O N E P E N L OV E R S F E E D BAC K O F T H E E - P 3 30TH JUNE 2011

wow.WowWOW!! and gulp.. Hi, my name is Chin Koon Yik1 and I am an IT Salesman that enjoys photography as shutter therapy2. I dont blog nor have my own website. However, if you google my name, you will get this hit http://asianbankerforums.com/award/ITimplementation/photo10.html. I shoot with my friends mostly on Saturdays and we are what locally is called Syiok Sendiri Shooters. Translated as Shoot For Personal Fun people who post on Facebook and Flickr for likes and/or comments amongst friends. Heres a larger picture of me in case you want to chuck this ebook at me.

Taken by a professional photographer with E-PL1 and PenF 42mm I have yet been asked for my views on a product or a service and now I am asked to share my views of the E-P3 because I am an E-P2 user. Wow!!. Well, I got my E-P2 just more than a year ago via a 20 months easy installment scheme (to be exact, I bought it on 19th Jan 2010). Prior to my E-P2, I was using my Cybershot DSC-P1 which was then replaced by my Finepix f40Fd. Do forgive me for my bias as my feedback is purely from an E-P2 users perspective. I am quite sure E-P3 is a culmination of prior PENs features and functions plus more. I have tried my existing lenses with the E-P3 and they worked perfectly as you can see from some of the pictures later on.

My precious optics all bought new. Taken with 14-42

1

KoonYik, Chin in western format Shutter therapy is a term introduced to me by Robin Wong

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The E-P3 package loaned to me is a twin lens kit comprising the 14-42mm and the 40-150mm plus the 12mm in its own separate box. As a summary, I have mixed feelings about the E-P3 as it is another 20 months installment scheme for me but I really love the 12mm. What do I like about the E-P3? Hhhmmm lots and in no particular order. Here goes. Firstly, it AF faster and like most people when they popped into a shop to check out a camera, they would normally focus far and near as the first layman test. I did the same but with a slight twist see below.

Taken with 14-42mm

Taken with 14-42mm Unfortunately when I check the photographs EXIF the time taken does not go down to seconds. Both photographs showed that they were taken at the same time.

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For me, the combination of new features and technology inside the E-P3 allowed me to focus in low light and almost no light plus at a speed that allowed clear pictures. Mind you, 100km/hr on Malaysian road is a bumpy ride. I am told that highest ISO for any camera normally results in noise but I am sure the picture above is good enough for the police if the van or my wife (who was driving) were speeding. Hee Hee.. I find that another good layman test of its AF speed is to use the touchscreen to shoot and man, its fast. Yupe, did it again whilst at 110km/hr. Why not have fun on boring long journeys. If I were to use this method of shooting then my shooting steps need to be changed slightly, instead of focus on subject, hold that focus, compose and then click shutter to capture I now have to compose and touch the subject. Cool. E-P3 gives me 4 choices of AF zones, i.e. normal large square, and 3 different and smaller rectangle sizes. I can now focus better on a person who is quite far from me and I feel this would also be useful when I am shooting a persons face and want to focus on her eyes or the insects eyes. Of course, the new Pupil Face Detection will also work. Tried Pupil Face Detection on dogs and it failed a new reason to get new firmware. Cool, now got choice of automation and full manual control. The 35 AF zones when you see on the LCD reminds me of a sci-fi security light beam meant to slice anything in its way and boy, it allows E-P3 to AF fast but it did not read my mind and frustrated me when it AF on what I dont want. It did AF at subject behind the glass instead of the glass. Oh yes, if you prefer to go back to the E-P2s 9 points AF, it is just a click away.

Taken with 12mm

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The 2 times digital tele-converter is useful for my manual lens as my eyes are not that sharp. I programmed this on the Fn1 button, press once to magnify and press again for normal. Less steps than my E-P2 but the longer method is still available but again easier. So instead of clicking Info until green rectangle appears and then press Ok to magnify, on E-P3 just press the dedicted magnified button to bring up green rectangle and press again to magnify. Haa haa I can also shoot a picture with the 2 times digital tele-converter on and had fun when I am shooting close-ups this feature works on all lens mounted but dont expect the resolution to be as good as optical zoom.

