Successor of the E3, Name your five...

Hello Everyone

There has been last month a lot of speculating about what new features the successor of the E3 may or should have based on the recent announcements of the E30 and E620. In most of those threads , lots of messages were listing as many as 15 things they would want to change or be added in the new E4 or E5 , whatever the name might be

I am sure I could come up with a laundry list of things I would like as well but this thread is aimed at finding if there is consensus among Olympus users here on the main features that would REALLY make you buy that new camera ( as an addition or a replacement).

so I am asking you to name a maximum of FIVE additions or changes that would make the E3 replacement a Must have in YOUR bag . (please no cheating , don't list 2 stuff on the same line )

This is NOT a thread on what new features the camera is LIKELY to have just the 5 YOU WANT
here are my five

1/A better , brighter LCD for outdoor use. the E3 is pretty lousy in that department
(the size is fine )
2/A mode allowing separate RAW and jpeg use on a second CF or SDHC card slot

3/ A option to use a square crop mode visible on the LCD and viewfinder like Nikon D3 5:4 model
4/ Electronic level gauge like on E30 or Ricohs GR and GX series
5/improved dynamic range

ok , what's YOURS ?

1. More dynamic range
2. Less noise
3. MF/S/C focus switch like on the E-1
4. 2nd CF slot instead of xD
5. Viewfinder eye-cup that doesn't fall off

leeson said:

1. More dynamic range
2. Less noise
3. MF/S/C focus switch like on the E-1
4. 2nd CF slot instead of xD
5. Viewfinder eye-cup that doesn't fall off

Click to expand...

I like your number 5 . Although it does not make my top 5 . that's a good one

I agree with number 2 as well. This is going to be a very interesting list to compile at the end
Harold

What would you do if I told you there was no successor to the E-3 planned and there would be an entirely new camera design that would be able to use 4/3 lensesso that the legacy 4/3 lenses would not be lost?

Trying to imagine that Oly is asking us ...

1) better DR (not pushed to highlights, but wider to highlights)
2) better C-AF with subject tracking across the points
3) better MyModes (more settings saved, issues solved, custom names)

4) GPS geotagging option, preferably hidden inside of body or battery grip (not as Nikon in hot shoe)
5) better vertical grip (more sturdy for heavy lenses, more buttons)

I would tell you that it is not the subject of this thread and that you should not start drinking so early in the morning-lol
Harold

Voice commands.
--
WSSA Member #161
Coolpix L1, E-500 & E510

Jan3X5 said:

Trying to imagine that Oly is asking us ...

Click to expand...

Yes that's exactly the spirit and if there is consensus on at least 2 or 3 of the FIVE biggies , maybe Olympus will take notice
Harold

This is what I would like to see...
1. Better built LCD (mine has been replaced twice in just over a year)

2. Better built grip, with more buttons (I broke one of those and it just feels cheap compared to the rest of the camera, discounting the LCD that feels even worse).
3. Eyecup that doesn't fall off
4. Dual CF-cards instead of CF/xD

5. A better solution than the small round plastic covers for the sync wired remote contacs.

That is about it, other things like DR and resolution or whatever will be improved anyway, and they are good enough for my work so I don't need to add that to my list of important things to improve upon.
--
Daniel

Hello Daniel

first , I don't want to get off subject but what did you do to have your LCD broke twice ? broken like coming apart or stop working ?

Also I notice that 4 out of your five wishes regards the built of the current E3
That is something different
This is definitely a great read and can't wait until we get more comments
Harold

Harold66 said:

Hello Daniel

first , I don't want to get off subject but what did you do to have
your LCD broke twice ? broken like coming apart or stop working ?

Click to expand...

Both times were construction flaws and fixed under warranty, the hinge has somehow loosened up making the LCD feel flimsy, and also the halves have been coming apart as well. It has not stopped working...

Harold66 said:

Also I notice that 4 out of your five wishes regards the built of the
current E3
That is something different
This is definitely a great read and can't wait until we get more
comments

Click to expand...

Well, there are soom aspects that feel poorly built in the E-3 as well as it was with the E-1 and I hope they fix those more than anything else.

Maybe I am a bit different but I think the E-3 is a very good camera for making pictures, just wish some things were better built...

Harold66 said:

Harold

Click to expand...

--
Daniel

I'll bite.

1) Dedicated live view sensor where ground class for viewfinder is currently
2) 1280 x 960 x 3 @ 90 Hz EVF

Leading to:

3) Improved AF (using combined CD & PD mode)
4) Improved AE (using info from LV sensor)
5) 720P60 video recording.

Given only one sensor:

1) Built in GN20 bounce flash
2) Backlit buttons
3) Ability to do multishot superresolution in camera
4) Ability to do multishot HDR in camera
5) Ability to do multishot focus stacking in camera

1. Better DR

2. Lower noise at high sensitivity. This one is a moving target, because if Olympus can make a really clean ISO 1600 camera, then Nikon can use the same technology to make a really clean ISO 3200 camera. So the smaller sensor will always lag behind, even when technology improves. But the point is, we rarely need ISO 1600 and folks who need ISO 3200 and higher are exceedingly rare.

