Limited edition Pentax 645D

Pentax has announced a special red lacquer version of its 40-megapixel 645D medium format camera. The limited edition was created after the 645D went and won the Camera GP 2011 camera of the year award.   

The 645D is similar to that of Hasselblad's digital range of medium format cameras, comprising of a large ultra-high resolution sensor typically suited to studio shooting. The 645D has seen success amongst those who applaud it for its hardiness and portability, bringing digital medium format photography to the street. 

Included in the kit is a special leather strap, centre spot matte focussing screen and paulownia wood box. A Japanese lacquering technique called Urushi has been used to decorate the camera and means every single body will be slightly different. Keeping things even more exclusive is a gold plated Pentax logo on the front of a camera. Serial numbers have been marked on each body to help keep up that limited edition feel. 

For those who are after one of these special edition Pentax bad boys, orders need to be put in between 20 July and 20 September. Don't expect next day delivery however, the camera is built to order and takes around 4 months to turn up from receipt of the purchase.

 

Olympus SZ-30MR

In recent years we’ve seen the size of big zoom cameras dropping. What once sat in a body just smaller than a DSLR, now fills a space just larger than a typical compact. The Olympus SZ-30MR typifies this move, offering a staggering 24x zoom in a body that you can still just about slip into your pocket. But does this clever camera put real power in your pocket, or leave you slightly short-changed?

Design

With a body measuring 106.3 x 68.7 x 39.5mm and a weight of 226g, the Olympus SZ-30MR shares some of the same design lines as it’s 12.5x sibling, the Olympus SZ-20. Here the addition of the MR tag refers to “multi recording” denoting some enhanced shooting features which we’ll examine later. It is compact considering the focal range it offers and we just about managed to slip it in the back pocket of our jeans; we suspect it is rather better suited to a jacket pocket or handbag however.

Marking the SZ-30MR out is the pronounced handgrip on the right-hand end. This shouldn’t be overlooked as the 24x lens will accentuate even the slightest movement of your hand. Around the back a small rubber pad offers thumb grip. We found there was enough space on the left-hand side to support the camera with the left hand without obscuring any critical parts.
A flap on the right-hand side of the camera conceals the USB and micro HDMI connections (latter cable not provided) meaning you can easily connect to your HDTV at home to play back movies or share photos. The SD card slots into the base along with the battery, internal memory is negligible.
The body is finished in plastics throughout and if anything the camera looks a little cheap. The glossy finish around the front and top will find themselves liberally smeared with figure prints and various points around the moldings seem to make it difficult to brush off the fluff and debris it seems to attract. The rear is finished in a matte black, so stays looking clean, but does feel over so slightly hollow, so it doesn’t have the quality of finish that something like the Canon PowerShot SX220 HS or the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20 do, although the Olympus does offer a greater zoom than both those pocketable competitors.

Controls

Although the angular body does provide grip, the controls are a little too prominent for our liking. The top mode dial is a little too easy to change and we often found we knocked it around to another setting. Missing that choice shot because it’s flipped around to panoramic is frustrating to say the least. But the controls do fall easily within reach of your fingers and thumb, so making selections is easy enough.

On the rear of the camera you’ll find the now commonplace instant video capture button along with the main settings adjuster which is the four-way clicking, rotating dial, with OK button to its centre. A dedicate Menu button offers access to the main settings, with pertinent and oft changes shooting settings adjusted using an on-screen menu system.
The zoom is adjusted using the toggle wheel encircling the shutter button, prominent enough to find easily without having to look. The power button sitting just behind is flush to the body of the camera to avoid accidental power-offs. The built-in flash needs to be deployed using the switch on the side of the lens housing, but whether the flash fires or not is still governed by the camera.

Get shooting

The mode dial on the top offers a range of shooting options, although the SZ-30MR doesn’t go as far as offering manual controls: you don’t get shutter or aperture shooting controls, or full manual, with the P (program) mode being the closest you’ll get to wrestling shooting control away from the camera. As such, the SZ-30MR can be taken as a travel zoom for those who want quick results, but don’t ever find themselves wanting to get involved in more advanced photography.

