Right now the White E-P3 with 17mm pancake lens got a $240 discount at Amazon USA (Click here to check it out). That’s $240 less than the yesterdays price (comparison with BHPhoto here). And it looks like many here are goinf to buy this as shown by the Amazon sales rankings (Click here to see).
P.S.: Silver E-M5 body only will ship next week according to Amazon (Click here).
31 Responses
This hurts, particularly given the price I paid here in England!
The end is near for E-P3…
Perhaps, but it’s still such a fab camera!
I’m most curious, how many people have chosen E-P3 over GH2? And, most importantly, if yes then WHY did they do it?
Very easy answer to that one, In Camera Stabilisation, until Panasonic adopt this method of stabilisation I for one will not consider their equipment, why should I have to pay for their short comings with everytime I purchase a new lens. Sorry Panasonic but your idea is outmoded and outdated.
Anonyomous:
The E-P1 I own has the very well known issue of Image Stabilizer induced double-image (or blur), especially with native 14-42mm lens. You can read it for example here: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EP1/EP1BLUR.HTM
If E-P3 has the same issue, I don’t see much point of having IS of such quality. At least, I always prefer to switch IS off.
The white E-P3 with pancake would be the worst selling kit in the US. It was created for Japanese young women, as opposed to middle aged males who are the target market of this camera in the west. I’ll believe the E-P3 is on its way out when the black and silver zoom kits get similar price reductions.
I think a lot of young guys in West would be interested in this, not just young Japanese women as the one comment states. Young people in USA are looking for something different. The price was too high from the start to grow that market.
As an E-P2 user this price drop of the E-P3 is interesting. However the performance improvement over the 2 is insufficient to tempt me, given what I consider the differences of interest to me, built in flash (of no interest, a waste of time), the screen (should have been upgraded to tilt) then I might be interested.
I agree, and think that the E-P3 should have been at this price from the start.
The builtin flash means you can use an EVF and trigger a remote flash using rc. I wouldn’t call it useless really.
It all shows how m4/3 is really a vanity fair. You just wait one year and the prices fall in step wt. reality.
OTH what will replace the E-P3. The substitute is missing at Photokina. So, is it the ‘new type of camera’ leaked?
Is it a RF or SLR lookalike? I dearly hope it will be a NEX 7 type. Although once again it could be outrageously priced.
I wonder who still buys E-P3… with what, 4 year old sensor?
The ones who like shooting photographs and get nice results !
+1000
I really liked what Olympus did with the E-P3 in terms of speed/screen improvements. If I was new to the m43 market, I would have chosen this camera in a heartbeat. The ‘old-outdated’ 12MP sensor is actually very capable of producing beautiful results under most circumstances.
As it was the case, I already owned (and very much enjoyed) an E-PL2, with no significant IQ improvement over my current model, it was a definite no go at the initial price point.
Oh come on, at the same price (as this _lower_ price) you can have Pana G5 or Sony NEX-5N with vastly better EVERYTHING. Even Oly’s own E-PL3 shoots faster (5.5fps vs 3 fps) and has articulated screen, for cheaper. What is the point of E-P3?
There will be no E-P5 at this price point (initial, $900) with the same features if somebody at Oly still has some brains.
I have both ep-3 and e-pl3, ep3 screen is much better for shooting in sunlight and the touchscreen is a very nice for selecting a point to focus.
Also Ep-x series always had a better in body stabilization than epl-x/epm-x
And the second wheel + fn2 button is a welcome add compared to e-pl3.
But of course these points do not justify the price difference between these 2 cameras
While I have to agree they are, for the most part, a better buy, I don’t think either is ergonomically as nice as E-P3. From my experience, admittedly testing in shop, it has the best thumb wheel of any m43 camera. I wish the OM-D could have had one this nice feeling. So yeah, maybe a minor and subjective point, but don’t think you can say EVERYTHING about NEX-5n and G5 is better. Though, admittedly, i’d pick either of them over E-P3. Oh, and it has IBIS.
Well played ArKersaint
Interesting. Just ssw the black one with kit lens for 460 at Amazon (used).
Does the flash tilt on the EP-3?
That black one for $460 is actually an EP-L2. The seller says, “Attention: this is a kit that includes Olympus E-PL2 camera (which is practically identical to E-P3)…” 🙂
Very nice to hear this and also scare with the possibility of having OMD kits available for less than USD1k soon, being paid USD 1,300 for a kit recently!!!
Unfortunately, you have to buy the white body for that price. Yuk!
Just bought the black version for 699, I really like the design and feel a lot better then the omd. Wish I had the new sensor but I guess I got a pretty good deal. You can always be waiting for something better finally took the plunge
Outdated sensor my ass have you seen pics with the ep3. I had the 5n, yes a great camera but no lenses that I wanted but the Zeiss for a grand and no flash especially wireless Flash. Love the micro 4 3 lens selection
This is still overpriced by a few hundred.
Id love to see a mft camera with a modern, up to date image sensor, something only fuji and sony seem to be able to do.
Grandpa 12MP Sensor and weak grandma 16 MP Sensor would like to enjoy retirement.
Like the OM-D?
Clicking on that Amazon link, the price is $815, $730 in black….
O/T. Some might find this pretty amusing and insightful: investigation of Canon’s AF precision claims.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/08/01/Roger-Cicala-Lensrentals-Canon-Autofocus-marketing-claims
Thanks for the link. It makes some interesting reading. I’d like to know how E30 & E5 users get on by comparison, because I know the ZD70-300 on my E30 was not always spot on but on my E-M5, if it can lock onto a contrasting subject OK, then it is good.