Belkin E-3 User Manual

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Olympus® E-3 FAQ

Olympus E-3 Digital Camera Product number: 262010 Shipping Date: November 2007

Box Contents

Olympus E-3 Digital Camera Strap and Body Cap USB 2.0 Cable (CB-USB4) Video Cable (CB-VC1) Eyecup (EP-7) Lithium-ion Rechargeable Battery (BLM-10) Lithium-ion Battery Charger (BCM-2) Quick Start Guide Instruction Manual CD-ROM: OLYMPUS Master® 2.0 software Warranty Card

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Features What are the main features of the E-3?

The E-3 is Olympus’ flagship professional SLR digital camera. It features groundbreaking technological advances, including a Live View LCD monitor that can be swung out from the camera and swiveled 270 degrees; a powerful, 10-megapixel Live MOS sensor; Olympus’ patented Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF™) dust-reduction system, which makes it easy to change lenses anywhere without worrying about dust ru ining a shot; the stunningly fast TruePic wide-angle HyperCrystal

Of course, the E-3 is also precision-engineered to work perfectly with Olympus' Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses™ for pixel-perfect, edge-to-edge clarity. When coupled with Zuiko Digital Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD™) lenses, the E-3 attains unmatched AF speeds – and the fastest AF speed in the world with the ED 12-60 mm F2.8 – F4.0 (24-120 mm equivalent) SWD lens. (The AF speed of this lens, combined with the E-3, was measured during in-house testing by Olympus and is based on similar available lenses for digital SLR cameras as of Oct. 17, 2007.)

The E-3 boasts Olympus' most advanced anti-blur technology to date: Sensor Shift Image Stabilization. The exclusive Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) mot ors provide two modes of accurate, high-speed stabilization. One mode provides blur-free photography for everyday situations such as low-light settings. The other mode helps capture sharp images even while panning during action shots. This technology is built into the body of the E-3 so it works with every lens, unlike legacy film technologi es that are built into individual lenses.

III processor; and a 2.5-inch, high-resolution, dual-axis,

screen for superior visibility (even in direct sunlight).

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The magnesium-alloy frame and the seals around all controls and ports make the E-3 a rugged camera and the only truly weatherproof DSLR available today. The 11-point biaxial autofocus system provides numerous autofocus setup options and accurate autofocus in low-light situations.

The built-in flash also serves as a control for the wireless, remote-controlled flash system, built around the optional FL-50R and FL-36R accessory flash units. The system enables camera control of up to three groups of individually programmed flashes.

The E-3 is also fully compatible with the accessory flash systems developed around the E-1, so the equipment you may already be using can be used with the E-3.

The E-3’s bright optical viewfinder is the only one on a digital SLR that shows 100% of the image area with a 1.15X magnification. The interactive control panel on the LCD monitor and the numerous controls on the surface of the camera enable rapid management and selection of the E-3’s features.

The E-3 is bundled with OLYMPUS Master Studio

, which enables computer-tethered shooting and computer camera control.

software and a trial version of OLYMPUS

The E-3 features Live View. What is it, and how does it work?

The Live View feature provides the next generation of composit ion control in digital SLR photography. It allows the photographer to use the LCD monitor as a viewfinder to compose shots or to shoot while viewing an enlarged display on the monitor.

Can I preview the adjustments I make to camera settings on the Live View LCD monitor?

With LIVE VIEW BOOST set to OFF, while setting up a shot, changes you make to the Exposure Compensation setting are previewed on the Live View monitor so you can see their effects before shooting. The effects are previewed in all shooting modes, including those in which the camera automatically adjusts exposure and/or whi te balance.

With LIVE VIEW BOOST set to ON, the camera automatically adjusts the brightness level and displays the subject on the monitor for easier confirmation. The effect of the exposure compensation adjustments will not be shown on the monitor.

The eyepiece shutter should be closed so that light entering through the viewfinder does not affect the exposure while shooting with Live View.

It is also possible to preview the effect of the Image Stabilizer on the LCD monitor while using Live View. Hold down the [IS] button to see the preview. While in that position, press the shutter button fully to take a picture. Release the [IS] button or hold it for several seconds to turn off the Image Stabilizer.

Note: When IMAGE STABILIZER is set to OFF, pressing and holding the [IS] button activates the image stabilizer in I.S. 1 mode.