Baseline shot - taken with 12mm at minimum focusing distance

Next shot with x2 tele-converter

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I programmed Fn2 for LiveGuide and this is another feature I liked. 5 of its buttons can be customized plus E-P3 doubled the personal saved settings from 2 to 4. Fun! I can also programmed the E-P3 for my wife to use with iAuto, Full-Time AF, Touchscreen shooting and Touchscreen LiveGuide. Unfortunately, she needs to zoom manually but then the kit lens are quite light anyway. The new LCD allows shooting in bright sun - much better than my E-P2. I shoot with VF2 on my E-P2 and glad it also works on E-P3. The grips can also be customized from clean face to the kit grip which is like my E-P2 and finally to an optional larger grip which is useful for heavy lens and for hanging the E-P3 on my fingers whilst I am moving about. I am quite sure when we skin our E-P3s, most of us will not want to use any grips as we want to show off the skin like a Coach skin. Hee hee With the more recessed main dial and sub dial, I have not accidentally change the EV nor the Aperture with my right palm as I have frequently done with my E-P2 plus the mode dial allows me to dial modes and hit the buttons all with my right hand. Cool. So easy to switch from my regular A mode to ART or SCN by just clicking without looking. By the way, I feel the buttons are more spaced out than that of mobile phones keypad. The dedicated movie button is also useful for me as I can now avoid freezing my E-P2 like I had done a couple of times when I switch too fast from Movie to A mode. Shooting a still together with the movie clip is also fun. I love the new menu it looks so clean and comes with expanded description that can be switched off but I preferred it on as its like carrying the manual with me. Take a look at one sample.

Taken with E-P2 and 14-54 MkII As you would expect, menu has been reorganized, for e.g. Level Gauge which used to be on its own is now categorized under LV-Info. This a useful item for me. Back to customization, the intensity of the pop up flash can be selected in addition to the usual options like 2nd curtain sync. To a person who does not shoot with flash I find this quite cool.

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There are now more Art Filters with types and effects too. I counted 53 Art Filter combinations. Wow! I only had 6 choices with my E-P2. Sorry for being overboard but heres a few Art Filters shots to share. By the way, I dont use much of my E-P2s Art Filters but looks like I am now stung. Hee hee

Gentle Sephia and pin-hole effect. Taken with 12mm.

Dramatic Tone with White Border and unfortunately not visible on white background (lesson to learn). Taken with Nokton 25mm.

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Pop Art with Starlight effect. Taken with 14-54 Mk II in daylight

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Standard Dramatic Tone. Boat anchor maker is holding the hammer and he is the 3rd generation in this 100+ year old metallurgy shop. Taken with 14-54 Mk II

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Sephia. Taken with 12mm

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Gentle Sephia with White Edge. Taken with 40-150.

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Gentle Sephia with White Edge. Taken with Nokton 25mm

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Baseline no art filter, just A mode. Taken with 12mm

Next shot in Pop Art with Soft Focus. Any interior designer reading this ebook? So easy to discuss with your client. Haa haa..

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Baseline shot, just A mode. Taken with 12mm

Next shot taken with Pop Art and Starlight effect. Haa haa.. any car salesman seeing this

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Watch out as one can get overboard. Taken with 40-150

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What more, I can also bracket Art Filters!! Haa haa This bracket allowed me to select both Art Filters and Picture Modes. For laughs, I bracketed all 17 options!! It took about 15 seconds to save upon that single shutter click but maybe its because I chose JPEG and RAW. See below for some sample pictures.

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Taken with 14-140. Mega OIS switched off. Man, I now need to know how to exploit Art Filters. PASM modes haaa haaa.. Oh yes, I can also select Art Filters in

Whenever I get a shooting block, I normally put on my lensbaby to stir up my juices but now with 53 Art Filters combinations I may have an easier way. To save battery life, I avoid chimping (reviewing) but now I say what the heck. The new LCD is so beautiful even in bright sunlight. I had lots of fun flicking my photographs back and forth with one finger, sliding to enlarge and using one finger to move around the photograph. I didnt have to learn this as its like the touchscreen capabilities of my htc mobile phone.

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Hidden in the white balance option there is a Switch Off Warm Colours option. Whoa! Take a look at the outcome.

Baseline shot Warm Colours switched on. Taken with 40-150.

Next shot with warm colours off. Cannot explain why it looks brighter?

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Oh yes, in addition the colours of the E-P3 are also less warm than the E-P2. See below.

Baseline shot. Taken with E-P2 and G.Zuiko 50mm f1.4 at ASA100 f5.6

Cropped to focus on the specific tile colour

Next shot taken with E-P3 and G.Zuiko 50mm f1.4 cropped and at ASA200 f5.6 The above pictures were taken with Warm Colour Switched on but this function as per the manual says only works in incandescent light.

