great ergonomics, tack sharp lens, very rare to spit out bad pictures.

quite bulky but i guess you have to consider the lens.

this camera amazes me with it's stunning picture quality. I like that you can be very creative with it's manual feature and when you need to fire off some quick shots, the auto with fuzzy logic is bang on. this is the cadillac of p&s. i can hand it over to my wife and say "go nuts!!".

if you can dig a little deeper into your pocket, the powerful g40 flash is great addition.

Similar Products Used:

om 2n body with various zuiko lenses and many p&s cameras.

Stunning picture quality at almost all conditions. The ability to either use manual or auto-settings is unparalleled. Overall high quality lens and flash.

Expensive accessories, not as rugged as the other SLR bodies, no interchangeable lens. Heavy and hence not a real pocket point and shoot camera. Plastic body shows wear and tear pretty quickly.

Very fine camera with the best P&S results and the flexibility to have manual setting (that I hardly use). Flexible x5 lens.
Get it if you do not mind it being bulky and heavier than similar P&S (with not manual settings) cameras

Customer Service

Pretty OK, sent manual quickly and did not charge me for it (like Sony does)

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS-650, Ricoh Mirai, Samsung EXC-1, Olympus Trip and various other P&S cameras

(Note: this covers the iS-2, identical in most respects to the iS-3.)
-Dead simple ease of use in default auto mode; can hardly be fooled.
-Ergonomics. Wonderfully grippable and balanced.
- The glass is outstanding, best mid-range zoom I've tried. Sharp, contrasty, free of distortion and vignetting. A solid B+ from 35mm to 135mm at all focus distances. Nice bokeh, too (that's the quality of the out-of-focus objects in the foreground and
background) - I'd describe it as "painterly" and not "technical."
-Flash. Auto and fill modes are nearly foolproof.
-Snappy, sure focusing from 35mm to approx. 100mm in dim light. Only small contrast is needed for autofocus to zero in and lock on.
-Relatively quiet and free of vibration for an auto-everything SLR.

-Modes other than default auto mode aren't intuitive.
-Olympus's patented disco-strobe-light redeye reduction system is distracting.
-Some buttons aren't easy to operate without fingernails, particularly the spot mode.
-Focus hunts in low light beyond 100mm, as do most autofocus systems with effective apertures of f/5.6 or smaller. Even assist light doesn't help much.
-Not the best quick-load design. Takes some dexterity to keep curly film leaders in place while closing door.

In a word, outstanding.

If Olympus knew anything about effective marketing the Canon Rebel series would be
in serious trouble.

If you want an SLR with P&S convenience and don't anticipate needing extra stuff -
lenses, etc. - this is the one. Or, rather, the iS-3 is the one, since the iS-2 is discontinued. A few are available factory refurbished with a one-year warranty from Oly.

Auto flash is nearly foolproof. Only a black kitten against a black purse baffled it.
OTOH, a close up of my redeye-prone pet ferret was perfectly exposed with no
vampire eye effect.

And it's got just enough override options to satisfy a perfectionist, altho' I wouldn't
bother with most of 'em. Also available are optical adaptors threaded to fit in front of
the lens to widen the wide, lenghten the telephoto and close the close up gap to near
true macro range. Haven't tried 'em but all are considered excellent quality by folks
whose opinions I respect.

Standard disclaimer: I don't work for Olympus. Hell, I barely work. I shoot Canon FD
gear. I've owned a couple of old Olympus P&S cameras and recently acquired an
OM-1. It's nice, but not enough to force me to blather insincerities. 'nuff said.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM-1, XA-2, XA-3; Canon T70, FTbn, TX; Miranda Sensorex; Pentax Spotmatic; many autofocus P&S and SLR.

Very well built. Good performance. I have the is-3000 and the high speed sync is VERY useful!

Maybe the slow aperture. I often have anothet camera with f:1,4 or 2,0 with me. Otherwise none

The best allround camera I have ever had. A perfect companion on a long trip. Very useful and absolutely worth looking at!

Customer Service

Haven´t used it yet...

Similar Products Used:

Many...Canon EOS 5, Nikon F801s, Minolta Dynax 9xi and more...

Flexible with as much auto and as much manual control as you want. Super lens quality and coverage. Just feels right in your hands. This camera is made in Japan.

None to date. What you buy is what you get.

Is a top line camera which I use as point and shoot and am always satisfied with the results.As senior citizen I had to adjust to a little more weight in a camera but this one is worth it. Have telephoto converter to make focal fixed lens to 300 and it works fine for my sports and bird pictures.I read and studied many camera reviews and am glad I decided on this camera.

Customer Service

Never used.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM body and lens,Olympus Styus Epic, Cannon Photura.

