World\'s fastest Auto Focusing* system — Capture it All™ faster than ever. Speed is a key element in digital SLR photography and the E-3 comes ready to perform. It provides fast start-up and wake-up times, a snappy continuous shooting speed, high-precision shutter control, and unparalleled high-speed autofocus performance. From the first time you start it up, to your final shot of the day, the speed of the Olympus E-3 can freeze fast-moving moments in time and deliver amazing results.

The E-3\'s fully crossed array high-speed 11-point auto focusing system and precision tracking performance (side-to-side and near-to-far) are driven by a dedicated AF data processing engine that uses a newly developed distance-measuring algorithm to process data from 11 biaxial sensors simultaneously. It provides exacting auto focus precision at exceptional speeds.

Paired biaxial sensors that detect contrast on both the vertical and horizontal axis help ensure maximum precision and low-light AF performance. The 11 biaxial sensors effectively provide the AF engine with a total of 88 different data points to calculate correct focus. In addition, pixel multiplication technologies boost performance in low light; as a result, processing speed is 15 times faster than with previous systems.

Imagine all the spectacular images you can capture using the E-3\'s 1/8000 second high-speed shutter, while shooting at maximum aperture even under very bright lighting conditions. Without a doubt, the E-3 will allow you to fully enjoy the superior imaging power of Zuiko Digital lenses. What\'s more, the E-3 boasts an ultra-fast shutter release time, allowing instant shooting for superior tracking and response. The camera also employs a highly reliable mirror construction — engineered to achieve the precision required for the high-speed 1/8000 second shutter. Simplifying the drive mechanism increases precision while reducing transmission loss. And a carbon-based plastic was used for the mirror box to provide twice the rigidity of conventional mirror boxes.

The E-3 can capture fast action shots as fast as your itchy trigger finger can fire them off. The highly reliable 5-fps burst shooting provides extra flexibility when shooting sports, wildlife or any other dynamic subjects. The E-3\'s ability to process over 10 million pixels of high-quality image data at extremely high speed enables continuous shooting at up to five frames per second. In fact, you can shoot until your finger tires — as continuous shooting up to the limit of available memory is possible at the highest resolution setting.** If the memory card slot cover is opened during card writing, image data is held in the buffer memory. Writing continues when the card lid is closed again.

Quality to let you Capture It All.™ At the end of the day, every serious photographer wants pristine picture quality. The E-3 brings together a number of enhanced technologies to push the limits of digital imaging. Experience the effects of advanced image stabilization, superior color processing and precision-crafted digital specific lenses.

You need high-quality lenses to achieve superior image quality. Zuiko Digital lenses are designed to work with today\'s digital cameras as well as with the high-performance image sensors of the future. This large, award-winning family of lenses is perfectly matched to the E-3\'s image sensor so every pixel is properly exposed — and Olympus Four Thirds upgradeable technology allows you to shoot with the most current firmware available. The results? Photos with bright colors and incredible edge-to-edge sharpness that can\'t compare to shots taken with traditional film lenses. Smart digital lenses, for smart digital photographers like you.

The E-3 delivers sharp shots in low light or with a telephoto lens even without a tripod. A sophisticated body-mounted image stabilization system compensates for camera shake by shifting the image sensor up to an equivalent of five shutter speed steps — all possible thanks to a gyro sensor that detects even the slightest hand tremble. The in-body image stabilization system gives you the freedom to use all Four Thirds lenses, which are significantly smaller and lighter than other lenses because they don\'t need an image stabilization component in the optics.

Capture high-resolution images with rich tones and natural, true-to-life color. The E-3\'s 10.1 megapixel high-speed Live MOS sensor features excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity, and a new, advanced circuit to eliminate noise. The sensor\'s low power usage saves battery life.

