Olympus E-3 PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Olympus E-3? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Olympus makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the E-3 offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Olympus E-3 below.
In any case, the E-3 is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera was officially introduced on October 16th, 2007, which means that, as of today, the camera is 6187 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued and was succeeded by the Olympus E-5 as a replacement in the same line of cameras.
Olympus's instruction manual for the E-3
The camera's instruction manual is 156 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the E-3 is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Olympus E-3 manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Olympus's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Olympus E-3 manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Olympus E-3
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your E-3 by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Olympus E-3 is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
Olympus E-3 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the E-3.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Olympus E-3 based on?
The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.
Which image processing chip is used in the Olympus E-3 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Olympus equipped the E-3 with the TruePic III image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Olympus E-3?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200.
Does the Olympus E-3 have a selfie-friendly screen?
Yes, the LCD-screen of the E-3 is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Olympus E-3?
Olympus mentions a shutter rating of 150 000 actuations for the E-3. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the E-3 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Olympus E-3?
Olympus embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your E-3 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Olympus E-3 shutter count page.
Does the Olympus E-3 feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Olympus E-3 for flash photography?
The E-3's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Which battery does the Olympus E-3 use?
The camera gets its power from the Olympus BLM-1 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Olympus E-3?
Yes, Olympus offers the HLD-4 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Further reading
How does the E-3 stack up against available alternatives? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 5DS vs Olympus E-3
- Canon SX740 vs Sony A9 II
- Epson R-D1 vs Sony A9 II
- Fujifilm GFX 100 vs Sony A9 II
- Fujifilm X-T10 vs Olympus E-3
- Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-P5
- Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic GH3
- Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic GH5s
- Olympus E-3 vs Sony NEX-6
- Panasonic GH5s vs Sony A9 II
- Panasonic TZ95 vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A7C II vs Sony A9 II
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Olympus E-3.
Camera Model | Olympus E-3 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | |
Launch Date | October 2007 | |
Launch Price | USD 1 699 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 225 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 10 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 3 648 x 2 736 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 4.74 μm | |
Pixel Density | 4.44 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | no Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 3 200 ISO | |
Image Processor | TruePic III | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 56 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.6 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.5 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 571 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.58x | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 2.5 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | Front-flip possible | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Olympus BLM-1 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
142 x 116 x 75 mm (5.6 x 4.6 x 3.0 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 876 g (30.9 oz) |
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