Introduction

Ease of Use

Front of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Four years is a long time in the fast moving world of photography, and at first glance you'd be hard-pressed to spot the difference between the new E-M5 Mark III and 2015's Mark II model.

But look carefully and there are some subtle and important external changes between the two cameras, with Olympus taking the opportunity to fix almost all of the criticisms that were levelled at the E-M5 II.

In fact, the control layout of the new OMD EM5 Mark III much more closely resembles the E-M1 Mark II, rather than its mid-range predecessor.

On top of the camera, only the power switch is still in the same place, with the dedicated shooting mode dial now relocated over on the right and customizable drive and display buttons on the left, just like on the E-M1 Mark II.

Rear of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

There are fewer changes to the rear, with the principal one being the addition of a dedicated ISO button just above the rear thumb-rest, along with a revised Mode 1/2 switch that now incorporates an AEL/AFL button within it, once again just like on the E-M1 Mark II.

These are all very welcome changes, but there is unfortunately one pretty big step back in terms of the OM-D E-M5 III's external design.

It's now constructed of polycarbonate to help keep both the weight and price down, rather than the magnesium-alloy used in its predecessor, which could prove to be a deal-breaker for some.

In practice, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III still feels well-built, just not quite as solid as the previous model, which is shame given that the new version's launch price is actually slightly higher than its predecessor's was back in 2015.

Tilting LCD Screen

Despite the change of material, it thankfully still boasts the same dust and splash-proof capabilities as before, forming a truly weatherproof system with a similarly equipped lens attached.

The E-M5 Mark III's dimensions are 125.3 x 85.2 x 49.7mm, slightly bigger than the Mark II version, with a body-only weight of 366g, a not insubstantial 53g lighter.

Starting from the front, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a re-programmable depth-of-field preview button located to the bottom-left of the lens mount, a round lens release button to the right, plus an AF assist lamp above.

Sadly it's predecessor's flash sync terminal has disappeared completely, which makes this camera less well-suited to life in a studio environment.

Top of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

The E-M5 Mark III's handgrip is slightly different to its predecessors, featuring a slightly more protruding design and the use of a different, more leather-like texture, with just enough room vertically to accomodate three fingers.

Over the years Olympus have developed and refined a class-leading image stabilization mechanism that corrects for horizontal shift, vertical shift and rotary motion (rolling) for both still images and movies.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III offers an incredible 5.5-stops of compensation complete with auto panning detection, with Olympus claiming that handheld shutter-speeds as low as 1/4 second are easily obtainable.

Even better, by synchronizing the in-lens IS of supported lenses, such as the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS PRO zoom, with the camera body's sync IS, the OMD EM5 Mark III offers up to an incredible 6.5 shutter speed steps of compensation.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III In-hand

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III can now create a 50 megapixel JPEG or an 80 megapixel RAW file in the improved High Resolution mode. This is achieved by shifting the sensor in half-pixel steps and capturing eight images over a period of one second.

Olympus recommends that you mount the camera on a tripod or other stable surface to obtain sharp results and also that your subject should be static.

Focusing is another area where the Olympus OMD EM5 III has been significantly improved.

The new model now uses a a dual phase- and contrast-based auto-focus system and the number of selectable AF points has been expanded to 121 versus the E-M5's 81 points, a big advance on the Mark II's contrast-only system.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III's Memory Card Slot

In fact, it's exactly the same proven system found in the flagship E-M1 Mark II and E-M1X cameras, which is great news.

The continuous shooting speed has been increased too, to 10fps with with full time AF/AE tracking (up from 5fps on the OM-D E-M5 II).

For the first time on the E-M5 series, this new model inherits the Pro Capture mode from further up the range.

In this special shooting mode the camera takes a 30fps burst, with 15 of those frames saved before you actually pressed the shutter, helping to ensure that you don't miss that vital moment.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III's Battery Compartment

Manual focus enthusiasts will be delighted to learn that the Olympus E-M5 Mark III has a focus peaking feature, which enables precise focusing even without magnifying into the live view feed, now with additional options for the outline colour.

The power switch is still positioned on the left-hand side of the flash hotshoe. The placement of the on/off switch might well raise a few eyebrows as it means you will almost always need to use your left hand to turn on the camera, which is hardly an ideal solution.

Actually, this is a design nod to the Olympus OM-1 film camera that had its power switch in virtually the same location – which is all nice and well, but we’d still prefer it to be in a position where you can easily reach it with your right thumb or forefinger.

There are also two raised semi-circular buttons which provide quick access to two sets of settings.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III's Hand-Grip Accessory

Press the top one and you can adjust the camera’s drive modes and self-timer settings with the rear and front control dials, respectively.

Hit the bottom button and you can cycle through the various display modes offered by the camera.

Also on the top of the camera is a vacant flash hotshoe that sits directly above the lens.

Instead of a built-in pop-up flash, the EM-5 Mark III continues to be supplied with the FL-LM3 unit (guide number of 9/m at ISO 200) which clips into the external flash hotshoe.

The Black and Silver Versions of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

While many will bemoan the lack of a true built-in unit, thankfully Olympus have chosen not to sell it as an optional accessory, and it does have the same dustproof and splashproof construction as the camera body.

