feature, just like the E1.

So, what would it take?

Rick
 
Well. not much of a surprise is what I would call it. Iseriouslt doubt the 5 stop advantage of in body IS. Oly's claim of 4 stop in the E510 turn out to be more like 2.5 and similar real world difference is likely to be so for the E-3.

I wouldn't say its a letdown, but its not quite so grand as Olympus would want it or how they put it that is. And of course the liveview as D3 / D300 implementing it really put the E3 in a rather embarrassing position too

In the end, I do think the E3 a worthy model for the 4/3 and good show in the D300 bracket. Though I still think its not likely to drive Oly to their intended goal of the said market share as they would want it. Oly, had yet to commit a system, instead of sporadic setups

--
  • Franka -
 
is that it doesn't seem to me that it takes into account the fact that oly has built on innovations/advantages other camera manufacturers have either not implemented, been slow to implement, or haven't implemented as well:

1. the dust shaker: pretty much everyone agrees oly's still does the best job.

2. live view in an articulated screen. imo, without an articulating screen live view is seriously crippled from a utility standpoint.

3. in body IS. does it give 5 stops? maybe not for the average joe/joelle. for a pro or enthusiast who has actually practiced holding a camera still from the get go? maybe. we'll see. i know one thing, with in body IS ALL my lenses are stabilized. i'd be happy to get 2 stops, since i have hand held down to 1/2 second, 1/8 pretty reliably, for VERY usable shots to 8x10 and even beyond.

the potentially best innovation of this new camera is the faster/better AF. right now we don't know how good it is, but we do know some recent canons have had a problem here. if the iso is improved we're looking at a very solid piece of equipment in its price slot. so before we are underwhelmed i think we might think about seeing something on the performance ACTUALLY.

the only 'disappointments' i have are the fact that apparently oly tokyo has stiffed Mr. Askey on a review sample---really stupid---and the frame rate---and that is a slight disappointment. certainly the mp's are not a problem [i did note with interest that the specs say 11.8mp, 10 effective].
 
They do talk it up in an amusing way though!

When you look at the spec next to even lower end competitors (like the D300), it's really not a pro camera at all imho and definitely not an action camera.

NB, I do like the in-cam IS, the tilt screen (although it should be fully artiulated) and the splash-proofing, but with a small (and therefore noisier) sensor and relatively slow performance? Obviously the dust shaker is irrelevant however good it may or may not be.

I am also highly doubtful about the AF speed claims. I need to handle this machine next to the D300 to see if the AF is any better at all. Oly should also specify whether it's always faster (all subjects, all modes) or whether it's just faster with a test pattern in single shot mode...

How much faster is it anyway? Also, how accurate is it? Accuracy is just as important as speed - as proven by the 1DIII's ongoing problems.

AF is top of my list, so I'm interested in seeing the performance first hand, however it's pointless as I won't be buying a cam with a tiny sensor to get good AF, they need the whole package and 4/3 is just too small when fully featured APS-C is available in the form of the D300.

--
If we do it right the first time around, how will we sell the upgrade?! ;)
Keep photography wild.
 
The split of the EOS-1 line is proof enough of that even pro cameras don't meet the needs of all pros - both types PRO cameras, but neither would meet the needs of the other type of user (studio vs. action).

The E-3 may or not meet your needs. But it IS a waterproof body with weather-sealed lenses, with fantastic build quality, two control wheels (essential for all of us manual shooters), long shutter life, etc. etc. etc. It is hard to make a statement that any of that is NOT pro-quality build and feature set.

It trades off high-ISO performance for portability. It sacrifices ultra-shallow DOF for deeper DOF, which is consistent with Oly having some of the best UWA and WA glass around. Whether it meets your photographic needs, that is another story...

Lastly IMHO, people don't choose Oly for the bodies, they (we) choose it for the glass.
 
It sounds like a camera that's 12 to 18 months behind everyone else.
 
Steve Russell said:
Who has been completely underwelmed by the Oly E3 specification ?
Click to expand...
Not the only one, just one of the few.
Steve Russell said:
Wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking, but did expect it to be a
little more exciting then it has turned out to be.

Compared to the fireworks generated by the Nikon D300 and D3
announcements this has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib
Click to expand...
No doubt the MOST impressive of the lot.

