Olympus E-620 Digital SLR Camera (14-42mm & 40-150mm Lens Kit)

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 "Mostly outstanding DSLR" 2010-07-31
By G. Shaw (UK)
Outstanding camera so far. As a former user of an E400 I can see the improvements. I especially like the movable screen. I have been taking some silky water shots at evening from low down and using the screen on tilt makes it a pleasure to try these special effects, impossible without it. Same compact feel as the previous camera but with so many more extras. Have not yet tried wireless flash but am encouraged to try.



Multiple exposure at 4 frames per second have been good in taking action shots of my greyhounds and speeding steam locomotives ( not at the same time !!)



I am slightly concerned with the quality of the lenses. It seem that a compromise is being made by manufacturers, in particular Olympus. The desire to give everyone a zoom lens facility to compete with the compact camera market causes a drop in the final image quality, compared with a fixed focus lens. This might seem a silly gripe to some users but if I want to produce pin sharp images using a tripod etc I never feel totally satisfied. Yes I can crop images severely and still produce A4 size prints but they are not as good as others I have seen on the internet.



Another feature that works but I would like an improvement is the macro facility. At the moment I get as good if not better macros with my Panasonic TZ7 using iAuto. Again this might be a problem caused by the compromise with the zoom lenses. My OM1 and OM2 originally came with 50mm fixed focus lenses that were great, and opened up to F1.4.

 "Olympus E-620" 2010-04-25
By Brian Goodey (Colchester, UK)
Been using this intensively for several weeks now and have totally fallen in love with it. The flip out screen is well thought out and useable, even in strong light, particularly for macro use at low level and when reviewing the effects of extreme wide-angle. The camera is small for a dslr, comfortable, and well laid out, light even when using the additional battery holder.

 "Excellent DSLR!" 2010-04-15
By bobbewig (New Jersey, USA)
I recently bought the Olympus E-620 to upgrade my previous Olympus E-500 and to be able to continue to use my existing Olympus lenses that came with the E-500. The new features on the E-620 result in a camera that has been a joy to use and that result in great photos. These features include considerably improved resolution, 12.3 megapixels, very effective, fun to use art filters, live view, a 2.7 inch swivel LCD screen, face detection, seven auto focus points and a faultless image stabilization system. The one criticism I have is that autofocusing is somewhat slow in low-light conditions with the Olympus lenses I have. However, friends have told me that this is a criticism that applies as well to their more expensive Nikon and Canon DSLRs. Overall, I have been very satisfied with the Olympus E-620 and would highly recommend it.

 "Olympus E-620: First impressions" 2010-03-26
By G. Heath
This will be the briefest of reviews as my technical knowledge of DSLRs is very limited--in fact this is the first one I have used--and so far I have only taken one set of test point-and-shoot photos with the camera set on automatic.



My first impressions of this product are favourable: this is a nice camera to hold and use. For me it's important to have something lightweight--a larger DSLR is out of the question, and the E-620 is not a burden to carry around. The user-manual is rather intimidating and I came to a grinding halt on page 74: "Flash shooting". But that's because I don't have a separate flash gun yet! Anyway, it is a sophisticated little camera and clearly one must study the user manual at some point...My first set of photos, taken on a sunny high-contrast day, were as good as one could expect. The auto-focus and auto-exposure worked quite well and the text on various sign boards (I photographed a downtown shopping area) stood out sharp. Basically, I'm happy with these first pictures. However, I don't think this is a beginners camera, and extensive testing and study is required to get maximum utility from what is essentially a smart product.



Some gripes: not a great lens cap; the viewfinder is rather small; the menu design is very poor (mentioned by a previous reviewer, and quite rightly); battery life seems a bit on the short side to me (but then I left the camera switched on most of the time out of habit). None of these weaknesses are critical, but I have deducted one rating star because of them. But really an intriguing camera, and that's why I chose it, after a not-too-long deliberation. The E-620 struck the right balance between price and functionality for me, and came with highly-recommended, lightweight kit lenses.



Other cameras I considered: Nikon D3000 (lower end) and the Pentax K7 (higher end).



To be continued.

 "Tremendous Camera" 2010-01-18
By robotfish (London)
At this price, the e620 just about slips in to the "entry level" camera bracket. Olympus have smaller DSLR cameras (e420, e450) and cheaper cameras (same two, plus the e520) but you can pay far more. Firstly, although this camera is smaller than equivalent offerings from Canon & Nikon etc it still won't slip in your pocket. It needs to be treated just like any other dSLR.



For beginners and hobbyists I'd question the need to look any further. This camera has an amazing feature set including in-camera image stabilisation (rather than in-lens like Canon have), class-leading dust reduction, 23 modes of operation (including aperture priority, shutter priority and manual), live view, a couple of presets where you can customise the settings and save them and of course you get access to Olympus' marvellous lenses.