Outlining a number of clever, or certainly unique, features, you’ll find the mode dial offering common iAuto and auto modes, the former offering scene detection, or more traditional scene modes for picking the appropriate scene for yourself. This is joined by Magic, which offers a range of filters for different photo effects, panoramic, and 3D. 3D shooting requires you to shift the lens slightly to get two pictures from differing angles to then create a stereoscopic effect.
The final shooting modes are more unique. Photo with video clip offers to sandwich a shot between two snippets of film, and finally you get the multi recording option, from which the camera gets its name. From here you’ll be able to take multiple photos at different angles, sizes, or mixing in the Magic effects at the same time as straight shooting.

Changing settings pertaining to all these modes, as we mentioned, is via the on-screen menu options, with details also letting you know what major settings do, as well as giving you real time previews. For example, fire up the Magic mode and you’ll be able to scroll though the effects on the screen and see what the results will be. The same applies to white balance, which is useful for getting some shots to look right.

In action

Power on the camera and you’ll be ready for shooting in about 3 seconds, the lens extending to its widest 25mm (35mm equiv.) position. Running the lens out to the maximum 600mm will take an additional 3 seconds. A half press of the shutter button will determine focus, lighting up the focal point with a green box before saving the image to memory on a full press.
High speed shooting, accepting a lower resolution, is also offered at up to 15fps, and two options for sequential shooting at full resolution at different speeds, maxing out at 5 full-sized images at 7fps, so you’ll barely notice that’s what you’ve done. These shooting modes can be accessed via the on-screen menu, however all focusing modes cannot.

Focusing can be split out to give you face focus, but we’re more interested in AF tracking, so you can select a focal point and reframe the picture and not have to worry about the sometimes dubious focal point selection you automatically get. It works fairly well, but the fact you have to dive in and out of the main menu means it is a little too hidden away. Macro focus, however, does get a position in the on-screen menus in some shooting modes.
Focusing is generally fast, although as expected it can take a little while to determine focus at extreme zoom. Likewise, auto macro through the iAuto mode doesn’t seem as capable as selecting the macro shooting mode in P, which yields better results.

Performance

The zoom range in such a compact body will certainly attract the attention of those around you. The biggest challenge is keeping it stable at the far reach of the zoom. The image stabilisation system can be heard whirring away as you hold the camera, but can’t save those really long shots - it’s best to use a tripod or something solid to get the best results.

  

At the far end of the zoom you’ll find that things aren’t as sharp and the images take on that customary milky appearance, something that affects many big zoom cameras of this type. Even with a steady camera you’ll find that down at pixel level things look mottled, but that’s to be expected given the size of the camera and may be down to the density of pixels in the 16-megapixel sensor. But looking at them as point and shoot results, the 24x zoom acquits itself well, letting you get closer to the action than many rivals.
Colours come out well, with some lovely blues and greens in evidence, something we see a lot from Olympus. Exposure is generally good, although things aren’t so reliable once you throw the zoom out a long way, remembering of course that the maximum aperture reduces as you extend the zoom. High contrast scenes will confuse it, with highlights blowing out and other areas lacking the punch they perhaps should.
Under closer examination you’ll see plenty of purple fringing around high-contrast edges, although that’s not uncommon on compact cameras, especially given the work the lens is having to do here. There is some sign of barrel distortion at the wide angle but it’s not excessive.