3. The LCD needs to have 900,000 dots. It is actually embarassing that the Olympus E3 cannot match the screen resolution of my Panasonic TZ5. I am truly baffled why this is so simple for everyone else to do, but seems to be a big problem for Olympus to do.

4. Built in multiple exposure/HDR capacity

5. Kill the XD slot. Give us two CF slots, or a CF plus SD slot. I realize they want to push their XD card on us, but it's a real joke when you put the slowest card made into the fastest camera made. But, I'm not optimistic about this. It's more likely that Olympus will add a third slot for SmartMedia cards before they will do away with the XD slot they love so much.

And then, go ahead and throw in all the other junk too. The stuff that costs nothing but just involves a firmware change. Give us 20 Art Filters, and 12 different aspect ratios! Give us face detection, smille detection, frown detection, bad hair detection. Whatever. We don't have to use them, but someone might like them. And they are essentially free.

Speaking of art filters.. "pop art" and "pin hole" are cute, but how about giving us filters that mimic certain film emulsions? Like "Tri-X," "Agfachrome" and "Velvia?"
--
Marty
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132/show/
http://marty4650.zenfolio.com/p82379129/slideshow#h275db7e6

Panasonic FZ30, LX2, TZ5
Olympus E-510, Zuiko 12-42mm, 40-150mm, 40mm, 50mm

The problem with some of the allready suggested list items is that they are quantitative/incremental in nature (e.g. better dynamic range, less noice etc) – which we all want and can say – but which are more difficult to define when they have have been so much improved that they really become a ”must have” factor. ’

To limit myself to qualitatively new features: My currently most missed features (of my E-1, but they also apply to E-3) are:

1. Easily accessible direct push button for spot exposure measuring (preferably including highlight and shadow options similar to OM-4). That is no ESP – average – spot toggling button. (These buttons should be positioned close to the lower area of the camera around the lens mount, i.e. close to where I have my left fingertips when holding the camera in the normal position.)

2. Integrated (and graduated) ND filter – as well as pola filter. (Why on earth do we in the 3rd millennium still have to graple with front mounted screw-in filters – for those filter that cannot be successfully substituted by PP effects, that is?)

3. Electronic level gauge like on E30

4. True mirror lock-up (keep the mirror locked up ready to open the shutter when pushing the button)

5. True TTL- measuring (like in the OM days, with no pre-flash)

For the alternative that the E-3 successor is mirrorless (but it must anyhow have an viewfinder and not rely entirely on LCD/OLED screen) I offer an alternative to 4:

4a. Dictaphone, so as to be able to speak comments to pictures. (GPS geotagging option, preferably hidden inside of body, might be an alternative to solve some of the needs)

PS. I could also substitue 5 with:

5a. Motion charged batteries

1) Better lcd maybe 3" but more importantly higher resolution to be able to see real definition and sharpness. Zooming at the moment with such low res screen is abysmal.

2) A better focus system with no flash assist. I don't think we should have to blind people or use an external flash to meet this requirement. There must be a way to integrate. The focus system is pretty good but the lowlight performance needs to be improved.

3) More and easier MyMode settings

4) Agree the dual CF or CF/SD card slot would be better

5) One of my only qualms about liveView... it would be nice to see AF in liveView somehow.

This is all taking into consideration the first and foremost automatic upgrade of noise and high ISO performance improved. We need a bit more highlight clipping worked on. I underexpose and deal with it but don't feel I should have to do quite so much to get around it.
--
Sergio
My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies..
http://www.surgedesigns-az.com

I just ordered a second E3, but what I want in a new camera are a few things.
Brighter LCD screen.
Trigger remote flashes without the popup flash.
Copy settings to a memory card so you don't have to set each camera.
Nikon and Canon have this feature.
A grip with a few more buttons on it.

--
-Anthony

in no particular order

1- improved noise characteristics at higher ISO

2- more reliable tracking C-AF (granted, haven't really pushed 1.4 this way yet)

3- ability to use a split-image screen without affecting severely affecting metering
4- AF assist lamp, not strobing

5- performant software with highlight/shadow recovery et al that doesn't scream "keep using Lightroom"

1) Better highlight DR
2) ISO50
3) Lower ISO100 noise
4) C-AF/S-AF/MF switch like on E-1
5) FIX THE GODDAMN MF-toggle issue already
5') Higher resolution LCD allowing 1:1 viewing

--
Tim
'I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list.'
E3/E410/7-14/12-60/50-200/25/25/EC-14
http://www.flickr.com/photos/timskis6/

1) Improved DR at all ISOs
2) Lower noise levels while not using in-camera noise reduction
3) Improved C-AF (speed and accuracy)
4) 8 fps in C-AF "shutter priority off" mode
5) higher resolution LCD

-- rand

The only way to predict the future, is to create it.

that's #1. after that, 1 more stop of good noise performance with elimination of banding, the level, the ability to do HDR better with multiple shots, and enhanced tethering allowing for total camera control.