I got the kit with two zooms: the 14-42 & 40-150. For those who are used to 35mm camera "full frame" focal lengths this equates to a range of 28mm-300mm focal length. Although I have not extensively tested the big zoom yet I have taken lots with the small zoom and been really impressed. The images are really crisp, much better than I have been getting with point and shoot digital compacts.



The thing I most appreciate is that after mothballing my old Canon EOS 35mm camera many years ago for the convenience of compact digitals the purchase of this camera has totally reignited my imagination and is fuelling the notion that photography is art form not just a tool for documenting holidays and birthdays.



The "Art Filters" present in the camera do nothing that you couldn't do in Post-Production (i.e. Paint Shop Pro / Photoshop etc) BUT you'll find (as I do) that they really make you think about the best way to present a picture. You will find yourself looking at a subject and saying to yourself "would that be enhanced by the pinhole effect" or "that would look great in grainy black & white". It seems like a gimmick, but the filters are substantially more than that. Incorporating them with live view gives you an instant idea of what you are getting too.



The articulated screen is useful - it means you can shoot over head using live view and it also means that by inverting the screen you can protect it in storage.



The only thing I have been underwhelmed by so far is the in-camera flash. But having read around the subject on the net I found I was using it on the wrong setting! Like so many other things on this camera you can customise the flash to perform almost any way you want. This can obviously be confusing at first but I'm sure this flexibility will eventually become more of a useful feature than it appears to me now.



Conclusion: everything I hoped it would be. Now to find a good macro lens.






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 "EP1 classic in the making ?" 2010-09-13
By Sn Baines (st albans, hertfordshire United Kingdom)
Purchased this camera very cheap recently from high st retailer to compare to an EPL-1 which i already own and love to bits, reason being i love the image quality and size of the EPL-1 but as a DSLR user missed some stuff that lacks compared to the EP1 such as better direct control buttons and command wheel.

Well the EP1 gives me that and maybe more , although the EPL-1 may edge it for high ISO noise in Jegs, but we are talking tiny amounts here.

The lack of flash does not bother me , i picked up a second hand Olympus FL20 flashgun for £50 which is better then any built in flash, but because i use the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 lens i hardly ever use the flash anyway.

EP1 now has upgraded the firmware to 1.4 and the autofocus with the Panasonic 20mm lens is now superfast, worlds away from when the EP1 first came out and only used the 14-42mm lens.

All in all a lovely well built camera with stacks of control and gives great IQ, will be a classic one day.

 "This review considers the main features shared by all three Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, differentiating features, and how" 2010-07-29
By C. Watts (UK)
Introduction



On 5 August 2008, Olympus and Panasonic announced a new, mirrorless / lens mount, branding this as Micro Four Thirds. The system uses the same Four Thirds sensor size but does away with the mirror box and optical viewfinder. In a pre-Photokina announcement, on 12 September 2008, Panasonic were the first to release a Micro Four Thirds product: the Lumix DMC-G1. When I got to see this camera "in the flesh" at Photokina 2008, I was a little underwhelmed at how much it looked like a traditional DSLR, albeit MUCH smaller. I also found the operation somewhat slow. I was thus very excited to hear the announcement of the Olympus E-P1, introduced on 16 June, 2009. Subsequently the E-P2 being announced on 5 November 2009 and the E-PL1 on February 3, 2010. Since the Olympus Micro Four Thirds offerings share so much of the same "DNA," I feel these cameras cannot be reviewed in isolation. This review considers the main features shared by all three Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, differentiating features, and how they compare in the hand.



Main Features



Shared Features

* Three frames per second with sequential shooting (max 10 in RAW mode)

* Multi-Aspect ratios 4:3(Default), 3:2, 16:9, 6:6

* 12.3 Megapixel Live MOS Sensor

* TruePic V image processor

* Adapter for all ZUIKO DIGITAL & OM lenses

* Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment Technology

* HD Movie with Linear PCM sound recording

* Multi Exposure function

* HDMI TV interface

* Level gauge

* Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface

* ISO 100-6400 for wide-ranging sensitivity

* Versatile bracketing functions for white balance and exposure

* Reliable Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system

* Simultaneous writing of RAW and JPEG

* SD memory card slot (SDHC compatible)