In lower light conditions, we found that the SZ-30MR seemed reluctant to fire the flash, pushing you to hand-hold down to about 1/30sec. Image stabilisation just about pulls this off, but it also didn’t seem to want to push up the ISO level, which many cameras will. Testing in difficult conditions at a concert, we often found it was expecting a 1/15sec shutter or longer, having not pushed the ISO above about 320.
You can override this by getting out of the iAuto mode. Two ranges of Auto ISO are on offer, and if you want the higher ISO range you’ll be best selecting High ISO Auto in P mode. Noise creeps in from around ISO 400 upwards, although the results aren’t nearly as bad as you might expect. The top two settings of 1600 and 3200 are obviously marred by noise and lack real detail, but might be the difference between having that shot and not.
Those extra shooting modes are really yet to convince us of their place. The Magic options we like, especially the Pin Hole option, but the others seem to lack the intensity of effects you’ll find on other Olympus models, so don’t really strike us as that useful - and you’re not getting common things like the amusing miniature mode.

The Panorama mode stitches together approx 180 degrees of the scene around you, which is great, and the 3D mode produces an MPO file, although if you’re equipped for 3D images, perhaps something with stereoscopic lenses will fulfil your needs better. The photo and movie capture is a little odd, providing a photo sandwiched in the middle of video clips (with various options for setting the length of these clips). It seems best suited for scenes where you want to capture some action although getting the timing perfect is something else.
Multi recording also lets you capture two things at the same time. Essentially the results are that the camera crops part of the final result to give you two videos or photos. Try as we might, we couldn’t get anything especially exciting from it, so it strikes us as rather odd to name the camera after it.
You can also capture images whilst recording video, another of the highlights of this camera. In reality what you get is the opportunity to capture two images whilst filming, indicated by a square on the screen.

Video highlights

Video capture is one of the highlights of the SZ-30MR, with excellent quality results from the Full HD capture that is offered. The instant capture button means any settings have to be changed before you hit the button, but out of the box the results are great.

Continuous autofocus is in place although it can be a little slow to change. Generally video is sharp, although you’ll find that if you dive in to something close it will often refuse to refocus, preferring the background to the foreground. The zoom works during video, although the sound is slightly muffled (rather than being completely blanked out) during the movement of the lens.
The battery performance isn’t fantastic, we got around 200 shots and about 15 mins of Full HD video before the battery reached the end of life.

Verdict

The Olympus SZ-30MR is a capable point and shoot camera, offering simple operation for the basic shooting modes that offer the best results. On the whole, iAuto is effective, returning great results with little tinkering, ideal for casual holiday photos and the like. Under full examination shots don’t hold up, lacking the fine detail of more advanced cameras, but returning results that will be acceptable to most. The lack of RAW shooting or manual controls do outline this as a casual shooter, rather than one for those who like to tinker.
We’re not so sold on some of the extras and the multi recording options don’t leave us feeling as though other cameras are missing out. The Magic effects are interesting, but not as exciting as other Olympus cameras and missing some of the funky effects you’ll find on rival models.
Overall, this is a capable and compact camera, offering a larger than normal zoom, which won’t make too much of a hole in your pocket. But ultimately it struggles to deliver fine image quality that more particular photographers will want.

Clap camera combines USB flash drive

Disappointingly this tiny digital camera/flash drive is not activated when you clap. Making up for this lack of audio activated snappery however is the name of the company who makes it; Powershovel and of course the decision to manufacturer it in pink. 

The digital camera uses a very small two megapixel sensor to create 1280 x 1024 stills, as well as 720 x 480 AVI files. At just 1.4 x 2.8 x 0.59 inch and weighing only 24g the camera is absolutely microscopic. 

It uses MicroSD memory for storage and supports up to 16GB cards, which given the tiny photo size would take an absolute eternity to fill. 

A lithium-ion battery keeps the Clap chugging along for what is presumably plentiful shots given the lack of LCD. For those who fancy using it as a bit of a hi-tech fashion accessory there is strap hole to carry it round your neck.

The cameras are available from the Superheadz website, but need to be shipped over from Tokyo where they are made. Expect to pay around £40 for one.

