Olympus PEN E-P3 review: first look

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

I’ve had a soft spot for Olympus’ retro PEN cameras ever since the E-P1 was released two years ago. The design harks back to the days when old-fashioned rangefinders were all the rage and photography was a game of patience, not instant gratification.

(It might also have something to do with the fact that I’m the proud owner of an Olympus 35SP 35mm camera – a legend in its own time, and a wonderful portrait camera.)

Nevertheless, the original E-P1 did have its flaws. Quality was great but not quite a match for a DSLR, and performance, particularly with the contrast detect autofocus system, was sluggish. Olympus is aiming to address those issues with the PEN E-P3, which I had the chance to tinker with yesterday.

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Superzoom cameras: take me to the bridge

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

There’s an excellent Labs round-up of Superzoom cameras (also commonly called “bridge cameras”) in the latest issue of PC Pro. My only criticism is that it doesn’t makes a strong enough case for its subject.

Most people tend to think that there are only two types of digital camera to choose from: point-and-click compact cameras majoring in convenience, and high-end DSLRs majoring in picture quality. Anything in between is – almost by definition – seen as an uncomfortable compromise. However I think that the vast majority of users would actually be far better off with this intermediate format.

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International rescue saves Canon 350D

Monday, June 16th, 2008

There are two loves in the life of our former deputy reviews editor, Dave Stevenson: his wife and his camera. If he was forced at gunpoint to choose between the two, I’m not sure which he’d sacrifice (he infamously omitted to even mention his wife in his wedding speech), which is he’s taken both on his travels.

What follows here is the incredible tale of the buffeting his beloved Canon EOS 350D has taken on his journey and the brilliant support he received from Canon’s worldwide support team, lifted wholesale from his superb travel blog, Sorry For The Group Email:

Here is what may be a little-known fact about cameras.

Apart from Ferraris from forecourts, champagne into ocean liners, and Edwardian furniture off buildings, very few commodities lose their value faster. A second little-known fact about DSLRs is that, despite their promisingly-mechanical nature, economically repairing them is next to impossible. Indeed, ruin a DSLR comprehensively enough (easily done), and repairing it and buying a new one take on similar fiscal proportions.

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