Olympus’s new OM-D E-M5 Mark III is Olympus’ long-awaited update to the E-M5 II, which was released all the way back in 2015. Four years later, what is Olympus offering with the new update?
The E-M5 III features a 20mp Four Thirds sensor (CMOS), with 121 phase-detection AF points, the same as the flagship E-M1 Mark II / E-M1X, plus a number of design changes that make the camera easier to use.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Features
The 20mp sensor is the same as that found in the more expensive E-M1 Mark II, and E-M1X. This should give the same high image quality, and with built-in phase detection pixels (121 AF points), all cross-type, the focus speeds should be just as quick as these cameras (or near). The sensor also features an anti-reflective coating.
Some may be wondering why Olympus hasn’t introduced a higher resolution sensor, however, with Nikon releasing the 20mp Nikon Z50, 20mp is likely enough resolution for a lot of people. Olympus also has the built-in multi-shot high-res mode that can produce 50mp images (of still subjects), in-camera.
The camera has an updated AF system, for faster and more precise focusing on moving subjects, using the Auto-focus system from EM-1 II. There’s also improved low-light performance, thanks to improved AF sensitivity. You can set the focus tracking to the centre (start), or centre priority focus, as well as choose between 5 point, 9 point, 25 point, and 121 point AF options. However, it doesn’t feature the same intelligent tracking as the E-M1X, so it doesn’t feature plane, train and automobile tracking options. It still features AF tracking, but without the dedicated subject selection modes.
5-axis Image Stabilisation
The camera’s 5-axis image stabilisation system moves the sensor to compensate for movement, and this has also been improved since the E-M5 Mark II, with 5.5EV steps body only (vs 5 stops on the E-M5 II), and up to 6.5EV steps with sync-IS on the 12-100mm f/4 lens. The IS system is now smaller than the previous version. The system allows for hand-held night shots.
The in-camera image stabilisation works with any lens, so will even work with manual focus lenses and legacy lenses, and you can program in your lens settings so that the image stabilisation is at it’s most effective.
The electronic viewfinder (EVF) has been updated, with the camera using an OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF), with 2.36m pixels, 0.69x magnification, 100% view, and a 27.5mm eyepoint which is increased, making it better for glasses wearers.
Pro Capture, from the E-M1 II, E-M1X is now included, and the camera also features a number of different advanced shooting modes, including:
- PRO Capture (30, 20, 15fps)
- Live Bulb (now on mode dial)
- Live bulb / time / composite
- Focus bracketing and stacking
- Tripod High-res Multi-Shot (50mp)
- In-camera fisheye compensation (For example for the Fisheye 8mm lens – converting a fisheye image into a flat/square image)
As you’d expect, the camera still has P, A, S, M shooting modes, along with SCN (Scene), ART, Auto, and Video modes available on the mode dial. In terms of other features you get as standard with the camera, there is built-in dust reduction, with the Olympus SSWF Dust reduction system, designed to keep dust off the sensor.
The camera has a new plastic construction, compared to the metal on the E-M5 II. This has allowed the camera to be lighter than the E-M5 Mark II, by 51grams, with the E-M5 III being 366g. (without battery/memory card). However, the camera still remains weather-sealed and has improved handling, with a larger grip as well as additional controls, giving direct access to ISO/exposure compensation and additional modes on the mode dial.
The camera uses the BLS-50 battery, the same battery that is found in the Olympus PEN-F, and E-M10 series, which gives the camera a slightly smaller battery, helping reduce the weight. The camera still offers a similar battery life, of 310 shots (110minutes of movie recording), but adds in USB charging support, and with power saving mode active is said to offer up to double the battery life. The E-M5 and E-M5 II use the BLN-1.
The camera records 4K CINE video at 24fps (at 237mbps), or 4K UHD at 30/25/24fps (102mbps), and there is a mic jack on the side as well as a “Flat” colour profile. There’s also improved AF for video. You can record high-speed FullHD video recording, with up to 120fps possible.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III New Features:
- Larger thumb grip
- LED indicator (showing writing to SD card)
- Dedicated ISO button
- Custom functions (C mode on mode dial, instead of “Story” mode)
- Bulb mode now on the mode dial
- Dedicated exposure compensation button
- Focus bracketing / Focus stacking
- Hi-Res mode upgraded to 50mp (80mp raw)
To see more differences, have a look at our Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Vs Mark III Comparison.
Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and Bluetooth is built-in, giving automatic JPEG transfer, JPEG and raw transfer, and remote control.
Lens mount and size – Olympus continue to promote the idea of small, compact, lightweight, portable, and with the E-M5 and E-M1 cameras, weather-proof, so that the cameras can be used in any situation without worrying about the weather, and without being weighed down by heavy DSLR sized cameras.
The camera measures 85.2x49.7x125mm, and there’s an optional grip (ECG-5), that gives a larger handgrip, and also moves the shutter release button and front command dial forwards. This will be available for £179. Olympus says the weather-sealing is the “best in class”.
