Olympus E-PL3 Review

Review Date: November 15, 2011

Category: Beginner to Serious Amateur

Olympus E-PL3

Photoxels Gold Award – Interchangeable Lens Camera

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Olympus E-PL3 Review is based on a production model. All sample images are unretouched, except where specified.

The Olympus E-PL3 scores high marks with lightning fast AF, very good image quality, a tiltable LCD and manual modes. It’s an interchangeable lens camera that, once you’ve taken the time to set it up the way you like to work, will delight the beginner or enthusiast photographer.

The E-PL3 is a beautiful camera with clean lines. Behind the sleek exterior is a mean machine that will take pictures as fast as you can click the shutter, focus precisely and fast, and deliver very good image quality with low noise high ISO capability. Build quality is good and the E-PL3 handles well. The tiltable LCD adds a welcomed level of convenience. We’d rather that it included a built-in flash, but there’s an external clip-on flash that is included in the box. Set it on iAUTO and the beginner photographer will get great results. A Mode Dial, Control Dial and Super Control Panel provide a high level of control for the more advanced photographer.

The Olympus E-PL3 is a perfect step up for someone graduating from a point-and-shoot and a better choice than one of the high end compact digicam or entry-level DSLR. Compact, light and giving DSLR-level image quality and performance, we believe it makes an ideal mirrorless DSLR for the whole family. Highly recommended.

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