* Auto gradation adjustment to prevent blown highlights and blocked-in shadows

* Remote release possible via the optional remote cable RM-UC1



Design & Build Quality



Both the Olympus E-P1 and E-P2 ooze quality and craftsmanship. I found the size of these two models to be almost perfect. Both dials are very tactile and provide strong control over settings. On the other hand, I found the E-PL1 to be very plastic in build quality - except for the mode dial with its very reassuring detent for each position. Although the E-PL1 is narrower, the extra height makes it feel much less compact. Of course, the E-PL1 has a built in pop-up flash that increases versatility. Both the E-P2 and E-PL1 have a hot-shoe accessory that allows for the excellent VF-2 electronic viewfinder. The standard M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 (black or silver) - 28-84mm equivalent - kit lens, I found to be excellent, whereas the M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake (silver) - 34mm fixed wide equivalent, I found to be less so. Finally, a word on the shutters of these three cameras. I found that the shutter of the E-P1 reminded me of the shutter on the legendary E-1, Olympus' first Four Thirds camera. In fact, I noticed a distinct difference between the E-P1's shutter and that of the E-P2. The E-P1 shutter allows for a true half-press, unlike the E-PL1, and once fully actuated provides a very reassuring action and, while louder than the whisper quiet E-1, does not disturb in discreet environments.



Electronic Viewfinder and Mirrorless / Interchangeable Lens Cameras



Certainly, composing through a viewfinder provides a steadier way of holding the camera and avoids the problem of an inept LCD in bright sunlight. Additionally, many photographers simply prefer to use a viewfinder when composing. At first, having used many excellent SLR / DSLR viewfinders, I was skeptical of the VF-2. Actually using the VF-2, though, dispels any doubts about this revolutionary way of "seeing." Will all mirrorless / interchangeable lens cameras use an electronic viewfinder in the future? Panasonic already feature electronic viewfinders in their Micro Four Thirds offerings. Sony has chosen to ignore any need for a viewfinder other than the LCD in their current mirrorless / interchangeable lens products. Both Canon and Nikon have hinted at entering the fray. Interestingly, in a recent press release Reuters quotes Canon's head of Image Communication Products division saying that in a bid to compete with the new breed of mirrorless cameras, the company was working on a smaller version of its SLR cameras. The report does not provide technical details, but a telling statement toward the end of the report is the observation, looking `directly at something through a viewfinder is different from seeing it indirectly via semiconductors.' Even with digital compact cameras the ubiquitous lack of a viewfinder is simply baffling. In fact, one wonders why manufacturers do not include an efficient optical finder as sported by most of their film compacts. A case in point is the Olympus Trip 35 that featured an albada-type viewfinder. Not the most accurate but "sufficient." Of course, the fantastic VF-2 electronic viewfinder used by the E-P2 and E-PL1 provides far more than a 100% field of view. All shooting information available on the LCD is also provided when looking through the VF-2. Manual focusing is a breeze using the VF-2 and it adjusts well to changing light with brightness increasing to compensate for dimly lit environments. I definitely recommend the VF-2!



Image Quality



Olympus has one of the best JPEG engines, not only in its DSLRs but also in its line of compact cameras. The Olympus Micro Four Thirds offerings maintain excellent JPEG output. In fact, the image quality of all three cameras is as good as their DSLR Four Thirds brothers. I found shooting in RAW provides an added level of image quality.



Using OM System Lenses - I was very keen to take advantage of the reduced flange back distance (distance from mount to the sensor) that the Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras provide that enables the use of almost any legacy lens using adaptors. Olympus provided two adaptors right from the start with the release of the E-P1: the MMF-1 adapter that allows for existing Four Thirds lenses and the MF-2 that enables OM system lenses to be used. It was a truly satisfying experience to mount my OM-System G.Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f1.4 lens on these cameras and then to use the silky smooth manual aperture control and focusing wheel. HOWEVER, I found this pretty arduous when not using the VF-2 electronic viewfinder. Why? Trying to compose on the LCD and holding the camera at arms length while changing aperture and focus was pretty farcical. Using the VF-2 and this manual lens was an entirely different and extremely positive experience.



Conclusion



Yes, the mirrorless / interchangeable lens camera is a break with traditional SLR/ DSLR ethos and introduces a sea change in the camera industry. Olympus chose to enter this new era with two very high quality products, and somewhat less so with the E-PL1. My choice would be the E-P2 with the M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 and definitely the VF-2 electronic viewfinder.



Rating



While it has been my chosen path to provide a joint review of Olympus Micro Four Thirds offerings, this by no means implies the cameras are exactly the same or merit the same rating. Thus, here are the ratings:



E-P1 4/5

E-P2 5/5

E-PL1 3/5

 "Believe the hype." 2010-05-03
By Newman (London, UK)
So the ad says: Not a compact. Not an SLR. It's a PEN.



And this aptly describes the PEN experience. For a decent and full review I recommend dpreview as they have covered all areas in far more depth than I could hope to.