Plus it can swivel and tilt for bounce flash and act as a wireless controller for off-camera flash. It may make the OM-D EM-5 Mark III look a little top-heavy when fitted, but at least you have the choice of whether to use it or not.

There's a shooting mode dial on the right hand-side when viewed from the rear, complete with a lock button in the centre.

On most other cameras that have a lockable dial, you need to hold down the centred button while turning the dial – on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III, the mode dial locks with one press of the locking pin and unlocks with a second press, which is a clever idea.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III With the 12-40mm Pro Lens

The shooting mode options remain largely the same as the original E-M5's, being program, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, video, Art Filters, scene modes, and - the most obviously highlighted of all in green - iAuto mode.

There are also two new modes on the shooting mode dial - Bulb for Live Composite long exposures and Custom for quickly accessing your own customised settings.

Also over on the the right of the external flash hotshoe are a small-ish shutter release button, with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III readying itself for action in a second or so.

Squeeze down halfway on the shutter release and the E-M5 Mark III very quickly responds thanks to the new TruePic VIII processor, with the AF point flashing up in green with an accompanying bleep of confirmation (if AF is enabled).

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III In-hand

The shutter release is encircled by the first of two command dials. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark I inherits the 2x2 Dual Control system first seen way back on the Pen E-P5.

This comprises two top-mounted control wheels and a function lever on the rear that’s easy to reach with your right thumb.

The function lever has two settings. In the first position, moving the control dial on the front of the camera adjusts the aperture while the dial on the back adjusts the shutter speed.

On the second setting, the dials change the ISO value and white balance respectively. You can also configure the switch’s operation too – for example, you can turn it into a handy AF/MF toggle if that makes more sense to you.

The Top of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Completing the EM-5's top-plate are an exposure compensation dial and a red video record button.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III It can now record cine-standard 4K videos at 24fps with a bit rate of up to 237Mbps in the DCI 4K mode (4096 x 2160 pixels) or UHD 4K footage at 30fps and a 102Mbps bit-rate. Full HD 1080p and HD 720p recording is also supported, plus Full HD 120p slow-motion.

It can use its excellent 5-axis sensor-shift image stabiliser which translates into surprisingly smooth hand-held footage, even when using a medium telephoto lens.

Manual exposure can be enabled for videos, although you do have to rotate the mode dial to the Movie position to take advantage of this. (You can start filming in practically any other shooting mode too, but in that case, videos will always be recorded with auto exposure.)

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III's 3.5mm MIC Socket

It also now has a dedicated 3.5mm Mic jack on the body for better sound recording for vlogging, a very welcome addition.

Moving to the rear of the E-M5 Mark III, there's a built-in electronic viewfinder complete with diopter control to the left.

The Olympus E-M5 has a new, pretty decent OLED viewfinder offering a 2.36-million-dot resolution, 1.37x magnification and a 27mm eyepoint. The magnification is a little lower than on the E-M5 Mark II, although the eyepoint is greater, making it better for glasses-wearers.

There's the same 3-inch articulated rear LCD screen as seen on the Mark II, with a resolution of 1037K dots and capacitive touchscreen technology.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

As the monitor is side-mounted, it's a fully articulated vari-angle display that can be rotated to the front for easier selfies and closed against the rear of the camera to protect the screen.

The E-M5 Mark III features touch screen operation, although if you're not a fan you can for the most part get away without using it much at all, as there are a plethora of physical buttons which are either dedicated to specific functions or can be customized to suit.

Dragging a finger to move the AF point around the screen is a quick and easy way of following the subject, though inadvertently subsequently tapping it will cause the shutter to fire. This facility can be deactivated by prodding the relevant shutter button icon on the touch screen, but it's just as easy to accidentally turn it on again.

To the right of the EVF is the function lever for the 2x2 Dual Control system with the AEL/AFL button at its centre.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Just below this control and the usefully protruding, textured thumb-rest are dedicated and self-explanatory Menu and Info buttons, the latter toggling through the various LCD views.

Underneath again is a option-less 4-way navigation controller with a central OK button - pressing this accesses the E-M5 Mark III's quick menu system, a handy onscreen grid of icons that provide quick access to most of the camera's main settings.

In conjunction with the camera's plethora of external controls and its customisable buttons, this makes the E-M5 Mark III a pleasure to use. The final controls on the rear are the Delete button and Playback buttons.

Chunky lugs for attaching the supplied shoulder strap hang at either side of the camera, thankfully out of the way of fingers and controls.

The Bottom of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

On the left hand flank, when viewing the camera from the back, are three covered ports for a standard 3.5mm stereo microphone jack, remote control, and a shared cover for the mini HDMI output and mini USB ports.

You can now charge the camera on the go via the USB port, a great new feature that is appearing in more and more new cameras.

On the right is a sliding plastic cover protecting the single memory card slot.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus have upgraded the slot's spec to UHS-II, which should help the camera keep up with all those high-speed bursts. It's not that common in this class of camera, where the slower UHS-I standard is the norm.

