New Olympus E-P3, Panasonic G3 reviews and another Toy lens review
There is a new full Olympus E-P3 review at Engadget (Click here): “For those dead-set on this category, though, the E-P3 doesn’t innovate enough from an image quality standpoint to justify an upgrade, and for newcomers, that $900 price point is awfully hard to swallow. Here’s hoping the E-P4 will hit with an MSRP that doesn’t give us so much pause.“. Get the E-P3 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Quesabesde (Click here to read the translation) posted a full Panasonic G3 review: “The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 deserves to rank among the best options for those who walk looking for a compact camera with affordable price“. Get the G3 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Steve Huff (Click here) tested the 11mm f/2.4 Toy lens: “The lens is small, light, has a metal mount, and focuses quickly and easily. If you buy this lens, do not expect perfection, straight lines, or super sharp images. Instead, expect some cool “SLR Magic” funkiness and you will be quite happy“. You can check the Toy lens price on eBay (Click here)
Bob B.
2 years ago |11mm f/1.4 SLR Magic Toy Lens…
I won one of these from SLR Magic and shot images for their use. The lens is really fun!
See images here: http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/m620/Infared007
Enjoy!
TR
2 years ago |Great shots! You really have used the ‘toy’ aspect of this lense well.
Bob B.
2 years ago |Thanks!…that is what it is all about!!!!!
Randy
2 years ago |Lol the article says “1mm f/2.4 Toy lens” might wanna fix that
frosti7
2 years ago |G3, not in stock yet?
panasonic are you kidding?
Nelson
2 years ago |Engadget camera review is a joke, they also have the e-pl3 reviewed as well, for me I would not bother posting them as the reviewer is really bias on sony camera it seems
Raines
2 years ago |Yeah, that’s not a review. It’s pretty terrible. I like the one of the comments that said something like “adding another $200 to get a D700? You might as well say add another $20,000 and get a Dodge Ram truck.” Not that the comments are much better- many people are whining about how it isn’t really pocketable so it’s a rip off, and people should get D700′s.
Gah. Gah I say.
Nathan
2 years ago |Engadget is a joke. Camera snobs who don’t know what the PEN is.
Here’s a list of what the PEN offers, most of which cannot be matched in any other camera:
1. Wireless flash control with FP sync
2. In-body stabilization so that even legacy lenses are stabilized.
3. Fast wide prime lens (12mm F2.0)
4. Compact size, unobtrusive street and candid photography
5. DSLR image quality (maybe not current-gen SLR but still in SLR quality range, within 1 stop of performance features of current crop of APS-C cameras)
6. Excellent build quality
7. Wide variety of lenses from super-wide to telephoto, with fast lenses in the 12mm through 45mm range
8. AF and Autoexposure capability with a full range of lenses from Four Thirds, including fast primes.
9. ISO sensitivities which will cover 90 percent or more of photographic needs, and 100 percent of street photographers’ needs
10. Price point appropriate to the product features
Sure, you can get a Canon Rebel for cheaper, but not by much, and it will not be either as compact, or as well built. Having used both Canon Rebel cameras and Nikon entry level cameras and kit lenses, I can honestly say that there is absolutely no comparison between the Rebel and the E-P3, and that comparison (if attempted) does not favor Canon’s Rebel or Nikon’s D3100 within the price point afforded by the Olympus E-P3.
The Sony NEX-7 is about the only thing I see as comparable, and its lenses are bulkier and heavier, and not at all well-balanced for fast shooting. Having handled the NEX-5 and NEX-C3, my impression of those cameras is that they are distinctly front-heavy even with the kit lens, and the interface lacks the ability to quickly adjust aperture or exposure compensation in Aperture Priority mode. Autofocus is distinctly slower than PEN E-P3.
However, the NEX-7 is a very pretty piece of kit. I would not mind long-term testing it as soon as they build a very fast prime wide angle for it.
WT21
2 years ago |Engagdet is the Consumer Reports of cameras == old school, misinformed, generally clueless.
mahler
2 years ago |For most of the EP-3 review, unfortunately, one has to agree. No new landmark IQ in m4/3 achieved (wasn’t there rumor that the EP-3 has a new sensor setting a new IQ standard for m4/3?), and the price point is simply a little rip off. If you want to have a view finder, which the G3 already offers, the kit price is around 1.200,- €, whereas a similarly build and performing G3 is sold for 629,- €. Even the m4/3 flagship, the GH2, is cheaper (859,- €).
It is a shame that Olympus has not revamped the awkward control layout of the EP-3. The flimsy control-wheel-4way thing is one of the dealbrakers of this camera. It is the third iteration now, and still the old stuff (not to speak of no build-in view finder again in the top model).
Chris
2 years ago |The EP3′s dynamic range is excellent with Auto-Gradation turned on, and matches some APS-C cameras.
The OLED screen makes a viewfinder less important in that it’s more visible in bright conditions.
It’s very pricy now, but if its pricing follows the same trajectory as the EP2 and EP1 then in a year it’ll be a bargain, and in two the body will be cheaper than some P&Ss. If you want the latest and greatest then EPx pricing is a problem; if you don’t mind being a generation or two ‘behind’ then it isn’t really an issue.
RW
2 years ago |While I applaud the great new OLED screen in the EP-3 (it really is very nice), a screen is no substitute for a viewfinder. many feel that is an acceptable compromise, but I don’t. That is why I could never justify any of the Pens over say the G3 or GH-2.
D
2 years ago |The Toy Lens reviews kills me. I agree that it can be a fun lens to shoot with but not a good value lens at all for the price, especially when you take into account the fact that Surplus Shed was selling the excellent Computar 12.5mm f/1.3 for around $30. There’s a lot of excellent C-mount lenses out there that will cost less than the Toy Lens.
By the way, not sure about others but the eBay link to the Toy Lens directs me to the KIPON EOS-m4/3 adapter.
rUY
2 years ago |Toys selling at that price is simply a joke.
TR
2 years ago |Yea, it’s a shame about the price. Bob B (above) got a lot out of this lens in his shots, but for soemthing that is really all about experimentation and playing around the price is way too hight for me. About half that is as far as I would possible go.
Does anyone know any c-mount wides that are worth a try?