What is the origin and meaning of the Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF™)? Where does the dust go?

The filter is so named because it shakes dust off the image sens or by using supersonic wave vibrations. The dropped dust is affixed to a dust-collection component under the filter.

Is it necessary to clean or change the dust-collection components?

It is not necessary to clean or change the dust-collection components under normal use for several years. The dust-collection system can easily deal with the particles that are a result of the dust-reduction system. If the camera is used constantly in severe conditions, Olympus recommends that the camera body be sent to an authorized Olympus repair service center approximately at an interval of three to five years. As part of Olympus' camera service maintenance, the dust-collection components are replaced.

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What are the advantages of lenses that are designed specifically for digital camera use?

Although the small size of the individual pixels in CCD, CMOS, and Live MOS image sensors enables them to capture even more detail than film, the sensitivity of the sensor elements is highly directional. That is, they respond best to light that strikes the elements straight on. With lenses designed for use with film, the light rays passing through the periphery of the lens strike the image sensor at an angle, and this tends to degrade picture quality at the periphery of the image area.

On the other hand, lenses developed specifically for digital camera use are designed to match the imaging characteristics of CCD, CMOS and Live MOS sensors, ensuring high image quality at both the center and the periphery of the frame.

Is the E-3 body splashproof?

The construction and design of the E-3 features seals on all of the controls and ports and around the flash component, making the E-3 body splashproof and dustproof. When used with Olympus Zuiko

Digital Super High-Grade and High-Grade lenses, the E-3 can be used

safely in dust storms, rain and snow.

What are the purposes of the different record modes?

Record modes allow photographers to quickly and conveniently vary the quality settin g s used to capture and save images in-camera. While it is possible to always shoot at the higher-quality settings and process the images into smaller file sizes later with a computer, it may be more convenient in some situations to use other than the higher-quality settings. For example, it may be preferable to shoot using a lower-quality setting when the shots are intended for use on the Internet, where small file size is more important than rich detail.

The E-3 offers nine record modes, whose benefits are outlined below.

• RAW: This is the highest-quality record mode available in the E-3, and it allows the photographer the most creative control in post-production. Images are saved to the memory card from the camera sensor with minimal image processing. Factors such as white balance, sharpness, contrast and color are unchanged so they can be modified later on a computer. Some photographers prefer to shoot RAW all the time for all subjects, while others may shoot RAW in situations that pose complicated exposure problems, such as wedding photography.

Each camera manufacturer has its own version of RAW tailored to its cameras; therefore, special software is required to process RAW files and convert them to other image file formats such as JPEG and TIFF. OLYMPUS Master Studio

contain RAW processing and conversion software for the Olympus RAW

and OLYMPUS

format, which bears the file extension *.orf. Third-party imagin g software and operating systems may use RAW plug-ins or upgrades to process Olympus RAW files. Without them, they would not be able to read RAW images from Olympus digital cameras. Most photo kiosks, printers and photo labs cannot read unconverted RAW images.

• JPEG: Four record modes in the E-3 create compressed JPEG image files. When the camera processes a captured JPEG image and saves it to the memory card, it uses algorithms to discard some of the data to make the file size smaller. The process of mathematically reducing a file’s size by discarding some of its data is called compression. The greater the compression ratio, the more data will be discarded and the smaller will be the file size. When the image is opened on a computer, the JPEG algorithms reconstruct the discarded data.

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The E-3 allows the photographer the option to customize the four JPEG record modes by mixing and matching their quality settings. The factors that define a JPEG record mode are image size (determined by number of pixels) and compression ratio.

The table below shows all of the combinations of image size and compression rat io available in the E-3.

Customization of the quality settings is performed via the found in Custom Menu

. The controls set image sizes as Large, Middle or Small.

option, which is

The PIXEL COUNT menu item further customizes the Middle and Small image size settings by offering a choice of several dimensions.

Actual selection of the record modes is accomplished from the Super Control Panel, the Control Panel or the camera menu.

• RAW+JPEG: Four record modes in the E-3 save both a RAW and a JPEG image when a picture is taken. This can be advantageous when shots are intended for use in multiple media or when the medium in which t he images will ultimately be published has not been determined.

