Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Review

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II embodied everything that a mirrorless camera should be: a high-quality camera that feels great in hand, offers an extensive feature set with bags of control and produces excellent images while not occupying a lot of space in your bag.

It was the perfect mirrorless camera. The newest OM-D E-M10 Mark III is designed to improve upon its predecessor’s achievements and become a vital traveling companion for you.

See: Best Lenses for Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III | Best Memory Cards for Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Features

The OM-D E-M10 Mark III retains the same 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor as its predecessor, the E-M10 Mark II, and the original E-M10 Mark I. In addition, it is equipped with Olympus’ most recent TruePic VII image processing engine, which was previously only found in the brilliant E-M1 Mark II.

Olympus believes that this engine will result in improved low-light shooting performance. Even while an increase in resolution to 20 megapixels would have been desirable here as well, it’s possible that Olympus was afraid that doing so might cut into sales of higher-end OM-D models.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Build Quality

The E-M10 family has always pleased us with its construction and finish quality, and the Mark III is no exception to this trend. Magnesium alloy is used in constructing the E-M10 Mark III, which gives it a robust, sturdy feel that is undeniably far more premium than the feel of DSLR competitors such as the Canon EOS Rebel T7i (EOS 800D).

The front grip, which was relatively shallow on the Mark II but served its purpose well, has been strengthened here to give a more gratifying grasp while maintaining the compact dimensions of the E-M10 Mark III.

The OM-D E-M10 Mark III has the aesthetically beautiful vintage style of the Mark II, but upon closer inspection, a few changes have been made. The dials on the top plate are the most notable of these changes.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Autofocus

The autofocus performance of the E-M10 Mark II, which the OM-D E-M10 Mark III is replacing, was impressive, and the new system is much more advanced. For example, the number of contrast-detect AF points has increased from 81 to 121. This, in conjunction with the inclusion of the most recent iteration of the TruePic III image processor, should result in quicker focusing rates.

Even while some of the competition has on-sensor phase-detect AF points to help speed up the process of acquiring focus, the absence of such issues in the OM-D E-M10 Mark III does not appear to be a significant hindrance when working in single AF mode.

Even when shooting scenes with a moderate amount of available light, focusing is relatively quick; however, the autofocus does slow down slightly as you zoom in. However, this should not be an issue if you use one of the numerous prime lenses compatible with the camera.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Performance

The OM-D E-M10 Mark III can take photographs at a rate of 8.6 frames per second, which is a slight improvement above Mark II’s rate of 8.5 frames per second. Although this is only a slight improvement, it is still faster than other cameras, such as Fujifilm’s X-T20, which can only shoot at eight frames per second. It is also substantially shorter than the Canon EOS Rebel T7i/EOS 800D (6 frames per second) or the Nikon D5600 (5fps).

The buffer performance is also relatively strong, with 22 frames for raw files, and the camera will continue to shoot JPEGs until the memory card is full. We acquired crisp photos using a shutter speed of 1/8 of a second. Bracing the camera correctly makes it possible to shoot at even slower speeds with decent results. In addition, the five-axis image stabilization system operates quite well.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Image Quality

In the five years since it has been on the market, the 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor at the core of the OM-D E-M10 Mark III has undergone minimal alteration. Indeed, the 24MP sensors found in APS-C competitors like the X-T20 and D5600 will offer more satisfactory results. However, there is no reason to underestimate this sensor, which can still provide good prints at A3 size.

JPEG photos captured at ISO 400 are pretty stable. There may be a trace of luminance (grain-like) noise at 100%, but nothing objectionable. On the other hand, a decent amount of detail is evident in images taken in the low-to-mid sensitivity range.

Noise is adequately controlled up to about ISO6400, at which point some regions of JPEGs begin to take on a little painterly aspect when viewed at 100%. This occurs around the same time that the maximum ISO setting is increased. Results at ISO 12,800 and 25,600 are acceptable, assuming that you intend to use those photographs online solely.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Specs

Body type	SLR-style mirrorless
Max resolution	4608 x 3456
Image ratio w h	4:3
Effective pixels	16 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	17 megapixels
Sensor size	Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	TruePic VIII
ISO	Auto, 200-25600 (expands to 100-25600)
Boosted ISO (minimum)	100
White balance presets	6
Custom white balance	Yes (4 slots)
Image stabilization	Sensor-shift
Image stabilization notes	5-axis
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Fine, normal
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor)Multi-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	121
Lens mount	Micro Four Thirds
Focal length multiplier	2×
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,040,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	1.23× (0.62× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder resolution	2,360,000
Minimum shutter speed	60 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/16000 sec
Aperture priority	Yes
Shutter priority	Yes
Manual exposure mode	Yes
Subject/scene modes	Yes
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash Range	5.80 m (at ISO 100)
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe)
Flash modes	Auto, redeye, slow sync, 2nd-curtain slow sync, slow redeye sync, fill-in, manual, off
Continuous drive	8.6 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom)
Metering modes	MultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±5 (3, 5 frames at 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	No
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 52 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 52 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 52 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 52 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 52 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1280 x 720 @ 120p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1280 x 720 @ 30p / 14 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1280 x 720 @ 25p / 14 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1280 x 720 @ 24p / 14 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I/II supported)
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (micro HDMI)
Microphone port	No
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone)
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	BLS-50 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	330
Weight (inc. batteries)	410 g (0.90 lb / 14.46 oz)
Dimensions	122 x 84 x 50 mm (4.8 x 3.31 x 1.97″)
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Verdict

Compared to its competitors merely based on its overall image quality, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III falls short of expectations (though a boost in resolution to 20MP would have negated this a little). However, image quality is still above and beyond what is considered good, and you can generate excellent prints of A3 size from your photographs.

However, this is only one feature, and to appreciate the OM-D E-M10 Mark III, you need to look at the camera as its whole. Its sleek design and body, which has a solid feeling to it, are far more fulfilling than competitors’ DSLRs that are priced similarly, and the fact that it is compact gives it an appeal that is unique from that of its competitors.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Pros & Cons