Canon on the other hand, has to be the most underwhelming. the 40D appears to be a warmed-over 30D, which was a warmed-over 20D. Just copied Oly's innovation by adding Liveview and a dust-buster.
Steve Russell said:
Regards

Steve
Click to expand...
--
shinndigg
http://www.pbase.com/shinndigg
 
Franka T.L. said:
Well. not much of a surprise is what I would call it. Iseriouslt
doubt the 5 stop advantage of in body IS. Oly's claim of 4 stop in
the E510 turn out to be more like 2.5 and similar real world
difference is likely to be so for the E-3.
Click to expand...
I don't think so, and even though the E-3 is a touch underwhelming I DO have good expectations of the in-body IS.

Why?

Look at the Pop Photo slide show for the E-3's IS system - photograph 35. It shows a separate X and Y plane movement plate for the IS, unlike all other systems that operate with a single plate to move in both axis.

With separate asix movement plates, I believe it will allow a greater range of movement versus other systems.

And the "houndstooth" AF sensor seems a nice addition.

Time will tell, I guess.
 
...by any olympus camera because of the 'tiny' sensors'...in fact, most C* die-hards predicted Olympus to die 4 years ago....i'm just wondering why these die-hards keep bashing Olympus if it doesn't affect their photography...enjoy your 11fps camera and good luck if you get 1/11 in focus. why bother or even waste your time bashing Olympus? Are you all insecured?
Steve Russell said:
Who has been completely underwelmed by the Oly E3 specification ?

Wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking, but did expect it to be a
little more exciting then it has turned out to be.

Compared to the fireworks generated by the Nikon D300 and D3
announcements this has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib

Regards

Steve
Click to expand...
--



http://www.exp1orer.com
 
Steve Russell said:
Who has been completely underwelmed by the Oly E3 specification ?
Click to expand...
Completely?
Steve Russell said:
Wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking, but did expect it to be a
little more exciting then it has turned out to be.
Click to expand...
Than.
Steve Russell said:
Compared to the fireworks generated by the Nikon D300 and D3
announcements this has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib
Click to expand...
Anything to do with those products being announced first, you think?

--
mumbo jumbo
 
Maybe you might let time tell the tale...Try making a realistic comment when the camera has been on the market for four or five months.

If you are looking for drama...read War and Peace...if you are looking for real opinions about a real product, let the E-3 and D300 users tell their stories after they have used the cameras in the field for a while..

Dan
Steve Russell said:
Who has been completely underwelmed by the Oly E3 specification ?

Wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking, but did expect it to be a
little more exciting then it has turned out to be.

Compared to the fireworks generated by the Nikon D300 and D3
announcements this has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib

Regards

Steve
Click to expand...
--

The 'Camera'...but a tool of the 'Artist'...the creator needs but a chalk and a slate to render immortality...
 
Progress Lover said:
They do talk it up in an amusing way though!

When you look at the spec next to even lower end competitors (like
the D300), it's really not a pro camera at all imho and definitely
not an action camera.
Click to expand...
The EOS 40D, E-3 and D-300 are very much professional cameras insofar as they will be used by professional photographers. All three promise to be superbly competent tools.
Progress Lover said:
NB, I do like the in-cam IS, the tilt screen (although it should be
fully artiulated) and the splash-proofing, but with a small (and
therefore noisier) sensor and relatively slow performance? Obviously
the dust shaker is irrelevant however good it may or may not be.
Click to expand...
Why?
Progress Lover said:
I am also highly doubtful about the AF speed claims. I need to handle
this machine next to the D300 to see if the AF is any better at all.
Oly should also specify whether it's always faster (all subjects, all
modes) or whether it's just faster with a test pattern in single shot
mode...
Click to expand...
Handling the cameras is always the best way, but why are you sceptical of the AF claims?
Progress Lover said:
How much faster is it anyway? Also, how accurate is it? Accuracy is
just as important as speed - as proven by the 1DIII's ongoing
problems.
Click to expand...
Olympus have had accurate AF systems prior to the E-3, it seems a little unreasonable to expect them to suddenly stop providing that.
Progress Lover said:
AF is top of my list, so I'm interested in seeing the performance
first hand, however it's pointless as I won't be buying a cam with a
tiny sensor to get good AF, they need the whole package and 4/3 is
just too small when fully featured APS-C is available in the form of
the D300.
Click to expand...
FourThirds is too small compared to DX?

--
mumbo jumbo
 
Hi Steve,
Steve Russell said:
Wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking, but did expect it to be a
little more exciting then it has turned out to be.
Click to expand...
The problem is in very incompetent Olympus marketing department who made too much of a fuzz and show about it. The camera sounds very good, but made people expect some really "groundbreaking" stuff, which no one else really delivered as well.

