Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Review

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is positioned in the middle of the company’s OM-D range, including the user-friendly E-M1X for professionals, the soon-to-be-replaced E-M1 Mark II, and the entry-level E-M10 Mark III. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a mirrorless interchangeable-lens digital single-lens reflex camera.

It is designed for novice photographers searching for a camera they can eventually develop into and for more seasoned photographers who want sophisticated shooting capabilities from a more compact camera than its APS-C competitors.

E-M5 iterations have been launched at a relative snail’s pace, once every four years (2011, 2015, and 2019), when compared to the standards of the highly competitive camera market; however, slow and steady is not a bad thing, and this third version, unsurprisingly, represents a comprehensive upgrade over the E-M5 Mark II.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Price

See: Best Lenses for Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III | Best Memory Cards for Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Features

After four years, the 16-megapixel sensor of the E-M5 Mark II appears to be a little behind the times. It was anticipated that the most recent version would include a higher resolution; sure enough, this sensor has a resolution of 20.4 megapixels. However, it is the same sensor found in the Olympus E-M1 Mark II, representing a significant improvement.

With the addition of this additional sensor, the E-M5 Mark III is now on par with the Panasonic G90, its primary competitor. However, one may argue that the image quality of both cameras is inferior to that of their competitors.

Alternative cameras are available at this price point that uses APS-C sensors, such as the Fujifilm X-T30. These cameras perform better in low-contrast environments, providing a higher resolution and a more comprehensive dynamic range.

Olympus does provide options for overcoming the constraints placed on the sensor size by the E-M5 Mark III.

For instance, its High Res Shot mode utilizes sensor-shift technology to combine numerous photos into a single picture with a far greater resolution than the original. Of course, you may only use High Res Shot on things that are not moving, and you will need a tripod; nevertheless, the resulting photograph will be 50 megapixels in resolution.

When shooting handheld in low light, you may use Olympus’ industry-leading image stabilization feature, which allows you to utilize slower shutter speeds while still capturing more explicit images than possible without it.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Build Quality

There is no getting around the fact that the E-M5 Mark III is an appealing camera. This is the kind of camera that you want to have in your hand as soon as you take it out of the box, and once you do, you’ll find that it handles well indeed.

This is the lightest E-M5 camera, weighing only 414 grams, with the battery and memory card included. It is 50 grams lighter than the E-M5 Mark II, and when combined with a relatively tiny lens, you won’t feel like you’re carrying the camera.

Compared to larger-format competitors, the OM-D system’s camera bodies and lenses weigh only a fraction of what they do. This DNA is where the OM-D system shines.

Because it is now made of polycarbonate rather than aluminum, that weight has been reduced by 50 grams. However, this could be considered a step backward compared to the E-M5 Mark II, which features a metal body. Because of this, we wouldn’t want to put the E-M5 Mark III through too much strain in harsh environments, even though it is still weather-sealed and has a sufficient amount of heft.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Performance

How does the Olympus E-M5 Mark III perform regarding the speed with which it may be operated? To put it simply, it is speedy in practically every respect. The time it takes to start up is relatively quick, and each control is responsive.

The mechanical shutter allows for high-speed burst shooting of up to ten frames per second, making it highly competitive in the market. However, the buffer’s capacity to store many photographs is the most striking aspect of this setup.

Several factors contribute to burst shooting performance; however, we could shoot an unlimited number of JPEGs at ten frames per second and even more raw images than the quoted number, which was 150. Furthermore, these results were achieved using favorable camera settings, such as a low ISO and recording to a UHS-II SD card.

Following the completion of a sequence, the camera can resume regular operation with minimal lag time. This responsive performance is enormously outstanding, and it is far superior to that of a great many other cameras aimed at enthusiasts.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Image Quality

The 20.4-megapixel sensor of the Olympus E-M5 Mark III, also included in the professional-grade E-M1 Mark II, allows for maximum file sizes of 5184 by 3888 pixels. Without interpolation, this corresponds to a print size of around 14.8 by 11.1 inches (roughly the size of an A3).

When it comes to the sensor format, there is very little that can be said that it is novel. Several cameras are available to produce more excellent-quality images at this price point. These cameras feature a higher resolution, a more extensive dynamic range, and better performance in low-contrast lighting. A sensor with a Four-Thirds format can only reasonably contain a certain number of individual pixels.

The High Res Shot mode enables you to create a final image that is 50MP; the class-leading image stabilization allows handheld shooters to use slower shutter speeds and maximize the light intake for improved image quality, and HDR is available for those who want to stretch the dynamic range of their photos. While none are perfect answers, we should nevertheless be grateful to have them.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Specs

Body type	SLR-style mirrorless
Body material	Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution	5184 x 3888
Image ratio w h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	20 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	22 megapixels
Sensor size	Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	TruePic VIII
Color space	sRGB, AdobeRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 200-25600, expands to 64-25600
Boosted ISO (minimum)	64
White balance presets	7
Custom white balance	Yes (4 slots)
Image stabilization	Sensor-shift
Image stabilization notes	5-axis
CIPA image stabilization rating	6.5 stop(s)
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Superfine, fine, normal, basic
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.31)Raw (Olympus ORF, 14-bit)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive view
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	121
Lens mount	Micro Four Thirds
Focal length multiplier	2×
Screen/viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated
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	1.37× (0.68× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder resolution	2,360,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	60 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/8000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/32000 sec
Exposure modes	iAutoProgramAperture priorityShutter priorityManualBulbTime
Scene modes	Portrait-PortraitLandscape + PortraitNight + PortraitChildrenNight scapeSportHand-held StarlightFireworksLight trailsSportsPanningLandscapeSunsetBeach & SnowBacklight HDRCandlelightSilentMacroNature MacroDocumentsMulti Focus Shot.
Built-in flash	No (Compact external flash included)
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe)
Flash modes	Auto, redeye, fill, off, slow redeye sync, slow sync, 2nd-curtain slow sync, manual.
Flash X sync speed	1/250 sec
Drive modes	SingleSequential (hi/lo)Self-timer
Continuous drive	30.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Metering modes	MultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±5 (2, 3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Modes	4096 x 2160 @ 24p / 237 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 23.98p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 120p, 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 / 202 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 202 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 23.98p / 202 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II supported)
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB charging	Yes
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (wired and via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	BLS-50 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	310
Weight (inc. batteries)	414 g (0.91 lb / 14.60 oz)
Dimensions	125 x 85 x 50 mm (4.92 x 3.35 x 1.97″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Verdict

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is an update that makes sense since it is fashionable, more lightweight than ever, packed with shooting settings for users of all skill levels, and power beneath the hood and upgrades across the board. The E-M5 Mark III may not relatively equal its competitors’ overall picture quality potential with bigger sensors, but it does strike the sweet spot regarding size, weight, handling, and functionality.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Pros & Cons