On the bottom of the EM-5 Mark III is a screw thread for attaching a tripod, with the lockable battery compartment alongside.

The new BLS-50 rechargeable lithium-ion battery supplied with the E-M5 Mark III is good for around 310 shots or 60mins of video recording, about the same as on the E-M5 Mark II.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 20 megapixel Super Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 8Mb.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III produced images of excellent quality during the review period. It produces noise-free images at ISO 64 up to 1600, with limited noise starting to appear at ISO 3200.

ISO 6400 exhibits quite visible noise and loss of fine detail, and the fastest settings of ISO 12800 and 25600 are even noisier but still usable for small prints and web use. The corresponding raw files are inevitably more noisy at lower ISOs.

The image stabilisation system works excellently for both stills and video, even when hand-holding the camera at very slow shutter speeds.

The High resolution mode can create a 50 megapixel JPEG or an 80 megapixel RAW file, although it only really works for non-moving subjects.

The various Art Filters and Picture Styles produce special effects that would otherwise require you to spend a lot of time in the digital darkroom.

Noise

There are 9 ISO settings available on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III. The base sensitivity is ISO 200 but there is an expanded low sensitivity setting equivalent to ISO 64. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting, with JPEG on the left and the RAW equivalent on the right.

JPEG	RAW
ISO 64 (100% Crop)	ISO 64 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)	ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)	ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)	ISO 800 (100% Crop)
ISO 1600 (100% Crop)	ISO 1600 (100% Crop)
ISO 3200 (100% Crop)	ISO 3200 (100% Crop)
ISO 6400 (100% Crop)	ISO 6400 (100% Crop)
ISO 12800 (100% Crop)	ISO 12800 (100% Crop)
ISO 25600 (100% Crop)	ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

File Quality

The file quality settings available on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III include Basic, Normal, Fine and Superfine for JPEGs, and you can also shoot in Olympus’s proprietary ORF raw file format.

SuperFine (100% Crop)	Fine (100% Crop)
Normal (100% Crop)	Basic (100% Crop)

Long Exposures

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III lets you dial in shutter speeds of up to 60 seconds and has a Bulb mode as well for exposure times as long as 30 minutes, which is very good news if you are seriously interested in long exposure photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 1 second at ISO 64.

Night

Image Stabilisation

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III comes with a five-axis sensor-shift image stabilisation (IS) system, which allows you to take sharp hand-held photos at slower shutter speeds than with cameras that lack this feature, up to an incredible 6.5 shutter speed steps of correction.

The following 100% crops are taken from images taken with the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm 1:4.0 IS PRO lens at a shutter speed of 1/15th of a second, with and without IS. The image stabilisation system also works during video capture, producing remarkably steady hand-held footage most of the time.

Focal Length / Shutter Speed	Off (100% Crop)	On (100% Crop)
12mm / 1/15th Second
100mm / 1/15th Second

High Resolution Mode

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III can create a 50 megapixel JPEG or an 80 megapixel RAW file in the High Resolution Shot mode, achieved by shifting the sensor in half-pixel steps and capturing eight images over a period of one second.

Olympus recommends that you mount the camera on a tripod or other stable surface to obtain sharp results.

Off (100% Crop)	On (100% Crop)
Off (100% Crop)	On (100% Crop)

Picture Modes

Olympus' Picture Modes are essentially pre-set combinations of saturation, contrast and sharpness, except for the i-Enhance mode that aims to optimise each photo individually. You can tailor each Picture Mode to your needs. The following examples demonstrate the differences across the available Picture Modes.

i-Enhance	Vivid
Natural	Muted
Portrait	Monochrome

Art Filters

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III offers 16 different Art Filters, which allow you to quickly apply an artistic effect to a photo before taking it (JPEG images only).

Note that applying the Art Filters slows the camera down somewhat as the camera takes several seconds to process and save the image.

Pop Art	Soft Focus
Pale&Light Color	Light Tone
Grainy Film	Pin Hole
Diorama	Cross Process
Gentle Sepia	Dramatic Tone
Key Line	Watercolor
Vintage	Partial Color
Bleach Bypass	Instant Film

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III camera, which were all taken using the 20.4 megapixel Superfine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Olympus RAW (ORF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

Product Images

Conclusion

Over 4 years in the making, the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III incorporates the latest sensor, autofocus system and innovative shooting modes from the flagship E-M1 Mark II camera into a smaller, lighter and cheaper body, to great effect.

It may not have the magnsium-alloy body of its predecessor and the battery life is a little lacklustre for 2019, but overall the E-M5 Mark III is both the most well-balanced camera in the Olympus range and a real contender in the enthusiast mirrorless camera market.

What it may lack in sensor size is more than made up for by the E-M5 Mark III's innovative features, with the High Res, Pro Capture and Live Composite modes all making their way down the range from the E-M1 series.

And with exactly the same processor, sensor, auto-focusing system and image stabilisation onboard too, the new E-M5 Mark III really does feel like an E-M1 II in miniature.

Especially as Olympus have used the four years since the last version to iron out virtually all of the things that we didn't like about the Mark II's design and control layout.

So overall, then, the OM-D E-M5 Mark III marks a real return to form for Olympus after the commerical mis-fire of the E-M1X.