NIKON D800, NIKON D400 AND NIKON D4 / D4X

Further to our last update on this subject earlier in August, we've been seeing a lot of news and info filtering through the internet on the Nikon D800 and other future Nikon pro bodies. Perhaps one of the most talked about item is the resolution of the sensor for upcoming models. Will it be 16 megapixels or 24 megapixels or some other number? If Nikon were to make a Canon 5D Mark II replica… 24 megapixels would seem the obvious choice but that does not agree with how Nikon's current lineup is positioned. Nikon has never been about resolution per se but rather the improvement of the overall system. That's why it seems reasonable to see the D800 at a lower resolution to the 5D2 but delivering high ISO performance and superb image quality. With that said, there is still a market for a higher resolution camera but that is pretty much covered by the Nikon D3X at this time and I don't believe that Nikon will relinquish their noise handling advantage for the sake more megapixels or to offer 2 ''non-professional'' FX bodies. The launch of the D800 will most likely be preceded by the D4 with the D400 and D4X even further down the time line. Other than the Nikon D4 and Nikon D800 which we have got some tentative information, the specs for te other models are pure conjecture. We've been told that with the slowdown of sales for the D3S and D700, Nikon is getting ready to launch new FX format cameras but won't announce it until later in the year or early 2011 to give the D3100 and D7000 more opportunities to establish themselves in the market. Our source has been disturbingly quiet after the last update so it's good to get an update at this time. Would I wait… looking at the specs below… The Nikon D400 is not really worth the wait even though it will be better and unless you are really keen on movie mode with full frame, there is no need to wait for the new FX formats either. You can expect the new bodies to be all incremental improvements over their predecessors so there really isn't much to jump up and down about. D400 (replaces Nikon D300S) Sensor size 23.6 x 15.6mm DX format Sensor type CMOS sensor Sensor resolution 16.2 megapixels ISO Sensitivity ISO 200 to ISO 12800 (Extendable to 102400) Continuous Burst Speed 7fps (9fps with Battery Grip) Focus System Multi-CAM 3500FX 51-point AF Video Mode Full HD 1920x1080p (24, 25, 30, 50, 60fps) with Stereo sound & AF LCD 3-inch (921k dots) VGA LCD D800 (replaces Nikon D700) Sensor size 36.0 x 23.9mm Full Frame FX format Sensor type CMOS sensor Sensor resolution 16.2 megapixels ISO Sensitivity ISO 200 to ISO 12800 (Extendable to 102400) Continuous Burst Speed 6fps (8fps in DX mode) Focus System Multi-CAM 3500FX 51-point AF Video Mode Full HD 1920x1080p (24, 25, 30, 50, 60fps) with Stereo sound & AF LCD 3-inch (921k dots) VGA LCD NIkon D800 Nikon D400 D4 (replaces Nikon D3S) Sensor size 36.0 x 23.9mm Full Frame FX format Sensor type CMOS sensor Sensor resolution 16.2 megapixels ISO Sensitivity ISO 200 to ISO 12800 (Extendable to 102400) Continuous Burst Speed 9fps (11fps in DX mode) Focus System Multi-CAM 3500FX 51-point AF Video Mode Full HD 1920x1080p (24, 25, 30, 50, 60fps) with Stereo sound & AF LCD 3-inch (921k dots) VGA LCD D4X (replaces Nikon D3X) Sensor size 36.0 x 23.9mm Full Frame FX format Sensor type CMOS sensor Sensor resolution 24.5 megapixels ISO Sensitivity ISO 200 to ISO 6400 (Extendable to 25600) Continuous Burst Speed 5fps (7fps in DX mode) Focus System Multi-CAM 3500FX 51-point AF Video Mode Full HD 1920x1080p (24, 25, 30, 50, 60fps) with Stereo sound & AF LCD 3-inch (921k dots) VGA LCD

Olympus Pen Lite (E-PL3)

Olympus recently announced a trio of updates to its Micro Four Thirds Pen range; the E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM3 and guess what - we managed to bag some hands-on time with the new "Lite" model at the European event so we can tell you what to expect when it goes on sale later in the year. 