However, if you are wondering whether the PEN is right for you, let me tell you why it hits the spot for me. I like photos. I am not an amateur/professional photographer. I have books about how to improve my photos and I know what ISO settings do and bits and pieces about depth of field etc. I have had an excellent SLR (Nikon 35mm) that is now gathering dust due to the expense of developing film. I found it a little large to take to social gatherings too. So I bought a compact. Which was OK. I could never get the results I sometimes got with my SLR (I'm always learning). However, it was small and easy to carry around etc. Having said that, because I was disappointed with the results, I used the compact less and less.



I have now had the E-P1 (14-42mm lens and free Flash unit - I think the promotion has ended now) for several months and despite its limitations, I LOVE IT! OK, it doesn't have built-in flash and it does take a while to get the hang of things, but, I have achieved some fantastic images with this camera. And above all else, I really want to use it all the time! I feel continually compelled to try new shots/effects/exposure settings etc. It is wonderful.



Having been on a few trips and to a few social occasions with it now, I sling it over my shoulder and have it by my side more often than not. If you want great photos from a camera larger and more capable than a compact but in a smaller unit than an SLR, then just do it. Buy yourself a PEN.

 "What is it really for???" 2010-04-19
By Peter Bailey (Kent, UK)
I confess to being a gadget freak and can't resist an innovation! I am also a keen amateur photographer who graduated rather late into digital having experienced the 'quality' of Hasselblad and excellent film SLR's.

The E-P1 is supposed to significantly replace my Nikon D300 outfit for holidays and casual photography with an expectation of similar flexibility and quality for prints up to A3 size. I had hoped that it may replace my excellent Canon Ixus and 10times zoom Lumix to slip into my pocket on all occasions??

Sadly it falls short of my aspirations BUT I have already falen in love with its solid feel and reliable results.

The E-P1 can be used in such a variety of modes effectively. The manual settings allow for full creativity and yet the iAuto allows excellent point and snap facilities.The consistent picture quality, even at high ISO settings, is better than expected and the low light performance will probably compensate for the lack of flash on most occasions.

The prime lens is fine, compact and with good performance, although not approaching that of the Nikon primes.

The zoom is OK but I must find a longer focal length lens for my regular equestrian work. The new Olympus Zuiko Digital ED14-150mm F4.0-5.6 will be a candidate when available.

I intend to keep the E-P1 but have yet to fully evaluate the 'niche' where it will be the camera of choice for any particular situation. I suspect that the Lumix with 10* zoom will still be in my pocket on a regular basis and the Nikon brought out for the 'special' stuff.

In my opinion the price is a bit high on a cost/ perfrmance basis!



With more experience I have found this to be an excellent holiday companion. However, for lens quality and action shots, particularly when the car is near and camera kit weight is less of an issue, I am tending to use my Nikon D300 which is clearly producing a better picture!

Hence I will continue with TWO interchangeable lens outfits!

 "Beautiful camera, feels like something from the past" 2010-02-07
By S. Kay (Italy)
Too early to for this to be a photography review - and you'll plenty of those anyway. Beautifully made object, reminiscent of photography when it was film, chemicals and mechanical shutters. My wife said "looks like my Dad's camera from when I was a kid".



And it obviously takes great photos. Moving up from a compact you'll find it very high quality, and the "slow auto focus" won't seem too slow (it is a bit pedantic, going to infinite every time but you can trigger it manually to avoid that). It's great to take back control of aperture, depth of field, shutter speed. Personally I think the art filters are superfluous (you can do it on the computer better I guess). 720p video with image stabilizer is a wonderful bonus.



Like rediscovering my earliest experiences in the 1970s with my first simple SLR. Except way better results.


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 "Best in class" 2010-02-15
By The Fat Monk (UK)
While most people buy Canon and Nikon because they are the 'big, professional' names they know, I've always been a Pentax fan since I learned to use an SLR through my dad's old metal body film camera of the 60s/70s.



That old film camera is still going strong today and still takes fantastic pictures - though why wouldn't it, it was built to last and built with precision.



When I bought my first SLR it was a Pentax, and when the time came to switch to digital Pentax were not ready for me.



I toyed with going down the Canon / Nikon route, and I'm sure I wouldn't have been disapointed, but I had a small collection of Pentax K lenses that it would be nice to carry on using.



When the K10D came out my wishes were granted and once I had the not inconsiderable money saved I went straight out and purchased. I have not been disapointed.



I bought the body with an 18-55mm 'digital' lens. That basically means that it is the equivalent of an 18-55mm lens on a 35mm camera, though the actual focal length is less as the sensor on the K10D is less than 35mm. (It's all to do with ratios and angles, remember).



From my film camera had two more zoom lenses to play with. A 28-80 and an 80-320. The 28-80 giving an effective 35-112mm range on the K10D and the 80-320 giving me a whopping 112-448mm telephoto. The ratio being approximately x1.4 for conversion.



The only thing you lose with the older lenses is ome of the aperture control - you can still control it through the full range of the lens, just not via the same controls as on a 'digital' lens.