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For those who knows how to merge pictures of different exposures for HDR fun, E-P3 now allows 7 pictures exposure bracketing instead of 3 in E-P2. Cool I am not there yet still learning how to do panorama shots. There are also smaller features which I like and can be overlooked, namely, I can now copyright my photographs which goes into the EXIF, the histogram on the viewfinder is now smaller, on selecting type of metering I can see the metering area in the viewfinder, hotshoe is recessed now, textured tripod rectangle allowed my quick release tripod to be more tight and I can shoot 3D pictures but I dont have a such a monitor to test at home. I didnt get to test the new Eye-Fi capability so I can only mentioned it. Heard from a friend that uses it upon shooting the picture of the model, her photograph appears on his laptop screen. Wow! a larger review screen!! Now comes my flip side what I dont like about the E-P3 and they are after all my personal preferences. The E-P3 is lighter with the body feeling less metal than my E-P2. I personally felt it lost a bit of its retro style but then I know lots of people prefer lighter cameras whereas I feel weight helps me stabilize my camera better. Is it because it also lost the wordings Since 1959??? ASA now starts at 200 instead of my E-P2s 100. But I dont know how to measure this except the photographs taken with the E-P3 so far do look sharp. Pop-up flash not usable on larger lens like my 4/3 and Lumix lenses as part of the lens come across as a shadow on the bottom right corner of my photographs. I think the AF illuminator could also be blocked. I did managed to get the screen to freeze a number of times whilst using my VF-2 especially when I am switching to Art Filter and Scene modes. I also got the sub-dial for aperture dialing to freeze a couple of times. Firmware says 1.0 though. The USB door is plastic and needs to be pulled out slightly to open unlike the metal more robust hinge one of my E-P2. I was afraid of breaking this door in my hurry. Maybe not, as I am using a card reader to transfer my files into my laptop. Yes, the new LCD screen is so functional but the colours gave me a shock when I uploaded my photographs into my laptop they look richer on the LCD screen. In additional, I prefer the larger 4:3 aspect display of my E-P2. E-P3s display during shooting and review is smaller and of a funny aspect (approximately 51mm by 42mm). However, on zooming the display enlarged into a 3:2 aspect. These last three may sound weak. First one - I prefer the sound of my E-P2s shutter. E-P3s one is muffled and more silent. The next is that on sequential shooting I could do about 10 shots (RAW) before the E-P2 slows down. However, on the E-P3 it slows down after 6 to 7 shots (RAW). Lastly, the stereo microphones position has changed from in the camera face directly pointing at subject to on camera top close to hot-shoe. Will hot shoe devices like 3rd party LED Video light affect the sound pickup? Hhhmmm

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So much for the E-P3, now the loaned item that I feel in love. Why I love the 12mm? Hhhmmm I always consider metal to be sexy and if looks can kill then the 12mm with its square metal hood is a lens I would die for. Switching to my type of street shooting mode is now much easier on the E-P3 I just push back the ring on the lens and clicked the aperture to F8 and fire away. I normally leave the lens set for under 3feet to near infinity at F8 position and when I pushed back the ring to auto-focus it does not change this setting.

The DOF zone that I set for the 12mm. Taken with Lensbaby Composer at f4

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Taken whilst I was standing next to this couple listening to their conversation. A sneaky hip-shot

Taken while walking towards this couple in a conversation hip shot

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Taken while cyclist was passing by hip shot

Taken whilst walking towards this tourist hip shot

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Took this with framing no hip shot as I like the dogs shadow

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There is hardly any visible distortion, I can focus quite close, the field of view is just great and the star shapes are also cool.

Took this to test lens distortion

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Took this to test close-up and had to use flash as Sunshine, my guinea pig, when eating just refuses to stay still. Taken at 9pm indoors.

Took this to test close-up. Rested the 12mm on the glass of this food warming oven. Lucky the lens is metal. Hee hee.

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Took this to test field of view

Took this to test field of view

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Took this to test field of view. I was about 18 feet from the free standing microphone

Took this to test the star shape of the 12mm at f11

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At certain angle, you can get a cool type of flare.

Took this to test a cool lens flare

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As closing, the colours on the E-P3 are still captivating.

Took this to test E-P3 colours in shade

Took this to test E-P3 colours in sunlight

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Took this to test E-P3 colours indoors

Took this to test E-P3 colours in night time

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All photographs were taken SOOC (straight out of the camera) and if you need to see the EXIF of these photos do get them from my flickr account3 after midnight 30th June 2011 (GMT+8). The pictures shown here have been resized to fit the format of the ebook. By the way, no compensation (financial or otherwise) was given to me for sharing my views in this ebook and all expenses incurred for checking out the E-P3 and working on this ebook are all borne by my wallet. My inner voice kept screaming Stupid. But I did take coffee and food given to me during my discussion meetings with Olympus Malaysia. Now that the ebook is finished I can get back to my Syiok Sendiri Shooting.

I am in black. Haaa haaa. Taken by a friend with his E-PL2 and kit lens Special thanks to Jamie (JME) Phuah for designing the PEN Lovers logo on the front cover page under her own expense. Please furnish me your feedback (likes and/or comments) at www.scribd.com under search wordings OLYMPUS PEN E-P3 and I would like to thank you in advance for your feedback.

My flickr account is kiynook

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Most of our shutter therapies have one or two eatery stops. Fresh lychee sundae. Taken with Lensbaby Composer at f4 Signing out and going back to Capturing and Sharing Life in a Mightier Way a PEN Lover, KoonYik P.S. Do forgive me if I have left out any good points or bad points of the E-P3 when compared with the E-P2 or mis-quote terms - I am just a user.

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