The Pen Lite, as the name suggests, this is a diet version of the E-P3 and acts as the middle man in what has been a significant stats update to Olympus's mirrorless setup.
Just like its bigger brother, the E-P3, the Lite has retained the ultra-fast autofocus which is said to outpace all compact system camera competition. In-body image stabilisation and Full HD movie recording are also included in the camera package. One major difference with the Lite is that it has a vari-angle 3-inch rear screen. Unlike the E-P3 however the display is not touch sensitive.

Pocket-lint were only given a very brief period of time to play with the Lite, which remained in the hands of Olympus staff much longer than ours. From the time we had we did notice that the E-PL3 handled really well. Picking the camera up feels like grasping a very high end compact, the metallic finish is nice to hold and the body grips well in the hand. The Lite feels so much like a compact in fact that it was surprising to be able to switch lenses, let alone benefit from a proper specced 12-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor.
The silver top complete with mode select wheel matches nicely with Olympus's shiny M.Zuiko Pen lenses. It also has a satisfyingly meaty shutter button, which doesn't have that squishy feel of some of the cheaper entry level cameras. To the right of the LCD display is a dedicated click wheel for camera control. At first glance we felt this could have done with being a bit bigger, it did however work well with menu navigation.

The dedicated video recording button is particularly useful, meaning you can switch instantly to 1080i AVCHD video. Which we might add looked great on the 3-inch display.
The new TruePic VI sensor in the E-PL3 brings with it increased Art Filter functionality. This means Olympus's in-built photo effects software is now super charged. Allowing you to stack filters on top of each other and even view things like grainy black and white effect direct through the camera's screen.

Having handled all three of Olympus's new Pen lineup we are definitely swaying towards the E-PL3 as a favourite. Whilst is loses the OLED touchscreen of the flagship E-P3 and dedicated left-right wheel for manual control, it just feels like the logical size for a camera system of this capability.
The E-P3 is priced in at £800, a lot for a Micro Four Thirds system without a viewfinder. Olympus are yet to confirm the cost or release date of the E-PL3, but that extra price drop combined with similar functionality makes the middle-kid of the Pen family a much more tempting choice. Expect more from Pocket-lint on the E-PL3 when we get a chance to put the camera through its paces properly.

Leica V-Lux 30

There’s a new travel zoom on the block in the shape of the Leica V-Lux 30, a 14.1 effective megapixel, 1/2.33 CMOS sensor incorporating, 16x optical zoom model with sophisticated accents yet familiar boxy styling. In fact, it resembles a re-badge-d version of a less expensive product that’s been out several months.

The latter is the challenge we find ourselves grappling with in the case of rating the Leica V-Lux 30, issued in sensible matt black. Outwardly and indeed inwardly it is the near spitting image of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20, its manufacturer’s own flagship travel zoom. The Leica is a suggested £550, the Panasonic is around £350, which is still a lot for what at its core is a point-and-shoot compact. Leica is renowned for its classic attention to detail, but, with headline features the same, are the differences here, many of them subtle - like a more flattened, less curvaceous handgrip and of course that fetching silver and red branding - worth an extra £200 of your hard earned, even if copies of Photoshop Elements 9 and Premiere Elements 9 are additionally bundled in the box?

Design and features

Powering up in 2-3 seconds, the V-Lux 30 certainly feels well built when gripped in the palm, slightly wider than lesser-specified models due to that 16x optical zoom. Overall dimensions are 104.9 x 57.6 x 33.4mm and the Leica weighs 219g with SD card and rechargeable battery inserted, so it will still easily transport in any trouser pocket however.