Also because of incompetent management who let E-1 cook out there alone for full 4 years..
Steve Russell said:
Compared to the fireworks generated by the Nikon D300 and D3
announcements this has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib
Click to expand...
Well, D3 is actually Nikon's implementation of 1D3. It is a Nikon big sensor camera. An excellent one, but out of the most people budget. And it has nothing "groundbreaking" in it. All this year models are evolutionary ones, as I said already.

D300 really looks great. But so does Sony A700 and now also Olympus E-3. I am not forgetting Canon 40D, which also looks very nice, better than I expected from Canon.

I am a Canon shooter now, but to me E-3 looks much more interesting than D300. Mostly because of AS and the lens system. D300 is going to be an amazing camera, for sure, but so will be E-3 too. For my needs, I do not see any real advantages in D300 over it, but I do see other way around.

Actually, this year maybe did not produce any new groundbreaking technologies, but we got the most amazing DSLR year ever, with numerous excellent mid and high level models - 1D3, 1Ds3, 40D, D3, D300, A700, E-510, E-3.
--
Greetings, Aleksandar
 
I don't think it would be a big deal but for a couple things...

1. Something at this level has been "coming soon" from oly as long as I have been here. I expected more.

2. It seems expensive for what it is (on paper).

3. Oly seems to be overhyping it. Everything is "pro" this, pro that. While the photographer is the pro part (and I've seen plenty of pros shooting D70s/80s, 20/30Ds etc) it just all feels a little desperate.

I suppose the thing to do is wait for reviews, and until people actually get hold of them. It could well be that it does very well on the unquantifiables, making it a better camera than it looks on paper, and for that matter, it doesn't look bad on paper, just
hyped, expensive, and about 18 months late
 
poliscijustin said:
I don't think it would be a big deal but for a couple things...

1. Something at this level has been "coming soon" from oly as long as
I have been here. I expected more.

2. It seems expensive for what it is (on paper).

3. Oly seems to be overhyping it. Everything is "pro" this, pro that.
While the photographer is the pro part (and I've seen plenty of pros
shooting D70s/80s, 20/30Ds etc) it just all feels a little desperate.

I suppose the thing to do is wait for reviews, and until people
actually get hold of them. It could well be that it does very well on
the unquantifiables, making it a better camera than it looks on
paper, and for that matter, it doesn't look bad on paper, just
hyped, expensive, and about 18 months late
Click to expand...
Is is REALLY?

I mean, I think the price is on the "top" side but I think we should be fair for once - let us look at the flip-side, the Olympus side.

How many other cameras in the market at the same price point are offering:
  • sealed, all die-cast chassis construction both front and rear
  • SSW sensor cleaning
  • all-glass pentaprism with 100% coverage
  • in-body IS with dual axis shift plates
  • new, all cross-point houndstooth AF sensor, claiming industry's fastest
  • LiveView
  • rotating, articulating LCD
  • 5 FPS and 150,000 cycle shutter
  • CF and xD card slots
  • etc.
Could I have hoped for more at the price point?

Yes.

Could I have hope for a lower cost with those features?

Yes

But, is the cost "reasonable" for the features compared to the competition?

I think, Yes.

Maybe Olympus will drop the price after introduction and amortization of development costs.

And who says that the U.S. introduction price is fixed in stone? The Nikon D300's UK price is U.K. £1299, while the U.S. price for the D300 is $1799.

The Olympus E-3's U.K. price has been announced at U.K. £1099; that is £200 less than the D300. So why should the U.S. price be fixed at only $100 less? Maybe Olympus will change the U.S. price prior to final delivery, or very soon after.

Would people change their minds about the E-3 if it went for between U.S. $1499 to $1599, equalizing the U.K. price difference?
 
To announce / release the camera in the same week as the D300 and 40D... that would have caused even more stir in all three camps I suspect. I was appropriately impressed more so with the D300 ... but it would have been more dramatic to have all three to whip up a pre-decision a few weeks ago.
--
'The greatest joy there is in life is creating. Splurge on it!' LRH
 
If I recall correctly, the E-1 was launched in 2003. And the E-1 was a bit underwhelming even back then. Now, after a very short 4 year wait, we have the E-3 (why it's not called the E-2, I have no idea), which is yet again a bit underwhelming compared to the competition, and it probably feels even more underwhelming considering how long Oly users had to wait for it. But look on the bright side: it'll probably only be another 4 years before Oly replaces it! You would think that, given how long Oly takes to update their top-tier model, they would deliver a higher spec to sustain them through the long lag time between updates. How is the E-3 going to look to the pro market (supposedly it's target market) in a year or two or three or four, if many consider it underwhelming even before it hits the market?
 
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