The E-3 delivers superior color and quality with the help of TruePic™ III — our fastest processor yet. It gives you better color and quality through true-to-life skin tones, brilliant blue skies, precise color transitions, more detail and less image noise. On top of all that, TruePicIII™provides faster performance with faster write speeds to your media cards, faster shot-to-shot times and faster connectivity to your PC or Mac. TruePic™III is the engine that drives the camera\'s performance and brings your images to life. There are three specific technologies TruePic™III technologies.

An innovation in digital SLR imaging — shoot from unique angles with complete control. Unlimited creativity, unhindered motion, unbelievable accuracy — this is what you get with the Live Viewing capabilities of the Olympus E-3. The dual-axis variable-angle Live View monitor allows you to conveniently capture scenes that would require a difficult posture or a little bit of luck when using an optical viewfinder. With the E-3, you can easily and accurately compose and shoot wide-angle scenes over the top of a crowd or macro shots from ground level.

Live view image display

Display three different framing-assist patterns on the LCD monitor — a grid, golden section, or a scale — without switching the actual physical focusing screen. In addition, you can display a histogram to check for proper exposure and tone distribution before you even take a shot.

A sensor installed on the upper left side of the swivel LCD analyzes the brightness of the surroundings and then automatically adjusts the brightness of the LCD. If you are outdoors under bright sunlight, the LCD\'s brightness and contrast are increased to improve visibility; when in a dark setting or at night, brightness is decreased for easier viewing.

Live View shooting allows real-time hunting and framing of your subject right on the LCD. Enabling ultra high-angle and low-angle shooting, the dual-axis flexible-angle Live View monitor can be rotated freely — up and down and from side to side — allowing you to take shots from angles impossible up until now. The LCD monitor displays 100 percent of the field of view and can be used in AF shooting.

With Live View, you can check the effects of white balance adjustment and exposure compensation right on the LCD monitor, in real time, as you compose your shot. You can even use the Gradation Auto setting (utilizing Shadow Adjustment Technology) to adjust under-exposed areas while retaining background brightness — and confirm it, before you shoot, on the LCD.

During Live View shooting, select any area of your image that you want to precisely focus on by moving the focusing point to various parts of the LCD. You can then magnify your point of interest by five, seven or 10 times and focus on it manually. This is a powerful feature when fine focus adjustment is required in macro or studio shooting.

Trusted performance — even in the most demanding shooting conditions. With the E-3 Olympus has developed an impressive array of highly reliable new technologies essential for serious SLR photographers. Olympus cameras have a history of raising the bar when it comes to reliability, toughness and durability — and the E-3 takes it to a whole new level.

The E-3 is equipped with a large optical viewfinder that provides 100 percent accurate viewing and 1.15x magnification for reliable composition — what you see is exactly what you\'ll get. Even fine details are seen with astonishing clarity. The E-3\'s large, precision-crafted pentaprism is crafted from high refractive index glass with a highly reflective silver coating. The eyepiece uses glass lenses. All the lenses are surface coated to maintain brightness. The focusing screen features a Neo Lumi-Micro Mat for bright, easy-to-adjust manual focusing.

Spots on photos are now banished forever. The Olympus dust reduction system is an industry first and a proven technology. Every time you turn on the E-3, our Supersonic Wave Filter™ — located between the shutter and the image sensor — silently vibrates an amazing 30,000 times per second. Dust is blasted away. The dust reduction system even removes dust attached by intermolecular force that can\'t be shaken off or discharged with static electricity. Dust will no longer get between you and a great shot.

Shoot anywhere, anytime, in any condition. The E-3 body, the built-in flash and the LCD are all splashproof and dustproof. Constructed from a magnesium-alloy with a homogeneous composition, the E-3 is lightweight yet strong and rugged. The same goes for Zuiko Digital lenses. You\'ll find splashproof and dustproof models that are as tightly sealed as the camera.

To ensure you can keep shooting, even at 5 frames per second, Olympus utilizes a durable shutter mechanism tested to 150,000 cycles making the E-3 the perfect choice for photographers who demand the most from their equipment, in any situation.