Thsi gives me a pretty impressive range that would have cost me a small fortune to replace had the lenses not been compatible.



So, my decision was pretty easy to make, but if you are trying to chose between Pentax and the 'big names' then you should be aware that the K10D has consistently won prizes as best in class when pitted against the Nikons and Canons that compare with this model.



The K10D gives you as much creative control as you could need, but is simple to use at the same time.



It's a solid, weighty, well built piece of kit and I could not be happier that I supported Pentax with this purchase - and given the reviews and plaudits this camera has received I feel the world is beginning to agree.

 "Pentax finally returns to the quality of old." 2007-02-17
By D. Walters (London, UK)
Finally Pentax has got its act together and produced an excellent camera for the enthusiast and semi professional markets. If you have been holding out for a quality digital body from Pentax and haven't been tempted to move to the other four major brands, now is definatley the time to make the switch to Pentax digital.



Almost all Pentax K mount fitting lenses from your old Pentax 35mm outfit will work well with this camera, despite some minor limitations in manual aperture selection and a focal length increase of x1.5 across the board. For example your 50mm lenses will become a useful 75mm portrait lens.



The camera is as solidly made as it's rivals from Nikon and Canon, built with over 70 weather seals against the elements. Not since the Pentax LX has this quality been present on a Pentax camera body. The current range of digital specific lenses is somewhat limited at present, though this is due to change over the course of the year as new lenses from Pentax, Sigma, Tokina and Tamron are all in the pipeline.



The ease of use, the build quality, features and performance make this a formidable challenger to the dominance of Nikon and Canon in the semi pro / enthusiast section of the market. Time will tell whether Pentax will now reassert the place it once held in the 1970s and 1980s as a class-leading manufacturer. With the K10D it has a very good chance indeed.


















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 "Great stills? Yes! Great videos? Yes again!" 2009-09-06
By K. Lim
First of all, I bought a G1 when it was released just a while back (read my review too). It was love at first sight and till now I still absolutely adore it. It's cute, light, takes great stills and best of all - it was extremely FUN to use. The interface was very user-friendly and the iA mode kept things simple for my point & shoot moments. It was HARD not to like the G1! Anyway, a few months later Panasonic announced the GH1. I was excited. Full HD videos in that compact body? What!! Then they announced its release price. £1299? They must be joking. But they weren't. I hesitated a bit at first but eventually I gave in to temptation (and became a thousand pounds poorer). So here I am, now a proud owner of the GH1. And this review is about the GH1 and the 14-140mm kit as a whole, not just the camera body.



Let me be clear: People looking to buy the GH1 do not buy significantly better still image quality. In fact, if you're reading this review, you probably know about it already. Heck, the 14-45mm G1 kit lens actually performs very slightly better than the 14-140mm GH1 kit lens at the 14-45mm range. The good bit? The flexibility of the 28-280mm focal length (after taking the crop factor into account) is much, much handier than you think. A superzoom lens isn't for pixel peepers. So if you're looking for pro-quality images, look elsewhere. Skip the four-thirds and APS-C formats too. You're better off spending the money on a full frame DSLR body. For those who are still interested in learning more about the GH1, do continue reading.



THE GH1 AT FIRST LOOK:

The layout of the GH1 is certainly similar to the the older G1. Again, it has a nice rubberised finish and feels very well-built. Surprisingly, my newer and more expensive GH1 body is 'made in China', whereas the older G1 is 'made in Japan'. While irrelevant, I felt a bit cheated when I saw this (but got over it pretty soon). The interface, just like the G1, is very intuitive and gives photographers the manual control they need (albeit in a simple and straight-forward fashion). The creme de la creme? The newly-added video capture button which allows you to take videos instantly, even while in photo capture mode! This means you won't miss out on any important video moments while using the GH1. High five for you new fathers! The single caveat in the new GH1? It's simply less well-balanced than the G1 in terms of handling. The new 14-140mm lens weighs more than the body which makes things a bit weird, especially after using the G1 with the excellent 14-45mm. Still, this is just a personal opinion. Do try it for yourself.



THE GH1 FOR STILLS:

Superzooms do come with compromises, deal with it. Overall image quality is great, with the tele end being a bit softer at wider apertures. The OIS also works wonders, as in the G1. Now to satisfy your curiosity: the image quality of both the G1 and GH1 are virtually indistinguishable at lower ISO settings. However, I can certainly see an improvement of the high ISO noise control over the G1. The GH1 now takes perfectly acceptable stills at ISO 1600, whereas anything above ISO 800 for the G1 was pretty hard to work with. Plus, I can make great small/medium prints with the GH1 even at ISO 3200 (in certain conditions). Also, the autofocus of the GH1 'feels' faster, although I might be wrong about this one. In short, it's hard to fault the GH1 as a high-end digital still camera. Do take note that in low light situations the slow aperture range (f/4.0-5.8) does feel 'limiting'.