This is a great camera for enthusiasts looking for a compact, lightweight system that won't break either the bank or your back.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	5
Features	4.5
Ease-of-use	5
Image quality	4.5
Value for money	4.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III.

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III from around the web.

Specifications

News

After a lot of rumors, the long-awaited Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has finally been officially announced.

If you don't know already, this is an update of the popular E-M5 Mark II camera from 2015. The new Mark III version offers a 20.4 megapixel Live MOS sensor, TruePic VIII image processor, in-body 5-axis image stabilization system, weather-proofing, 121-point all cross-type on-chip phase detection autofocus system, 10fps burst shooting, 4K 30P high-definition video recording, 2.36 million-dot OLED viewfinder, and USB charging.

Availability and Price

In the UK the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III will be available from mid November in silver or black as body only priced at £1099.99 and in different kit versions as e.g. with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40 F2.8 PRO lens at £1699.99 or with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200 F3.5-6.3 lens at £1599.99 EUR.

Olympus are also offering pre order customers a £100 trade in and free BLS-50 battery to launch the OM-D E-M5 Mark III valid on pre orders to 15 November 2019.

In the US and Canada, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III will be available in both black and silver in late November. The camera body only will have a suggested retail price of $1,199.99 USD and $1,499.99 CAD and the camera body with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 II lens will have a suggested retail price of $1,799.99 USD and $2,249.99 CAD.

Key Features

• Lightweight, weathersealed system
• 20 MP Live MOS sensor
• Powerful new TruePic VIII engine
• 5-axis in-body image stabilisation with up to 6.5 EV compensation*
• 121-point all-cross-type Dual Phase & Contrast Detection AF
• 30 fps silent electronic shutter
• Cinema 4K video with OM-D Movie
• Versatile shooting features: Live Composite, 50MP Tripod HR Shot, Pro Capture, Focus Stacking

Olympus UK Press Release

New OM-D E-M5 Mark III: All you need to break free from the chains of bulky equipment and the limits of smartphone photography

Olympus launches long-awaited OM-D E-M5 Mark III: Compact, lightweight and full of advanced features

London, 17 October 2019 – Only a few days after the 100th Anniversary of the company’s founding, Olympus today starts the next chapter of one of their most popular camera models with the launch of the long-awaited OM-D E-M5 Mark III. Bringing many of Olympus’ most advanced imaging technologies into a very compact and lightweight body, the camera has been designed to be the perfect choice for photography enthusiasts and semi-professionals.

The E-M5 Mark III features a weather-sealed construction, high-performance autofocus capabilities and a powerful image stabilization system along with versatile shooting features to deliver brilliant image quality and an extensive array of creative options for photographers and filmmakers. Even when paired with professional-grade M.Zuiko PRO lenses, the overall camera system remains so small in size that it can be taken anywhere.

Olympus are offering pre order customers a £100 trade in and free BLS-50 battery to launch the OM-D E-M5 MKIII valid on pre orders to 15 November 2019. Further details available at participating dealers. 

At up to half the size and weight of other interchangeable lens systems, Olympus’ biggest advantage is an amazing mobility thanks to the compact, lightweight camera system, including lenses. The combination of their high-resolution, high-performance lens line-up and powerful image stabilization capabilities results in sharp, high-quality photos and videos in a variety of scenarios. Packing some of the latest imaging technologies in a very small body, the new OM-D E-M5 Mark III represents these benefits to the fullest.

Advanced imaging technology in an ultra-small, weather-sealed body ensures high image quality in any environment

All parts in the OM-D E-M5 Mark III have been miniaturized in an effort to provide the smallest body possible. Being one of the most compact and lightweight cameras in its class, the E-M5 Mark III can easily be carried on any trip even when paired with a large-diameter standard zoom lens.

The E-M5 Mark III boasts a combination of the 20.4 Megapixel Live MOS sensor and the high-speed TruePic VIII image processor known from Olympus’ flagship model OM-D E-M1 Mark II as well as a new compact in-body 5-axis image stabilization system. When paired with high-resolution M.Zuiko lenses, the E-M5 Mark III is capable of capturing images with minimal noise even at high ISO settings, and delivers brilliant image quality with minimal distortion up to the edges of the shot.

The camera body is dust-, splash-, and freezeproof so users can focus on their shooting results without worrying about the weather conditions . Olympus’ acclaimed SSWF (Super Sonic Wave Filter) sensor-cleaning technology drastically reduces the amount of dust and dirt that may end up in photos or video by vibrating the image sensor filter 30,000 times per second when turning the camera on.

The iconic design of the OM-D E-M5 Mark III body is reminiscent of the original OM-D and was further improved for operability by adding thumb rests on the back with an enlarged grip to provide a more solid hold on the camera. 

High-speed, high-precision autofocus with 121 all cross-type AF points for greater focusing freedom

The OM-D E-M5 Mark III is equipped with Olympus’ renowned 121-point all cross-type On-chip Phase Detection autofocus (AF) system with different single and group target options. The benefits of using AF across a wide range of the frame already delighted users of the professional model OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Unlike the autofocus in DSLR cameras, there is no degradation in AF precision when using a fast lens. The E-M5 Mark III offers high-precision, high-speed focusing from the maximum aperture setting of all M.Zuiko lenses regardless of subject patterns. The algorithm has been further improved over previous models, preventing the focus from unexpected jumping to the background even in mixed perspective scenes with near and far subjects.