Great ergonomics,fits perfectly in the hands, very comfortable,Super lens (ED glass),35-180, plus 28 and 300mm avail.,makes this one and all around winner! Has about every advanced function you could want on a camera, program, shutter preferred, apeture preferred full manual red eye reduction, date, extended flash with G40. Wow!

None in over five= years

If you want an all around camera, get the IS3 Deluxe, or any of the IS cameras by Olympus, their optics are some of the highest rated in the industry!

Customer Service

Great service, friendly people.

Similar Products Used:

Leica, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Hassleblad, Contax, Minolta,( I've tried em all (I own a camera store). I use this cam

This unique all-in one camera combines ease of operation with a high quality lens and enough creative controls to be used as a serious SLR with full control of exposure; it is far more than just a P&S.

If an iS-4(000) ever sees the light, I would like it to have: a lens that starts in the 28mm range, a led illuminator, a DOF preview button, a faster (4 fps) drive, three selectable AF measuring points, a bigger spot meter button, a better way to overrule DX, a better way to switch from AF to PF.

This camera can fulfill most of my demands. For super wide, super tele beyond 300mm and high magnification macro/micro photography I use my OM's, but for everyday day shooting the iS-3000 has more than enough features. For those occasions where AF is really comfortable the iS-3000 does its job. I became so enthousiastic about it, that I added an iS/L page to my OM-related web pages:

http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/veluwen/om-sif/is-series/is-series.htm

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM, Olympus Centurion, Olympus Mju II, Konika Hexar, Yashica T5

- Optics are amazing. (The ED glass really does make a difference)
- autofocus is very fast and accurate
- two speed zoom control
- program exposure modes work great, especially all auto mode
- focal length 35 to 180 meets most if not all my needs (no need for interchangeable lenses)
- fit and finish quality is high -- Olympus builds a solid piece of equipment
- info screen on back is useful and readable
- built-in flash works great, pops up easily
- while a bit heavy for P&S this feels good in the hands...nice design
- lots of manual choice like macro button, drive speed
- layout of buttons -- a lot going on but after shooting a couple of rolls of film, it all makes intuitive sense
- Again, the lens....great optics!! As good or better than my Nikon w/ Nikon lens

- size is fine compared to regular SLRs w/ zoom lens on, but this isn't one to throw in the purse or fanny pack
- wish it started at 28mm versus 35mm (not a big grip, especially at this great price
- I have no need for the quartz date function

Superb camera that really is a utility player. The range (35-180) wins the day. I find myself being able to take more pictures more quickly because I have range of shots without having to physically change locations. For someone who wants SLR high-end lens quality and exposure manipulation, but doesn't need or want to buy a bunch of lenses, this is a perfect choice. To get a comparable 35-180 lens for my Nikon would have cost at least this much. The lens is worth 400 bucks alone. I bought the camera through Beach Camera (great-- cheap two day shipping and they are authorized dealer with store location and Internet sales), and I picked up a B&W UV filter and the dedicated (smart!) G-40 flash through B&H Photo. They are selling the g40 for $199 which is inexpensive compared to other places. I wanted the flexibility of bounce flash for important potrait shots. My first few rolls using Fuji film (e.g., NPS 160) turned out excellent. Great contrast, color saturation. The lens quality is amazing!

Customer Service

Got the additional Olympus added 3 year warranty for a few bucks; hope to never use it.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Minolta, etc.

Crisp REally sharp pictures. Always.
Zoom lens - covers great distance. Also use the tele and macro converters. The G40 flash is perfect. Always gives the right amount of light. I usually bounce it. Perfect exposures every time.

Weight. Non-removable lenses. Very delicate. Not a "put in pocket" point and shoot, and still more fragile than slr bodies with lenses.
The built in flash is a waste for me. The "reduce red eye" function, hasn't eliminated red eye for me. I usually leave the built in flash off and use the G40.
Can't over ride ISO.

Great camera for those who want more than a simple point and shoot. And those having no desire to learn to shoot manually. I have recently bought a cheap Canon Rebel X and intend on learning. I have used the IS3DLX for weddings, portraits, sports and of course the family vacations, etc. Always worry about hurting the camera outside of a shoot. Very fragile. This camera isn't for those not wanting the weight or the lack of creative control. The $1000 price tag included accessories - macro & tele converters, G40 flash, & remote.

Customer Service

Never used them. My pop up flash no longer fires, guess I'll be trying out customer service. (Only use it any way "on the road" for quick shots.)

Similar Products Used:

Canon Rebel X
Vivitar flash
Sun pack flash

I love the quick focus and the perfect pictures taken. You have to try really hard to take a bad picture.

I do a lot of sports work and I wish the film would advance a bit faster.

Comfortable grip and perfect prints. Perfect for just about everything. My only concern is the inability to purchase new lenses. Oh well.

Customer Service

I haven't had to use their services.

Similar Products Used:

Some Nikon and Canon stuff.