Olympus says that the ISO performance has been improved by 2 stops, and ISO6400 is as good as ISO1600 on the E-M5 II, according to Olympus. We’ll have to test this to find out. This also means that Auto ISO can use higher ISO speeds without as much worry about noise.
The E-M5 Mark III is priced: at £1099 body only, £1399 with 14-150mm, £1599 with 12-200mm, and £1699 with the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens. There’s a pre-order offer of £100 trade-in, with a free battery via dealers in the UK. The camera will be available from November, and is provided with a small external flash, and comes with an extended warranty in the UK.
Key Features
- 20mp Four Thirds CMOS sensor
- Micro Four Thirds lens mount
- TRUEPIC VIII image processor
- 5-axis in-body image stabilisation (sensor-shift, updated)
- 3inch vari-angle touch-screen, 1040K dots
- 2.36m dot EVF, 0.69x magnification, OLED
- Weather-sealed camera body
- 121 all-cross type phase-detection af points
- 10 / 30fps continuous shooting (mechanical, electronic)
- 4K CINE/UHD video
- FullHD video, 120fps
- Available in silver/black or black
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Handling
There is side access to the SD memory card slot, which is always preferable to having it in the same compartment as the battery, as then it’s accessible even when the camera is mounted on a tripod - the camera now supports UHS-II memory cards. The updated grip is larger at the front, as well as larger at the back, and this gives a very comfortable area to hold on to, giving a more secure area, and it's also a noticeable improvement over the E-M5 Mark II, in size. The grip on the front and back has a tough rubber texture, and there is also rubber grip on the left of the camera.
The mode dial gives direct access to all the usual shooting modes but now makes it easier to access the Bulb mode (and adds a Custom mode). On previous cameras you had to go in to the manual mode, and set the shutter speed to the longest available, scroll past, and then you’d find bulb modes, which include the excellent Live Time, Live Bulb and Live Composite modes, which make long exposure photography such as light painting, extremely easy, with impressive results possible (as you watch the photo develop in front of you, on-screen). If you haven’t seen this in action, we’d recommend having a look at videos showing how this works.
The dedicated ISO and Exposure Compensation buttons are very welcome additions, making it very easy to access and change these settings, and this is a nice feature to see on a smaller camera body. Usually, as a camera size decreases, there are limited controls, due to the simple fact that it’s more difficult to fit controls and buttons. On the previous camera, you would need to customise one of the Function buttons in order to have direct access to this setting. You can customise these buttons on the E-M5 Mark III if you'd like to change these to something else.
The electronic viewfinder (EVF), may give a slightly smaller view when compared to the E-M5 II, however, the view through the new OLED electronic viewfinder is brighter, with better dynamic range shown, and therefore gives a more pleasant viewing experience. As you would expect, there is dioptre correction, a rubber eye surround, and the camera will quickly switch between the rear screen and EVF when needed.
The screen remains the same, as a 3inch touch-screen, with 1040K dots. The vari-angle screen can be pulled out to the side, turned to face the front (for selfie’s or vlogging), as well as turned and hidden from view, to protect the screen. The colour reproduction is good, and the screen gives a clear, sharp and detailed view of the scene.
EM-5 III (left) Vs E-M5 II (right) - Super Control Panel
Menus – Ah, the Olympus menus, whilst the Olympus menus remain, at times, quite difficult to navigate, they do become more familiar over time, with the more basic settings in the first few screens, followed by all of the more advanced settings in the “Custom” settings menu section. Unfortunately, this is no longer colour coded, and you may need to spend some time studying these before you find what you’re looking for. Unfortunately you can't use the touch-screen to go through the menu items, but you can use the touch-screen with the Super Control Panel (shown above).