To capture subjects with intense movements – such as in sports or wildlife photography – the E-M5 Mark III allows up to 10 fps high-speed sequential shooting in AF/AE tracking. The moving subject tracking algorithm utilizes AF information from both Live View and recorded images to enable quick tracking of unpredictable subject movement and changes in subject speed.

The high-speed, high-precision AF of the OM-D E-M5 Mark III brings out the full potential of the distinguished MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) mechanism enabling fast and quiet autofocusing in M.Zuiko lenses. 

Equipped with a new compact image stabilization unit and in-body 5-axis IS for high image quality

A new 5-axis image stabilization unit was developed to deliver a high level of image stabilization in a compact and lightweight body. Based on camera shake information obtained from the high-sensitivity gyro sensor and image analysis, the TruePic VIII image processor precisely controls the IS unit to enable up to 5.5 shutter speed steps of compensation performance . Olympus’ acclaimed in-body image stabilization system ensures stabilization with all lenses attached to the OM-D E-M5 Mark III. In addition to angular and shift blur, roll blur is corrected to optimally support handheld shooting.

By synchronizing the in-lens IS of supported lenses  with sync IS, the OM-D E-M5 Mark III is able to deliver an even better image stabilization performance of up to approximately 6.5 shutter speed steps of compensation , making it perfect for dim situations and telephoto shooting.

Equipped with versatile and unique shooting features such as Live Composite, Pro Capture, Focus Bracketing and High Res Shot

Live Composite for long exposure shooting

The OM-D E-M5 Mark III is equipped with Live Composite, which overlaps multiple shots recorded at the same shutter speed and composites only the sections that are brighter for capturing light trails. This feature helps prevent the common phenomenon of images that are too bright when shooting long exposures. Users can check the progress of light trails in real-time using Live View.

Pro Capture mode for capturing split-second moments

Pro Capture mode makes it possible to capture scenes that are difficult to time for the photographer, such as a bird taking flight. Pro Capture starts shooting the moment the shutter release button is pressed down halfway, with a buffer that can be set to capture up to 14 frames in full resolution. The moment the button is pressed down fully, the frames are available to select from retroactively on top of the images recorded while pressing the button.

Tripod High Res Shot for capturing 50M equivalent high-resolution photos

Tripod High Res Shot shifts the image sensor in 0.5-pixel increments while capturing 8 sequential shots, which are then merged into a single 50M equivalent high-resolution photo. This feature is perfect for landscape shots, product photography in a studio, and other situations that require high-definition images.

Focus Bracketing and Focus Stacking for close-up shots

Focus Bracketing can capture up to 999 shots with a single shutter activation while shifting the focal position slightly between each shot. The amount of focal shifts can be selected from 10 levels, and recorded images can be combined into a single image using the Olympus Workspace image editing software. It is possible to create a single image with a depth of field that cannot be obtained simply by stopping down the aperture.

The Focus Stacking feature automatically composites images on the E-M5 Mark III. Eight photos with different focal positions are composited on the camera for a photo with a greater depth of field that is in focus from the foreground to the background.

Other features allowing for an extensive array of creative options for photographers and filmmakers

OM-D Movie for stable C4K video recording

Information from the On-chip Phase Detection AF sensor is used for optimal focusing when recording video. With this, users can record 4K 30P high-definition video. Combining 5-axis IS with electronic stabilization makes it possible to record stable video with minimal camera shake. No special stabilization equipment is required, even when moving around actively.

Large, high-visibility viewfinder 

The E-M5 Mark III features a 2.36 million-dot, high-contrast OLED panel for vivid colors and an EVF (electronic viewfinder) system for minimal distortion up to the edges of the screen. The design makes framing more accurate so the user can concentrate on shooting. The long eyepoint makes it easy to check overall framing even when wearing glasses.

1/8000 second high-speed mechanical shutter

The camera features a high-speed mechanical shutter that operates up to 1/8000 second, making it possible to shoot at a wide aperture setting for defocusing effects even when using a large-diameter lens in bright outdoor conditions.

Custom mode to personalize the camera for different photography styles

This feature can be used to save frequently used camera settings to Custom (C on the mode dial). After being saved, users can simply set the mode dial to C to instantly activate and shoot using the registered settings.

Easy Wi-Fi connection to smartphones via Bluetooth with OI.Share app

Bluetooth can be used to automatically connect the camera to a smartphone simply by starting up the Olympus Image Share (OI.Share) smartphone app for transferring recorded images to a smartphone via Wi-Fi. By using the Share Order function, selected images on the camera can be automatically transferred to a smartphone when turning the camera off.

USB charging capability

The battery inside the camera may be charged via USB (when on the move or not using the camera).

