D I G I T A L T E C H N I C A L S U P P O R T
O L Y M P U S I M A G I N G A M E R I C A I N C .
( 8 8 8 ) 5 5 3 - 4 4 4 8
h t t p : / / s u p p o r t . o l y m p u s a m e r i c a . c o m
©2008 Olympus Imaging America Inc.
Page 22 of 26
Last updated on February 28, 2008
Troubleshooting
Why does the ISO value displayed in the viewfinder blink when it is
set to ISO 2000 or higher?
At high ISOs such as 800 and 1600, image noise in the E-3 is very clean and resembles film
grain. At ISOs of 2000 and higher, the noise is still relatively clean, but the photographer may
want to change the setting of the NOISE FILTER to reduce image noise in-camera. The
blinking ISO value serves as a reminder to refer to the NOISE FILTER setting before shooting
at high ISOs. The NOISE FILTER options are OFF, LOW, STANDARD and HIGH.
Changing the NOISE FILTER option does not stop the ISO value displayed in the viewfinder
from blinking.
When I look through the viewfinder, the image does not appear to
be sharp. Why?
You may need to adjust the viewfinder’s diopter to your vision. To the left of the
viewfinder eyepiece cup is the diopter adjustment dial. While looking through the
viewfinder, rotate the diopter adjustment dial until you can see the AF frame clearly
in the center of the viewfinder.
Olympus also makes –3 and +3 diopter viewfinder eyecups. They can be purchased
through authorized Olympus dealers or directly, online, via The Olympus Store. To
purchase the Dioptric Eyecup DE-N3 –3 Diopter from The Olympus Store, click
To order the Dioptric Eyecup DE-P3 +3 Diopter, click
.
After I attach a lens to the camera body, my camera seems unable to
secure autofocus. This problem is intermittent but affects multiple
lenses. Why is this happening?
If the problem occurs with every shot taken with every accessory lens, the camera may
be broken. However, if the problem occurs sporadically – and chiefly only after attaching
a lens – then it is possible the lens(es) may not have been attached properly.
Remove the lens from the camera and look at the silver mount. Nine gold-colored pins
are arranged below the mirror in an arc. These pins must make firm contact with the
gold-colored touch points on the back of the lens. This happens naturally when the lens
is attached properly, but if the lens is not locked into place then one or more pins may
not receive sufficient pressure to maintain contact during use.
To attach a lens to the camera body, align the lens attachment mark (red circle) on the
camera mount with the alignment mark (raised red knob) on the side of the lens. Then
insert the lens into the camera’s body. Rotate the lens clockwise and listen for a click.
The click is an audible indication that the lens lock pin has snapped into place on the
back of the lens and has secured the lens in the proper position. The lens lock pin is the
small silver pin on the lens mount in between the mirror and the lens release button.
Do not press or hold down the lens release button while attaching a lens to the mount.
The lens release button forces the lens lock pin to retract into the camera so that the
lens can be removed without breaking the pin. If the button is held down while
attaching the lens, it may not align with the hole on the back of the lens after the button
is released. This will result in a situation in which the lens is attached to the camera
mount but is not locked into place. It is possible that this condition will prevent the lens
from making and retaining a firm connection to the camera. This will inhibit autofocus
and may increase the lag time between shots.