THE GH1 FOR VIDEOS:

This is where the £1300 price tag starts to make sense. And this is the main reason anyone would consider buying the GH1 over the G1. Ever shot full HD 1080p 24fps videos with stereo sound in a digital camera? No? Then you don't know what you're in for. There are so many things which make the GH1 such a great video recorder: FULL HD capture, the 28-280mm focal length, great stereo sound (and even better with the optional mic), the continuous auto-focus, the manual controls, shallow depth-of-field, quiet stepless aperture control... and so on. This has got to be the best video experience ever for still photographers, you've just got to try it to believe it. 5D Mark II? What, no articulated screen? Oh boy.



CONCLUSION:

Of course, you can blab all day about buying both a decent DSLR and a good consumer camcorder to get the best of both worlds. Then again, I do not want both a DSLR and a camcorder when I'm on a vacation. I want something which allows me to take great holiday stills and videos simulatenously with the least compromise on quality, all in one small package. The GH1 does just that. Plus I can just enjoy myself and not miss out on any importany moments, without needing to lug around multiple gadgets (or lenses).



Yes my Nikon D700 and 24-70/70-200 f2.8 combo takes better still images anyday, but the kit weighs a lot more and isn't exactly the traveller's best friend. And it doesn't take videos too.To be honest, the GH1 doesn't come cheap and will certainly be tough for most to justify its cost. To conclude, it doesn't get all five stars for the steep pricing and slightly worse handling. However if you're able to live with the compromises and the cost of this convenient little thing, you'll find that you have an awesome piece of technology waiting to remind you of how fun photography/cinematography(?) is.

 "A true hybrid camera!!" 2009-08-29
By MR Y WADA
I always wanted a proper high quality hybrid camera and I can say that this is the one to get. It takes brilliant HD videos in stereo and the still photos are amazing. I just came back from a family trip to the Jurassic Coast. It took brilliant photos and videos of the trip. Usually, hybrid cameras have very poor video capabilities. I have a video camera but it takes poor quality photos. I am no professional photographer but this camera does both jobs very well. I no longer need to take a camera and a video camera on trips. It really kills two birds with one stone. One more thing that makes this great is that the videos I take with my GH1 plays on my PlayStation 3 (videos need to be in ACVHD format)!! Just insert the SD card into the PlayStation 3 and you can view both the photos and the videos. I have loads of .mov files in my NAS drive that I cannot view with my PlayStation 3. Those days are now gone. Now I can store all the GH1 videos on my NAS and watch all the videos via my PlayStation 3 as well...but this time in HD!!



The only problem is the price. It is very expensive. As my wife was visiting her family in Japan, I had her buy it in Japan for 65% of UK price...Why are Japanese goods in the UK still so expensive?




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NikonTs first ever FX format camera enables photographers who work under extreme conditions to stay ahead of the game. The D3 features a highly sensitive 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor that boasts an extendable ISO range of 200 to 6400, and its Kevlar/carbon fiber-composite shutter and EXPEED image processing engine enable it to shoot at a staggering 9 fps 11 fps in DX Crop mode. The advanced Scene Recognition System delivers superior exposures and is supported by NikonTs next-generation 51-point AF system, which offers broad coverage and high sensitivity in low light. Selectable Picture Controls streamline in-camera image processing, saving time in post-production, and a high definition 3-inch LCD screen supports two Live View modes plus an HDMI video output. Protected by a tough, environmentally-sealed magnesium alloy body, the D3 sets the benchmark for professional action photography.- 12.1 megapixel FX format CMOS sensor with high signal-to-noise ratio, wide dynamic range and 12-channel readout. - ISO 200 6400: extendable up to 25600 equivalent and down to ISO 100 equivalent. - 9fps consecutive shooting 11fps in DX Crop mode - EXPEED image processing engine with 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit image processing for superb tonal gradation. - Advanced Scene Recognition System combines the cameraTs metering and AF sensors for precise exposures and sharply defined images. - Multi-CAM3500FX 51-point AF system. Individually selectable or configurable in 9-point, 21-point and 51-point coverage settings. - Picture Controls streamline in-camera image processing by enabling customization of image parameters before capture and offer complete control over sharpening, contrast, brightness, hue and saturation in various color modes. - 920,000 dot 3-inch VGA LCD monitor with wide, 170-degree viewing angle. - Live View with Autofocus enables composition of images using the LCD monitor. Two modes are supported: Handheld or Tripod. - Two Crop Modes: DX format and 5:4 ratio. The DX c
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 "Built like a tank!" 2009-11-28
By C. D. Sargent (UK)
I have owned a D3 since they arrived in the UK and have nothing but praise for this camera. I am not a professional photographer but

due to some unfortunate incidents I have subjected the D3 to some serious abuse ... dropping it from height on to a marble floor and slamming a heavy

window frame onto it from above...!