Anti-flicker shooting and flicker scan 

With anti-flicker shooting, the camera detects the flicker frequency of light sources and controls the shutter timing at peak brightness to suppress exposure and color variations between frames. Flicker scan makes it possible to select an appropriate shutter speed to reduce flicker effects.

SCN (Scene) mode and Art Filters

In SCN mode, users may simply choose one of six themes and touch the photo most like the scene they want to capture to activate the optimal settings.

The E-M5 Mark III is furthermore equipped with 16 Art Filter options, so that users can capture creative photos with simple controls. While checking the filter effect on the LCD monitor, users can create images that are uniquely their own.

Like every Olympus camera and lens, the E-M5 Mark III comes with a free six-month warranty extension  when registered via the MyOlympus platform at http://my.olympus.eu 

Selected accessories

The new OM-D E-M5 Mark III is fully compatible with Olympus’ extensive range of Micro Four Thirds lenses and accessories, including tailor-made camera bags, electronic flashes, audio recorders and microphones as well as the free image editing and workflow software Olympus Workspace and smartphone app OI.Share.

ECG-5 external grip

For certain shooting situations, photography enthusiasts may want to add an external grip to the OM-D E-M5 Mark III: the ECG-5 grip comes with a shutter release button and control dial and provides an improved hold on the camera.

Olympus Everyday Camera Backpack

Why not carry the OM-D E-M5 Mark III in the new Olympus Everyday Camera Backpack? The rolltop bag offers space for the camera body and at least five M.Zuiko lenses. Made of water-repellent material and with one quick access to the contents, configurable interior partitions, additional pockets and compartments for SD cards, documents and a small notebook, it is the perfect companion for the E-M5 Mark III.

More information at www.olympus.co.uk/accessories.

Specifications

Type

• Lens mount

  Micro Four Thirds

Image Sensor

• Type

  4/3'' Live MOS sensor

• Effective pixels

  20.4 Megapixels

• Filter array

  Primary colour filter (RGB)

• Aspect ratio & area

  4:3 / 17.3 x 13.0mm

• Full resolution

  21.8 Megapixels

Engine

• Type

  TruePic VIII

Filter

• Dust reduction filter

  Supersonic Wave Filter

Viewfinder

• Type

  Electronical Viewfinder

• Pixel number

  2.360K dots

• Diopter adjustment

  Equipped ‑4.0 ‑ +2.0 diopters / built‑in type

• Field of view

  Approx. 100%

• Magnification

  Max. 1.37x with a 50mm lens set to infinity at ‑1 dioptre (depending on selected viewfinder style)

• Eye point

  27mm at ‑1 dioptre from eyepiece lens

• Style

  3 styles selectable

• Displayed information
• • Aperture value
  • Shutter speed
  • AF frame (super impose)
  • AF confirmation mark
  • AF lock
  • Auto bracket
  • Battery check
  • Exposure compensation indicator
  • Exposure compensation value indicator
  • Exposure level indicator
  • Exposure mode
  • Flash
  • FP flash
  • IS activating mode
  • Metering mode
  • Number of storable sequential pictures
  • White balance
  • Level Gauge
  • Highlight & Shadow
  • Live Pre-view function
  • Histogram
• Correction of colour temperature

  +/‑ 7 levels

• S-OVF

  Expands the Live View dynamic range

• *Available in the EVF when in P, A, S and M modes. Art filter, WB and exposure are not reflected in EVF.

Live View

• Displayed information
• • Aperture
  • Shutter speed
  • Auto bracket
  • AE lock
  • Focus mode
  • Shooting mode
  • Battery check
  • IS activating mode
  • Face / Eye detection mode
  • Record mode
  • ISO
  • Sequential shooting mode
  • White Balance
  • Metering mode
  • Exposure compensation value
  • AF frame display
  • AF confirmation mark
  • Shooting information
  • Spot metering area
  • Super FP
  • Flash status
  • Touch Panel Condition
  • Focal length
  • Flash mode
  • Histogram
  • Level Gauge
  • Highlight & Shadow
  • Focus peaking
  • Number of storable pictures
  • Custom
  • Face detection
  • Flash intensity
  • WiFi
• Field of view

  Approx. 100%

• Magnification levels

  3 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14x

• Dynamic range expansion

  When in HDR1 or HDR2

• Display modes
• • Comparison
  • Grid (4 types)
  • Grid
  • Histogram
  • Level Gauge
  • Magnified View
  • Standard information
  • Off

Image Stabiliser

• Type

  Sensor shift

• Modes

  Five‑dimensional, vertical or horizontal activation, automatic

• Effective Compensation Range

  Up to 6.5 EV steps (Sync IS)

• Up to 5.5 EV steps (CIPA)

• Live View stabilisation

  Available

• Lens IS priority

  Available

Focusing System

• Method

  TTL phase difference detection system, contrast detection system (when non high‑speed contrast AF compatible lens is used, it works as MF assist)

• Focus areas

  121 points * /

• 121 points contrast AF

• All target, single target (normal / small), group target (5‑area / 9‑area / 25‑area)

• * All cross type

• AF lock

  Available; Locked by first position of shutter release button in single AF mode, AE/AF lock button (customised)

• Modes
• • Manual focus
  • Single AF*
  • Continuous AF*
  • Preset MF**
  • AF* Tracking
  • Stacking

• * incl. manual override

• ** Distance setting values are rough estimates and only AF lenses can be used.

