Gadget test: Olympus PEN EP-3

MANILA, Philippines - The new generation of mirror-less interchangeable-lens cameras all promise to deliver DSLR quality shots with the convenience and ease of use of a point-and-shoot digital camera.

Well, at the risk of sounding like some brainwashed shutterbug wannabe, I have to proclaim that Olympus’s new PEN flagship, the EP-3, does just that. And then some.

Olympus cameras have always been at the leading edge of photography from the Zuiko lens-equipped Semi-Olympus and Olympus Six in the 1930s to today’s digital cameras.

With a new 12.3-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor, TruePic VI Image Processor, high ISO of 12,800, a reengineered autofocus system, full 1080i HD video with Dolby Digital sound recording, a newly designed and very user-friendly user interface/menu navigation and a variety of Art Filters and built-in creative features, the PEN EP-3 offers true DSLR capabilities without the complexity.

The proof of the pudding, of course, is in the photos - and in this regard, the EP-3 did not disappoint. I brought the camera to Tokyo and Bangkok for back-to-back motor shows – and a few touristy shots – and came away immensely impressed.

My DSLR-carrying colleagues and I took the same shots of Tokyo’s beautiful Rainbow Bridge and they were all stunned to see the lighter and more compact EP-3 keeping pace with more expensive Canon and Nikon DSLRs in terms of picture quality.

The handsome little EP3 simply delivers outstanding image quality regardless of shooting or lighting condition.

Speaking of handsome, the PEN E-P3 sports a classic, all-metal design that harks back to the immortal Olympus PEN film cameras of yore. But you don’t have to have been born in those years to appreciate the EP-3’s timeless design. People might call it retro; I just call it beautifully functional. 

Olympus’s new PEN also boasts what could well be the world’s fastest autofocus. The seemingly clairvoyant (the camera focuses even without your fingertip on the shutter) autofocus is made possible by Olympus’s new proprietary Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology (FAST) autofocus system.

It makes sudden photo ops a simple no-brainer. Riding a tour bus and see a magnificent landmark? The EP-3 is way ahead of you - just waiting for your trigger finger. Fabulous!

And not only that, image processing is instantaneous so the camera is ready to take the next shot immediately. That’s “speed” with a capital “S!”

The EP-3 also features a brilliant 3-inch, 614,000-pixel, high-resolution OLED touch screen to easily navigate and control the camera at the touch of a finger. The display has a wide 176-degree angle of view and is bright enough to compose images even in harsh midday light.

For HD video recording, just push the direct HD video button to instantly start filming in either AVCHD or AVI format with uncompressed CD quality.

For the more creative types, features such as Art Filters, Multiple Exposure, Aspect Ratios, and In-Camera Editing allow much more scope and flexibility to play with images.

The new PEN cameras can even shoot dynamic 3D photos in any situation from macro to landscape. Simply select the 3D Photo Mode, release the shutter, and slowly pan until the camera automatically takes a second image from a slightly different perspective. How’s that for channeling you inner James Cameron?

The 3D data is processed in-camera, resulting in an .MPO file, the universal industry 3D format for easy display on 3D televisions or laptops.

The EP-3 comes packaged with the legendary re-sculpted M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42 mm II R f3.5/5.6 II R zoom lens (28 mm-84 mm equivalent). This kit retails for a somewhat pricey P47,999. What you get, however, are essentially two cameras: a pro-level DSLR and an easy-to-use point-and-shoot. The best of both worlds, indeed.