The Camera and lens (24-70 f2.8) suffered no damage at all... which is a testament to the rugged build quality...

 "By far the best professional SLR out there." 2009-01-12
By Mr. G. Bridgeman-clarke (Rayleigh UK)
I have used mosr of the Nikon professional grade SLRs and recently have been using the D3. I had anticipated a camera a bit better then my 2DH and 2DXs but this camera blows those out of the water.



What makes this camera so good? Well I am a semi-pro sports photographer and if you have ever tried to shoot night games at Championship to non league stadium level you will appreciate that light levels are awful. However, whilst I have experience noise in my earlier cameras I can quite easily shoot at ISO 3200 and there is no noticable noise to speak of.



The camera reacts very speedily and once again compared to the Nikon 2 series its knocks spots off those cameras. I can quite easily lock onto a player and merrily shoot away knowing all images will be sharp.



The other great thong about this camera is that it has not one but 2 compact flash card facilities. I like to shoot RAW but the football clubs I work for need jpegs. So all I need do now id adjust the camera to load RAW on once card (this is for me to manipulate and provide poster size images) and the jpegs can be saved onto the other compact flash card which I can give straight to the club. Pure genius and I don't think any other camera manufacturer has that facility.



I have recently been trying my hand at HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography. I have used my D2Xs but this cameras chip is better suited to it and when I process the images they look even better then I expected.



Downsides to the camera? Well its an FX model which is full frame and all my Nikons are DX format. In DX a 200mm lens is the equivilent of a 300mm which is great for sports. In FX it is only a 200mm so I guess that means I will be shelling out more cash for longer lenses, but that is a small sacrifice. By the way I do understand I can shoot in DX format but get a small image.



Well I reckon this is the best camera available at the price currently and I am sure if you are looking to upgrade to Nikon , that this is the camera to go for.

 "Great camera, shame about Nikons con with the upgrade" 2008-08-10
By D. R. Kirkby (the UK)
Before buying the D3 I phoned a dealer in London and asked for a price. They quoted me some high figure, above that of Amazon, but did not have one in stock. A few minutes later they phoned me back and said they would have a used one either that day or next. I thought this was a bit odd for someone to be selling a D3 already, as it has only been available a few months. They then told me that they have sold several used D3's, where someone had bought a new D3 and then decided to swap it for the newer D700. The D700 is similar, but is quite a bit smaller and lighter - it is also cheaper too. It's the exact same 35 mm sensor.



I then played a bit with both cameras and found the D3 more confortable in the hand, despite the extra size and weight, so settled on the D3, rather than the D700. The D3 has the advantage of more frames per second, which is what I wanted for wildlife photography.



I think "The Pinnacle" whose review on Amason is dated 18 Mar 2008, has done an excellent job, so I'm not going to repeat what he/she has said, since it would be a bit pointless. I was not even aware of the "Chromatic Aberration cancellation" they mentioned. This camera will take some getting used to, as it's quite complex, but I guess that is stating the obvious.



One thing the other reviewer did not state is that the camera can save images in various formats include TIFF, JEPG and NEF, which is a raw format of Nikon's design, which allows for higher quality if post processing pictures.



I've only given the D3 4 stars due to the amount of memory in it. The amount of memory restricts the number of frames that can be taken before a buffer fills up. If you save as NEF and higher quality JPEG, that is only 15 frames. Once the buffer is full, the frame rate drops dramatically until the data in the buffer is written to the compact flash card. Now Nikon will upgrade the camera for you, by adding 2 GB of RAM, which increases the number of shots before the buffer fills by a factor of about 2.5. But in the US they want $499 and in the UK £352. In addition to that, you need to pay carriage both ways. I think this is really excessive for 2 GB of RAM. It should have been included in the camera, not sold as an option for which the camera needs to go back to Nikon for. I've suggested to Nikon they should drop this charge and offer the upgrade free. I encourage other D3 owners to do the same. How many people feel happy about buying an expensive camera, then sending it back and paying a lot of money for memory which would cost Nikon very little?



The camera has two slots for compact flash, which can be configured in various ways. The default is to just let you take extra photos with the extra memory. But two other options are 'backup' where the same images are written to two cards in case one fails. The other is JPEG+NEF, where JPEG is written to one complact flash card and the NEF to the second card. You do not need to use both slots, but it obviously has advantages if you do.



So a good camera which will be a great camera if Nikon ship this with the extra memory and offer a free upgrade to existing users.