• AF illuminator

  Equipped

• Manual focus

  Available; With enlarged focusing area or focus peaking

• Face Detection extension
• • Eye Detect AF: Off
  • Left side priority
  • Near side priority
  • Right side priority
• Predictive AF

  Available

• AF tracking

  Available; Available in continuous AF mode

• Focus peaking
• Colour selection

  White, black, red, yellow

• Intensity

  High / Normal / Low

• Back light effect

  On / Off

• Focus Bracketing Mode
• Number of images

  3 - 999 shots

• Step size

  10 levels

• Compatible with: All Micro Four Thirds AF lenses

• Focus Stacking Mode
• Technology

  8 shots are taken at different focus points and automatically composited together into a single image

• Compatible with: M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro, M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm F3.5 Macro, M.Zuiko Digital ED 7‑14mm F2.8 PRO, M.Zuiko Digital ED 12‑40mm F2.8 PRO, M.Zuiko Digital ED 12‑100mm F4.0 IS PRO, M.Zuiko Digital ED 40‑150mm F2.8 PRO, M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO, M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 PRO

• M.Zuiko Digital 1.4x Teleconverter MC‑14, M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC‑20

• Angle of view becomes slightly smaller

Exposure System

• Modes
• • Programme automatic
  • Aperture priority
  • Shutter priority
  • Manual
  • Bulb
  • Time
  • Movie
  • HDR
  • Custom shooting
• Exposure compensation

  +/‑ 5 EV (1, 1/2, 1/3 steps)

• Note: Monitor and EVF displays only up to ±3 EV.

• Exposure bracketing

  2 / 3 / 5 frames (+/‑ 1/3, 2/3, 1 EV steps)

• 7 frames (+/‑ 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 EV steps)

• ISO bracketing

  3 frames (1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps)

• AE lock

  Available

• My Mode

  3 settings storable

• Shadow Adjustment Technology

• Flicker Scan: Available for M, S and silent mode (can be confirmed in Live View)

• HDR bracketing

  3 / 5 frames (+/‑ 2 / 3 EV steps)

• 7 frames (+/‑ 2 EV steps)

Multi-Exposure

• Max. number of frames

  2 frames (shooting)

• 3 frames (editing)

• Auto gain control

  Available

• Frame assistance

  Live View

Light Metering

• Method

  TTL open aperture light metering

• Zones

  324 zones Multi‑pattern Sensing System

• Detection range

  ‑2 ‑ 20 EV (17mm f2.8, ISO 100)

• Modes
• • ESP light metering
  • Spot metering
  • Centre weighted metering
  • Highlight
  • Shadow

Art Filter

• Modes
• • Pop Art
  • Soft Focus
  • Pale & Light Colour
  • Light Tone
  • Grainy Film
  • Pin Hole
  • Diorama
  • Cross Process
  • Dramatic Tone
  • Gentle Sepia
  • Key Line
  • Water colour
  • Vintage
  • Partial Colour*
  • Bleach Bypass
  • Instant Film
• Variation / Effect

  Available

• Art Filter bracketing

  Art Filters selectable

Sensitivity

• Auto

  (customisable, default ISO LOW ‑ 6400)

• Manual

  ISO LOW ‑ 25600 in 1/3 or 1 EV ISO steps

Shutter

• Shutter type

  Computerised focal‑plane shutter

• Self timer

  2s / 12s / Custom

Shutter Speeds

• Shutter speed range

  1/8000 ‑ 60s (in 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps)

• Bulb mode

  Up to 30 minutes (selectable longest time in the menu, default: 8 minutes)

• High res shot
• Shutter type

  Electronic shutter

• Shutter speed

  1/8000 ‑ 60s

• Start delay

  0, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15. 30s

• Resolution

  JPEG: 8160 x 6120 / 5760 x 4320 RAW: 10368 x 7776

• Equivalent to 50M / 25M pixel sensor (8 shots combined into a single JPEG using sensor shift)

• Available in P/A/S/M mode

• You need to install Olympus Workspace to develop on a PC.

• Anti shock mode
• Shutter type

  Electronic first curtain shutter

• Shutter speed

  1/320* ‑ 60s

• Start delay

  0, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30s

• * For speeds over 1/320 sec., mechanical shutter will automatically be selected.

