Olympus E-P3 review

A retro-styled camera with very modern features and an ultra-fast autofocus system

The E-P3 is the new flagship model for the PEN range. It has a similar retro design and is aimed at the serious amateur photographer.

Using the E-P3 is very easy. With its abundance of buttons it’s possible to adjust most of the settings with your right hand. There is also a 3-inch 614k-dot touch screen, which enables you to take photos and select the focus point, although its functions complement the buttons rather than replace them altogether. 

The E-P3 comes with all the settings you’d want. It has an iAuto mode as well as 23 scene modes, which make it perfect for shooting in any situation. There are also ten in-camera art filters, from black and white to dramatic tone, to allow some added creativity without having to edit your photos. These filters can be used in all shooting modes, even when filming in full HD video.

If you would like to take more control of your shots, the E-P3 offers a full manual setting, enabling you to change every shot setting. You will need to change things like ISO or white balance in the menus, unless you assign one of the many customisable buttons to these functions. This ability for the user to define the functions of a number of buttons means the E-P3 can be tailored to suit each photographer’s needs.

The menu system can be a little difficult to get used to, as advanced options are hidden out of sight until activated. This is not a problem for the beginner, but more experienced users may find this frustrating.

Photos taken with the E-P3 are very good, even in low-light situations and with the built-in pop-up flash. The beginner-friendly Live Guide is excellent if you are unsure of a particular setting, and it enables you to do things like blur the background with a touch-screen slider.

The E-P3 takes the top spot as the best PEN yet, and sets a new benchmark for compact system cameras.