 "The Pinnacle" 2008-03-18
By Martin Turner (Marlcliff, Warwickshire, England)
Spend ten minutes with a D3, and you will be saying one of two things: either "that's really heavy", or "I want one". Nothing could have prepared me for the experience the first time the Nikon reps stuck one in my hands, and I spent four months saying "I'm definitely not getting one", until I finally succumbed. But then, I was used to the D2X.

My staff all said "your cameras are really heavy-- I wouldn't want to carry that around." They favour the D200.

That's about it really: if you want absolutely uncompromising performance up to ISO 6400 with negligible noise, and up to ISO 25600 when needed, and you want it at 9 frames per second, and you want a battery that is good for thousands of shots, and you want it in a rainproof, metal body, and you want faster autofocusing than you've ever seen, then this is the camera to get. On the other hand, if those aren't key issues, and either weight or cost is an issue, then it's better to look at other options, especially the D300, which crams into its diminutive body almost all the power of the D2X, and for much less money.



The D3 is Nikon's first digital camera with a sensor the size of 35mm film. This is often referred to as 'Full Frame', or FF, but Nikon calls it FX, to distinguish it from the APS-C sized DX format. FX and DX each have their own advantages, and its important to understand which is right for you before choosing.

The larger frame size of FX, for the same resolution, means the light sensors are larger, which in turn means less noise. Much less noise, in fact, giving the D3 the previously impossible extended range of ISO 25600 equivalent, which allows what people are beginning to refer to as 'available darkness' photography.

The larger frame size also means that older lenses work in exactly the same way they worked on 35mm, which means they have a shorter apparent focal length than on a DX camera, less depth of field, and a smaller minimum aperture before diffraction sets in.

Taken together, these make FX an excellent choice for weddings, sports and photojournalism -- anywhere where you face low-light, or want to create creamy out of focus highlights.

The smaller frame size of DX, for the same resolution, means smaller sensors and hence more noise, but an apparent increase of 1.5x in focal length (actually, the focal length stays the same, but the angle of view is less, which is the same effect as more focal length), and more depth of field.

These make DX an excellent choice for anything requiring long telephoto, and anything for which depth of field is important.



With all this in mind, Nikon has solidly targeted the D3 at professional sports, news and wedding shooters, though it is an all round performer which will not disappoint in a very large variety of applications. Its resolution is very slightly less than the D2X was -- enough to shoot for a billboard, but not enough to shoot for a truck-side without upscaling. That said, the D3 has so little noise that you can happily upscale even when the image was taken at ISO 6400. The speed of the autofocus is quite frightening, and Nikon has substantially upgraded it, giving 51 autofocus points, and using extremely sophisticated circuitry that actively identifies and tracks moving objects. It also comes equipped with rear-panel 'live-view', which is useful in all kinds of photojournalistic situations, and also in portraiture. The addition of a built in virtual horizon is a neat feature, since you can operate it while looking through the viewfinder. Landscape shooters will like this, although, again, it's the rough and tumble of press shooting which is the real winner. Another bonus for the busy photojournalist is the ability to edit images in camera, cropping, changing the format (though not the orientation), and applying a number of filters. This is ideal if you need to finalise a shot to get off to a picture editor against a deadline, and don't want to spend time in Photoshop.



The D3 benefits from a lot of other refinements -- like replacing those fiddly, easily lost knobs for the extension flash and 10 pin connector with rubber covers that stay on the camera, and an HDMI output. Built in Chromatic Aberration cancellation means that all shots at many focal lengths on most lenses will be crisper. The VGA resolution rear screen is also magnificent



Ultimately, though, its real advantage over other cameras, and the main reason for choosing it over the D300, is its noise performance. This is absolutely stunning, and it really is hard to imagine until you actually try it. The D3 has less noise at 6400 than the D2X had at 800. Suddenly fast shots in dimly lit sports hall become crisp and clear. Candids taken with a flick of the camera take on a studio-sharpness. The Nikon CLS flash system gets an effective power boost which puts the SB-800 on a par with studio-strobes. Apart from architectural photography, where photographers are stacking neutral density filters to filter out the people present in shot, there are few aspects of the art which won't benefit massively from this. It's, quite simply, a different world.



This is a very expensive purchase, particularly if you already have an investment in DX lenses, which either work in crop mode on this camera, or (for the experimental) vignette strongly at most focal lengths. If you are paying this much, you should probably also look at getting the 14-24 mega-wide zoom, or the 24-70 AFS N lenses.



If you are prepared for that, and for the weight, then this camera takes exquisite, breath-takingly sharp images, and does so in conditions that would previously have produced dull, grainy and blurry compromises.



Do yourself a favour, though. If you really aren't in a position to buy this camera, don't pick one up in a shop, don't let anyone let you handle their's, and, don't, on any account, start surfing the web to find out just how good it really is. That way madness lies.


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