The quality settings used to process the JPEGs in the RAW + JPEG record modes are tied to the quality settings defined for the four JPEG record modes. The first RAW + JPEG record mode uses the JPEG settings of the first registered JPEG record mode; the second RAW + JPEG mode uses the JPEG settings of the second registered JPEG mode; and so on. Changing the JPEG quality settings via the

and PIXEL COUNT menus affects both a JPEG record mode and its RAW

+ JPEG pair.

Why isn’t there a TIFF Record Mode like in my other Olympus cameras?

TIFF files are very large files that take longer to write to the memory card and fill up the memory card more rapidly than RAW or JPEG files. A TIFF file in the E-3 would be about 30 MB. It is more efficient to shoot in RAW and save the RAW conversion as a TIFF file using the OLYMPUS Master

or OLYMPUS Studio® applications.

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In the White Balance (WB) menu, what do all of those numbers followed by a “K” mean?

The color balance of different light sources in the color spectrum is rated numerically by color temperature in the standard Kelvin (K) temperature scale. A color temperature value is expressed as a number followed by a “K,” for Kelvin.

The chart below shows approximate values of different light sources in the E-3 White Balance menu:

• 5300K - For shooting outdoors on a clear day, or to capture the reds in a sunset or the colors in a fireworks display.

• 7500K - For shooting outdoors in the shadows on a clear day. The light in shadows areas is bluer, so this setting compensates for the color shift.

• 6000K - For shooting outdoors on a cloudy day. This setting makes the color slightly warmer in tone.

• 3000K - For shooting under a tungsten light. This setting keeps the images from coming out with a yellow color cast.

• 4000K - For shooting under white fluorescent lighting.

• 4500K - For shooting under a neutral white fluorescent lamp

• 6600K - For shooting under a daylight fluorescent lamp

• 5500K - For flash shooting

Color temperature settings can be applied in situations for which they are not intended for creative effects. For example, a tungsten setting can be used on a cloudy day to produce a surreal effect suggesting cold.

The Custom White Balance (CWB) settings in the White Balance menu allow photographers to select more accurate color temperature settings. Many commercially available lamps are labeled with color temperature ratings that fall between 3000K and 4000K, so a photographer is able to set up the camera for more accurate color rendition.

With so many White Balance settings available, why and when should I use One-Touch White Balance?

There are many light sources and situations that are not covered by Auto White Balance or the other settings in the White Balance menu. There are many noncontinuous light sources that do not have all of the colors of the spectrum, such as fluorescent, mercury vapor, and sodium vapor lights. There are also situations in which many different types of lights are used in one environment. These do not neatly fit into what the camera firmware knows about white balance, so it is necessary to “educate” the camera about the specific light balance by shooting a white reference subject such as a white card and saving the data in the White Balance menu as a One-Touch White Balance.

In the PICTURE MODE > MONOTONE menu feature, what is the purpose of the B&W Filter options?

In black-and-white film photography, different colored filters are placed in front of the lens to modify the tones in the final image. These are called contrast filters. One popular effect created with contrast filters results in a landscape photograph with majestic clouds against an almost black sky. This effect is obtained by shooting through a deep red filter, which makes the blue in the sky darker.

A general rule of thumb regarding the use of contrast filters is: The filter makes its own color lighter in tone and its opposite color darker in tone.

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The E-3 is able to create these effects without using physical filters by modifying the performance of the red, green, and blue color channels in the MONOTONE mode.

The functions of the B&W filters are described below:

• RED - The red filter darkens blues and greens and lightens reds. In landscape photography, it produces dark skies that make clouds look more dramatic. The red filter can also cut through atmospheric haze to some degree. It can be used in portraiture to diminish skin blemishes on light-skinned people.

• YELLOW - The yellow filter darkens the blue in the sky so clouds separate from the sky without producing the dramatic effect of the red filter. Many black and white photographers routinely keep a yellow filter on their camera because the effects appear more natural than those of other filters. In copy photography of old documents, the yellow filter brightens the look of yellowed paper.

• ORANGE - The effect of the orange filter falls midway between that of the red and yellow filters.

• GREEN - The green filter lightens plants in images. It will also make red subject matter darker and add contrast to sunsets.

The B&W Filter effects can be previewed on the Live View screen before shooting.

Is it possible to take time-lapse photo sequences with the E-3?