In terms of feature set, like its Panasonic cousin the Leica V-Lux 30 offers everything one could possibly want from a camera for the holidays, apart from the fact that it isn’t waterproof, dust proof, shockproof nor freezeproof. As well as that extended lens reach, equivalent of a creatively broad 24-384mm in 35mm terms - so as adept at pulling the faraway closer as it is at shoehorning group portraits and landscapes into frame - and a maximum aperture of F/3.3, the Leica includes a GPS antenna, set into its top plate.
As on the TZ20 this tags images with location and date, details secreted within the image’s EXIF file, location popping up on-screen as you’re scrolling back through pre-captured images, so there’s no danger of forgetting were you’ve just been. Though once activated this is “always on”, you can of course turn the feature off if you don’t need it and want to save a modest extra of battery life (incidentally good for a fair 260 shots), and there’s an also airline mode whereby GPS lies dormant when you power down the camera to board a flight, but automatically re-activates the next time you turn the camera on.

Full HD video capture also expectedly features, here at 1080i and 30fps in AVCHD compression format, frames composed with the aid of the 4:3 aspect ratio, clear 3-inch, 460k dot LCD screen at the back. This display obviously narrows, cropped with black bands top and bottom to ape 16:9 widescreen format when the dedicated video record button to the right of the regular shutter release on the top plate is pressed. The quality is pretty good however, with the complete extent of the optical zoom accessible while recording. The zoom action is smooth and steady and the camera a fairly quick to adjust focus as the user adjusts framing, so the shot only goes soft very momentarily. Sound is also impressive for a point and shoot, as stereo microphones are sunk into the top plate - just like on the Panasonic.

Control

Also to be found up top is a familiar bottle-top style shooting mode dial, with just the right amount of give to avoid accidentally slipping from one setting to another. But since video is a one-touch process, and recording commences without having to change modes first, video doesn’t feature on this 10-option dial at all. Instead, along with the expected subject recognising auto mode we get the creative quartet of program, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual shooting modes. The other features are likewise identical to those found on the TZ20: custom mode, the latest must-have of a 3D mode, 29 selectable scene modes, and no fewer than two customisable “My Scene” modes for a shortcut to your favourite setting from the list.
Turn the dial to 3D mode and the camera screen prompts you to shoot while sweeping the camera through a narrow 10cm arc, which you do to a machine gun like burst of the shutter firing. These separate shots are then automatically composited together in-camera to form a single MPO format file, viewable only on a suitably equipped TV or monitor. The Leica’s backscreen remains standard 2D, although you can opt to capture a low-resolution 2D image alongside the MPO file, so at least you have something to view on the LCD and thus check your framing in situ.
As indicated by that shooting mode wheel, there is a degree of manual control offered by the V-Lux 30 for those who do occasionally want to do more than point and shoot. Unusually, we also get a dedicated “exposure” button on the backplate. This too featured on the Panasonic. Press it when in aperture priority mode to incrementally alter the lens aperture from F/3.3 to F/6.3 as desired and in conjunction with the familiar four-way control pad just below. Likewise give it a press in shutter priority mode to move from 1/4000 of a sec to 8 seconds. In manual mode, tweaks to both settings can be made and we also get a +/- 2Ev exposure slider flashing up on screen.

As we had previously reviewed the TZ20, everything about the V-Lux 30 felt familiar and intuitive - so it’s hard to tell whether this would have been the same coming to it completely cold. That said, there are no curveballs thrown here; controls fall readily under finger or thumb and settings - such as colour boosting “vivid” mode - are where you’d expect them to be within the menus.

Performance

In terms of stills image quality, blown highlights and instances of pixel fringing were the only semi-regular issues we could take with the Leica - and in fairness these are bugbears that blight 99% of all pocket cameras anyway, to a greater or lesser extent, which means that these aren’t deal breakers by any means. Low light performance isn’t anything special as might be predicted from a camera that calls it quits at the maximum manually selectable ISO 1600, with it being best to stick to ISO 400 if you want to avoid any noise in shots.
Colours are realistic however, the vivid option warm without being unnaturally so, and a good level of detail is held across the frame, with no tell tale fall off towards the corners when shooting at extreme wideangle. Yes, we occasionally got the odd soft shot when shooting at maximum telephoto handheld, but this again felt par for the course. Ultimately, in using the Leica over the course of a week’s activities we enjoyed being able to slip such a versatile snapper into our back pocket to quickly retrieve for that spur of the moment shot, and after utilising a focal range this expansive we always find it a real bind to have to go back to a “regular” 5x optical zoom.


