Olympus Pen E-PL3 review

The E-PL3 has a few more buttons than its peers, though, including a customisable Fn button and another for digitally magnifying the live view image. It also includes a mode dial. There’s a trend among CSCs to strip out physical controls in a bid for point-and-shoot simplicity, but a mode dial is one feature that’s always worth having, whether it’s to switch from Program to Aperture Priority mode or from Auto to a scene preset.

We were initially mystified by the sparse menus, but an option in the Setup menu page unlocks a Custom page with masses of options for everything from the Auto ISO mode’s upper and lower limits to the orientation of the focus ring and wheel on the back of the camera. We disliked how this wheel didn’t have a default role – such as exposure compensation or aperture – while shooting, but this option is there too, with the ability to define it separately for P/A/S/M modes. Some features are cryptically named but we can’t fault the E-PL3 for the breadth and depth of options.

Performance was a weak area for previous Pen cameras but the E-PL3 is a massive improvement. It switched on and captured a photo in 0.9 seconds, and subsequent photos were just 0.6 seconds apart. Autofocus was extremely quick, and although we didn’t have the Panasonic GF3 or Nikon J1 to hand to make direct comparisons, it routinely outpaced the Sony NEX-5N for autofocus. It occasionally floundered in very low light but these occasions were rare enough so as not to be a significant issue. Continuous shooting was at 4.3fps in our tests, slowing to a still-respectable 2.2fps after nine frames. An alternative mode captured at up to 1.7fps with continuous autofocus, although it slowed further when moving subjects demanded updated focus.

Olympus is the only CSC manufacturer to incorporate image stabilisation into the sensor, which means it works with any lens. However, the E-PL3’s stabilisation isn’t the most effective we’ve encountered. Quite a few of our test shots on automatic settings were slightly blurred. It didn’t do well in controlled tests compared to the NEX-5N, either. For example, the 5N kept 85 per cent of shots sharp when shooting 1/8-second exposures at the full zoom extension, but the E-PL3 only managed 30 per cent at the same settings. Tests at other shutter speeds told a similar story.

Video recording is at 1080/30p in AVCHD format, with clip lengths up to 30 minutes. The automatic exposure reacted quickly to changing light, while the ability to apply exposure lock and to shoot in priority or full manual modes provides complete control for those who need it. However, unlike the NEX-5N and Nikon J1, manual exposure settings can’t be adjusted while recording. The ISO control is limited to 400 to 1600 for videos, and video picture quality at ISO 1600 wasn’t as sharp nor as smooth as from the NEX-5N. Autofocus was extremely responsive but the kit lens made purr-like clicks that were picked up by the microphone.