The E-3 can take time-lapse photo sequences by using the Time Lapse option of the Camera Control feature in the optional OLYMPUS Studio built-in interval meters found in some digital cameras, OLYMPUS Studio offers very detailed computer camera control over preset time periods.

application software. Unlike

To use this functionality, connect the camera to the computer using the USB cable bundled with the camera. Set the camera’s USB Mode to CONTROL. The starting date and time, interval between frames, and the number of frames (up to 999) are preset, and the timelapse sequence is started. The images are saved on the computer – not the memory card.

here for more information about OLYMPUS Studio and to request a free, 30-day

Click trial. To upgrade to the full version,

purchase a license key from The Olympus Store.

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My 35mm SLR had a mirror lockup to let the camera vibration settle down before the shutter tripped. Does the E-3 have this?

The E-3 has an ANTI-SHOCK function that diminishes camera shake caused by vibrations when the mirror flips up. This feature can be useful in astrophotography, photo microscopy, or other applications where a very slow shutter speed is used and camera vibration needs to be minimized. The interval between the mirror flipping up and the shutter opening can be preset from one second to 30 seconds via the Camera 2 menu.

Does the E-3 have a programmable Custom Function button?

The [;] button in the upper right corner of the camera back is the E-3’s Custom Function button. To change the function assigned to [;], do the following:

1. Press the [MENU] button.

2. Press the Down Arrow button repeatedly until Custom Menu 1 is selected. Its icon looks like this:

3. Press the Right Arrow button once to enter the

4. Press the Down Arrow button to select

Y menu.

(Custom Menu 1B) and then

press the Right Arrow button.

5. Use the arrow pad to select the Custom Function menu item. It looks like this:

6. Press the Right Arrow button to view the Custom Function menu. Use the arrow pad to scroll through the functions that can be assigned. The available functions are:

• OFF – This option disables function allocation.

• V (One-Touch White Balance) – This function is useful when you

need a more precise white balance than preset White Balance can provide. When this function is registered to the Custom Function button, the optimum white balance for the shooting conditions can be saved in the camera by photographing a white piece of paper under the light source that will be used in your shot. While holding down the Custom F unction button, press the shutter button once. Press the [

i] button to register

the white balance. The setting is retained until a new custom white balance is registered by repeating the procedure.

• TEST PICTURE – This enables a photographer to shoot a picture and see it on the monitor without saving it to the memory card. This can be useful in a studio situation where it would be desirable to shoot setup tests and not use up space on a memory card. Simply hold down [;] while shooting.

• MY MODE – If a photographer has registered special settings in MY MODE SETUP, this option allows the photographer to apply those settings without having to go into the menu. Instead, simply hold down [;] and shoot.

• PREVIEW / LIVE PREVIEW (electronic) – This is the default factory setting for the [;] button. It is used to check the depth-of-field while

looking through the lens. When [;] is pressed, the camera will stop down to the selected f-stop.

•

- Press [;] to switch to the registered AF home position.

Press this button again to switch to the original AF target mode.

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• [MF] – Press [;] to switch AF mode to MF. Press the button again to switch to the original AF mode.

• [

] - Press the [;] button to switch the record mode from JPEG

to RAW+JPEG or from RAW+JPEG to JPEG. You can change the record mode by turning the main dial/sub dial while holding down the Fn button.

• P/A/S/M – You can change the shooting mode by turning the main dial/sub dial while holding down [;].

•

– Press [;] to switch to the Underwater Wide shooting mode

and to switch between the Underwater Wide and Underwater Macro shooting modes. Alternatively, turn the main dial wh ile holding down the [MODE] button to select either underwater mode.

7. Press [

i] to activate the selection, and then press [MENU] to exit the menu.

The functions of the [AEL/AFL] and the [;] buttons can be interchanged. To swap them:

1. Press the [

2. Press the Down Arrow button until

MENU] button.

Y (Custom Menu 1) is selected.

3. Next, press the Right Arrow button to enter the Y menu.

4. Press the Down Arrow button to select

(Custom Menu 1B) and then

press the Right Arrow button.

5. Use the arrow pad to select the function swap icon, which looks like this:

6. Press the Right Arrow button to enter the sub menu. Select ON to have AEL/AFL functions performed when [;] is pressed, and vice-versa.

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