Verdict
As a photographic brand Leica is synonymous with quality, the best of the best. That means its products inevitably cost just a little bit more. When what’s being sold is a standalone entity that nobody else does quite as well, it’s a little easier to justify than something that largely appears to be your standard Panasonic camera with subtle tweaks and Leica branding.
Of course with Leica it could be argued that you’re not just buying a camera, you’re buying into a dream. There’s just not the same kudos attached to the Panasonic brand, if on a practical level it is tried and tested reliable, and certainly not in this case a “second best”.
The Leica V-Lux 30 isn’t the first compact from the manufacturer to simply look like a more expensive version of an existing Panasonic and one assumes nor will it be the last. The bare facts are that it is, however, a very well made camera that performs very well and in that sense, if you’re on the lookout for a travel zoom, the V-Lux 30 could well be the only travel zoom you may ever need. Bear that in mind and £550 begins to look less contentious, as does £80 for an optional (and likewise attractive) leather case with strap to keep it safe and snug. On this camera it’s all about the little details rather than just the bigger picture.

Olympus Pen E-P3

Olympus have only just unveiled their brand new flagship Pen E-P3 camera and we were on hand to take a look. The new Pen is a major step in the right direction for the mirrorless camera, boasting what could be a spec sheet that brings it up to speed with the DSLR competition. Until now Micro Four Thirds systems have tended to struggle in the autofocus and low light department. Olympus plans to change all that with a 12,800 ISO range and what they are saying is the speediest AF system on any interchangeable lens camera system to date.

Design

The E-P3 is designed to be as portable and compact as possible whilst not sacrificing any of the photographic capability a keen amateur might expect. This means a 120 x 69 x 34mm body that weighs just 321g. Lightweight indeed ... but pick the camera up and you don’t get that solid and sturdy feel which some of the more meatier entry level DSLR competition offers. That said, a good afternoon shooting left us with very little neck ache and we could easily see the camera being a more powerful replacement to the portable holiday compact.

In terms of design, Olympus has kept things retro with the Pen. Previous models have enjoyed relative success in many cases simply because they carried the trendy film camera look. The new E-P3 is no exception. There is however a marked difference in feel between the three different colour options. The black is by far the most pleasing to the eye, carrying a Leica-esque style that isn’t really offered by other Micro Four Thirds systems. The white has a slightly cheaper feeling finish, whilst the silver definitely carries that extra quality edge.
Ergonomically the Pen, whilst being compact sized, manages to handle more like a rangefinder or old film 35mm film camera. As we discovered this size makes it the perfect street photography companion for those who can’t afford much more expensive rangefinder alternatives. Discreet and silent (once you turn the focus bleep off), it was perfect for an afternoon of people snapping.
One problem we did notice was that the on/off button, shutter and Fn2 keys are placed dangerously close to each other. Whilst a minor niggle, it does mean that you can occasionally switch the camera off just prior to taking a snap. On the subject of Fn keys, it is really nice to see customisable buttons on an amateur level camera.

Another slightly bizarre design choice is the lens lock. Essentially a lock which once the lens has been extended, prevents it from returning to a more compact closed position. Whilst this is an obvious space saver, it does means that your lens is a lot more vulnerable should you accidentally slam something into the front element, although this has been a feature on their 14-42mm lens since the first version.
Teething problems aside, the look and feel of the E-P3 is definitely commendable, Olympus have managed to do away with the current camera trend towards black plastic and create something stylish that doesn’t get in the way of day to day photography.

