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I'm interested in getting an Olympus EPL3 for amateur use.

In order of importance I'd like to be able to do the following:

  1. Macro 3D
  2. General purpose; portraits and panoramas
  3. Time-lapse

Is this a good choice of camera? What lenses would you recommend?

At a later date (a year probably) I'd like to try astro-photography, will adapters for four thirds to telescope become available at some point, or will I have to convert from 4/3rds to SLR?

thanks

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    \$\begingroup\$ I can't answer the rest of your question, but telescope eyepiece/camera adapters are generally T-mount, and there are already T-mount to 4/3 adapters out there. \$\endgroup\$
    – user2719
    Mar 12, 2012 at 19:25
  • \$\begingroup\$ How do you do 3D macros? \$\endgroup\$
    – Paolo
    Mar 13, 2012 at 17:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Paolo lens-in-a-cap, uses beamsplitter. This kind of thing loreo.com/pages/products/loreo_3dmacrocap.html (it's for an SLR) \$\endgroup\$
    – earcam
    Mar 13, 2012 at 17:59

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If my underwater macros with the PEN2 are anything to go by, I would think that the PEN3 is as good or better for macro - with the kit lens. The picture I linked is of a 1cm large pygmy sea horse, and it is cropped. The resolution is amazing and I am sure you can easily fit two of them into the picture with a 3D lens without loosing sharpness or too much resolution. They are even selling some LED lights for macros. That should be great for on-the-go use.

In general I would say that the PEN models are very good cameras for all-round photography. You might want to take a look at the Lumix Lenses to get a bigger variety. I am very happy with the 20mm 1.7 prime lens for example.

Regarding Timelapse you might need to buy an intervalometer to control the camera. There are many models that let you shoot timelapses until the memory card is full and have tons of features. I am using this one here which does everything that I need.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Excellent answer and lovely diving photos - thanks =) I already bought the EPL3 with a (non-3D) MCON-P01 macro converter and although I'm struggling a bit with limited depth of field it's a lot of fun. \$\endgroup\$
    – earcam
    Apr 18, 2012 at 11:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks! Macro converters are very hard to focus with. I have one for my DSLR and it gets very tricky. If you get a proper light for the camera the depth of field should be better. \$\endgroup\$
    – uncovery
    Apr 18, 2012 at 16:16

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