The camera does give a number of ways to more quickly access settings, either by using the external buttons, using the “Super Control Panel”, which is like Fujifilm’s Q (Quick) menu, but instead of a ‘Q’ button to access it, you simply press the middle OK button in the centre of the four-way controller. You also have the “MyMenu” section where you can add settings that you want to access quickly. The Super Control Panel on the Mark III has been updated to give a slightly larger and clearer view of the settings and options.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Performance
The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. You can view sample images from the camera here, or you can view more sample photos, product photos, and images in the Equipment Database.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III Sample Photos
Sample photos - Colour reproduction remains a strong point of the Olympus E-M5 III, with excellent auto white balance performance, and colour reproduction. The camera continues to feature face and eye-detection, something that was available with the first Olympus OM-D E-M5, from 2012. This means portrait shoots have an impressively high success rate, with the eye being the focus point of the camera.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III Other sample images
Other sample photos - Dynamic range recorded is good, although there were times when we looked to the HDR (High Dynamic Range) shooting mode to help with high contrast scenes. The camera outputs excellent JPEG results straight from the camera. The picture modes let you adjust the colour of images, with a number of presets included, and you can also manually adjust the sharpness, contrast, saturation and gradation. The multi-shot high-res mode works very well, producing detailed 50mp JPEG images (or 80mp raw files), combining the images in-camera.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III ISO test images
ISO test images - Despite the increase in megapixels over the 16mp E-M5 Mark II, we have found that the noise performance is good, with images even taken at ISO speeds up to ISO6400 giving good results. There are options to adjust the noise reduction levels, with off, low, standard, and high being available, with slight more detail visible when the camera is set to low, without too much of an increase in noise. We took these with the noise reduction set to standard. We've included an example taken using the 50mp multi-shot mode.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III White-balance test images
White Balance Performance - Auto White Balance (AWB) gives warm results under tungsten lighting, with the default setting being to "Keep Warm Colours" switched on. With this switched off, you can get much more neutral results, with white being white, which is great for product shots. The camera does a good job in mixed light, as well as fluorescent light. We've included an example taken using the 50mp multi-shot mode, and you can see the additional level of detail in the image, when you view the High-res version.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III Comparison Images
We've included shots taken as standard 20mp shots, as well as 50mp shots taken using the "High Res" Multi-shot mode. This combines 8 shots in to one image, in the camera, producing a 50mp JPEG image as well as an 80mp raw file (if you select both). A tripod is needed for this, and it can have issues with moving subjects, so landscapes with moving leaves, trees, etc can be an issue. To view the difference, you'll need to click the "High Res" link.
Video - The 4K video mode has a "Flat" profile settings, and to access this, you go into the video menu, then into specification settings, then into "Picture Mode" and switch this on. This then put the camera in the Flat colour profile mode. A high-speed memory card is recommended.
There is a built-in microphone socket, but unlike the E-M5 II, there is no optional headphone socket. (On the E-M5 II, it was possible to add one with the optional grip).
With 4K CINE (24fps) and UHD (30, 25fps) video recording the camera offers more than much of the competition at this price point, and the 5-axis image stabilisation system makes even handheld video recording very smooth and stable. The in-camera image stabilisation system will immediately give your video a more professional look when recording handheld, and in many ways reduces the need to record everything using a tripod, letting you travel lighter.
You can watch additional E-M5 III videos on the ePHOTOzine YouTube Channel.
With optional battery grip
Value For Money
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is priced at £1099 body only, and finds itself up against a number of competitors, with the following options available, although few of these offer in-camera image stabilisation, along with weather-sealing, and 4K CINE video.
Panasonic Lumix G90 / G95, 20mp Micro Four Thirds, 4K UHD video, IBIS, £1079 with 12-60mm lens
Nikon Z50, 20mp APS-C, 11fps, 4K UHD video, £849 body only
Fujifilm X-T30, 26mp BSI CMOS sensor, 4K UHD video, £849 body only
Canon EOS M6 II, 32mp, 4K UHD video, £869 body only
Sony Alpha A6400, 24mp, 4K UHD Video, no IBIS (see A6600), £998 with 16-50mm lens
Have a look at more options in our Top 20 Best Premium Mirrorless Cameras list. You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Verdict
With weather sealing, a compact camera body, in-camera image stabilisation, 30fps high-speed continuous shooting, and 4K CINE video recording, the E-M5 III offers a compelling, and somewhat unique offering, for the price point.
The camera also benefits from the Micro Four Thirds system, which has possibly the widest range of native fit lenses of any mirrorless camera system – we’ve reviewed well over 80 different Micro Four Thirds mount lenses, and there are over 170 different lenses listed in our system. Compare this to the Canon EOS M system, with 8 Canon lenses (32 lenses total). This is something to bear in mind when choosing a new mirrorless camera system. For example, what lenses do you want to use, and are they available?
The camera now uses a plastic construction, which will be off-putting for some, however, this has allowed the camera to be lighter. Time will tell whether the camera will survive the same level of abuse as the E-M5 II and E-M5. The grip size has been increased both on the front and back of the camera, giving much better handling and comfort.
Being able to charge the camera over USB is a very welcome addition, however, the use of MicroUSB is a slight disappointment, as it becomes less common in future. However, this may not be an issue for you, and it’s certainly better than the previous propriety connection.
Overall, does the camera deliver high image quality? Yes, with particularly pleasing JPEG output, and excellent colour reproduction. Does the camera make it easier to use it and take photos? Yes, with dedicated buttons for ISO and exposure compensation, the camera makes it even less likely that you’ll need to enter the menus, and with direct access to the Bulb shooting modes, some of the best features of the camera are no longer hidden away. You’ve also got a custom mode, making the camera easier to set up for your own preferences.
If you’re in the market for a mirrorless camera that you can easily take with you everywhere you go, then the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is an excellent choice.
| The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III offers a compact mirrorless camera packed with features, including an impressive 5-axis image stabilisationand 4K CINE video recording. It's also part of a mirrorless camera system, with a wide range of lenses available. |
Own this product? Let us know what you think of it in the EQDB.