Under the skin

Inside the E-P3 is a new TruePic VI powered 12.3-megapixel (effective) MOS sensor. Previous experience with Micro Four Thirds cameras has always left us wanting more for their cost. More often than not the gain in compactness is not worth the sacrifice in image quality. We spent plenty of time putting the 12,800 ISO capable sensor through its paces and were surprised at the results it turned out.
The first thing worth noting is the speed at which the camera managed to achieve focus lock. We raced it against a Nikon D700 and found that in many cases the £800 E-P3 outpaced it. All this speed comes with one major sacrifice however. Constant AF means a constant drain in battery, so much so that the E-P3 could manage around 300 shots at a push. Whilst this might seem like a lot, for a camera aimed at the keen amateur, who may forget to recharge daily, we can see a few inconvenient battery deaths at crucial holiday moments.

One thing we couldn’t argue with was the Pen’s image quality, which proved consistent in a range of situations. The shots included in this article were all taking using the E-P3 and as you can see, for a camera with such a small sensor it has an impressive dynamic range. It also turns out sharp and well saturated pictures which appeared relatively noise-free up until the higher end of the sensors capability. For those who want really nicely balanced colours and a bit more detail to play with, it may be worth considering something like the Canon EOS 550D or Nikon D3100. Both may be admittedly larger in size, but deliver stellar imaging for a similar price.

Funky shooting

The E-P3 aims to do away with a lot of the complexities involved with post production and shooting itself. The inclusion of a Live Guide mode which walks the photographer by the hand through a shot is undoubtedly a reflection of this. You can simply do away with technical terms like F-stop and bokeh and instead replace them with a background blur slider which you adjust for shots. Photographs themselves can even be edited in camera, corrected and cropped.

A particular highlight was the included Art Filters, something which Olympus are so proud of they have given them their own notch on the rotating mode dial. Once selected the camera sorts out exposure and settings for you, allowing you to concentrate fully on getting a shot. Things like grainy black and white, bleach bypass, pop art or a pinhole camera effect can all be applied and viewed live on the E-P3’s display. We liked the idea of getting everything sorted in camera and simply having to press the button to take a correctly exposed shot. It did however begin to feel restrictive when we wanted to underexpose or overexpose a picture to create more dynamic light.
Olympus’s new flagship Pen is capable or recording 1080i AVCHD video as well as motionJpeg files. Switching to video was as easy as pressing the dedicated record button to the right of the screen at the back of the camera. From what we recorded, footage has got that inevitable DSLR style video wobble. It is however seriously impressive to be getting such high quality recording out of what is a tiny camera compared to something like the 5D MkII or 550D.

We tested the E-P3 with a pair of different lenses; the kit issued 14-42mm and an ultra-wide 9-18mm. Both were extremely light and added very little to an already featherweight camera body. They also both had a smooth zoom action and well behaved front elements which didn’t move when focusing. Personally we preferred the 9-18, that extra bit of width being perfectly suited to a light street snapper like the E-P3. Initial test pics turned out sharp with little chromatic aberrations or any other nasty unexpected lens issues.

Final points

Once we were done snapping and began reviewing pictures back on the 3-inch OLED display, we were immediately struck by its saturation and clarity. The idea is that the 614,000 dots screen reproduces shots in their entirety.
Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to look at the optional viewfinder or flash, which was irritating as after a few hours shooting we began longing for a proper photographic finder. The Pen E-P3 is a highly capable camera and it feels underused when staring at the back of a screen to snap. A much more natural and rangefinder style photographic experience could be had simply by adding a non digital way of framing photos.

First Impressions

There is a lot to like about the new Pen, it is highly formidable, small, yet easy for beginners to pick up and learn from. But at £800 is it really the camera they will be adopting? Personally we are far more excited to run the E-PL3 through its paces, a cheaper smaller brother which the same sensor and nearly all the functionality. If Olympus gets it right and retains everything good about the E-P3 but puts it in a more affordable package, we could have the perfect entry-level camera on our hands.