• Silent mode
• Shutter type

  Electronic shutter

• Shutter speed

  1/32000 ‑ 60s

• Start delay

  0, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15. 30s

• Flicker Scan
• Stills

  1/7634 ‑ 1/50s

• Movies

  1/250 ‑ 1/30s *

• * Frame rates greater 30fps are limited to their reciprocal value

White Balance

• AUTO WB system

  Advanced detection system with Live MOS sensor

• Manual White balance (One-Touch)

  Available

• White balance bracketing

  3 frames / +/‑ 2, 4, 6 mired steps

• One-touch white balance

  4 custom settings can be registered

• Custom WB

  1 setting can be registered at Kelvin temperature (2000K ‑ 14000K)

• Preset values
• • Tungsten
  • Flourescent 1
  • Sunlight
  • Flash
  • Overcast
  • Shade
  • Underwater
• Auto Flash adjustment

  Off / Auto WB / Flash

• Keep warm colour

  On / Off

Sequence Shooting

• Speed (H)

  Approx. 10fps

• Max. number of frames: RAW 150 / JPG (LF): Up to card capacity

• Speed (L)

  6fps

• Max. number of frames: RAW / JPG (LF): Up to card capacity

• Silent mode
• Speed (H)

  Approx. 30fps

• Max. number of frames: RAW 23 / JPG (LF): 26

• Speed (L)

  Approx. 10fps

• Max. number of frames: RAW 152 / JPG (LF): Up to card capacity

• Pro Capture mode
• Speed (H)

  Approx. 30fps

• Speed (L)

  Approx. 10fps

• Pre-shutter Frames

  0 - 14 frames (recorded by half release prior to full release)

• Frame count limiter

  1- 99 frames / Off (unlimited frames) (incl. pre‑shutter frames)

• Conditions

  Memory card: TOSHIBA SDHC UHS‑II R95 W90 EXCERIA™

• When using the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12‑40mm f2.8 Pro

• Maximum sequential shooting speed may be affected by several factors including lens used, brightness, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO setting.

• The actual shooting speed may become slower than the set shooting speed by a few frames per second. When using ISO Bracketing, performance will be affected at ISO 2000 or above.

Image Processing

• Colour space

  sRGB / AdobeRGB

• Sharpness + Contrast

  5 levels

• Contrast

  5 levels

• Saturation

  5 levels

• Black & White filter

  Yellow, Orange, Red, Green

• Black & White toning

  Sepia, Blue, Purple or Green in Black & White mode

• Picture mode
• Gradation

  4 levels (auto, high key, normal, low key)

• Engine

  TruePic VIII

• Art Filter bracketing

  Available

• Tele converter effect

  2x

• Fisheye compensation

  Available when M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm Fisheye PRO is attached Angle of view adjustable in 3 levels Compensation automatically ON when using Underwater Modes, available (can be confirmed in Live View)

Flash

• Type

  Detachable flash with bounce capability (bundled)

• Modes
• • AUTO
  • Manual
  • Manual (Full, 1/4, 1/16, 1/64)
  • Red-eye reduction
  • Slow synchronisation with red-eye reduction
  • Slow synchronisation
  • Slow synchronisation 2nd curtain
  • Fill-in
  • Off
  • TTL-Auto
• Flash compensation

  +/‑ 3 EV / 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps

• Guide number

  12.9 (ISO 200)

• X-sync speed

  1/250s

External Flash Control

• X-sync speed

  1/250s / 1/8000s (Super FP Mode)

• Type

  TTL AUTO, AUTO, MANUAL, FP TTL AUTO, FP MANUAL

• Modes
• • Auto
  • Red-eye reduction
  • Slow synchronisation
  • 2nd curtain and slow synchronisation
  • Fill-in for exclusive flash
  • Manual
• Intensity

  +/‑ 3 EV (1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps)

• Note: Some functions are only available if they are supported by the external flash.

• Compatible external flash

  FL‑14, FL‑20, FL‑36R, FL‑50R, FL‑300R, FL‑600R, FL‑700WR, FL‑900R, STF‑8

Wireless Flash Control

• Number of channels

  4 channels

• Compatible external flash

  FL‑36R, FL‑50R, FL‑300R, FL‑600R, FL‑700WR, FL‑900R

• Control method

  Triggered and controlled by bundled flash

• Group setting

  4 groups

• Available when used together with cameras compatible with the Olympus wireless RC flash system.

• Radio wireless control

  Available

Monitor

• Monitor type

  Vari‑angle LCD ‑ Touch Panel

• Monitor size

  7.6cm / 3.0'' (3:2)

• Resolution

  1037K dots

• Brightness adjustment

  +/‑ 7 levels

• Colour balance

  +/‑ 7 levels Vivid (default) / Natural

• Touch Control fucntions
• • AF area enlargement
  • AF area selection
  • Art Filter
  • Enlargement
  • Enlargement playback
  • Frame forward/backward
  • Live Guide
  • Scene Modes
  • Shooting mode
  • Shutter release
  • Super Control Panel
  • Wifi connection

Level Gauge

• Detection

  2‑axis

• Display

  Rear display and viewfinder

Super Control Panel

• Displayed information
• • Battery indicator
  • Record mode
  • Shutter speed
  • Aperture value
  • Exposure compensation indicator
  • ISO
  • AE bracketing
  • AF frame
  • Focus mode
  • AEL notification
  • Face detection
  • Number of storable frames
  • Metering mode
  • Exposure mode
  • Exposure level view
  • Flash compensation value
  • Colour space
  • Gradation
  • Colour saturation compensation value
  • Sharpness compensation value
  • Contrast compensation value
  • White balance
  • White balance compensation value
  • Noise reduction
  • Flash mode
  • Drive mode
  • Internal temperature warning
  • Histogram

Recording Formats

• RAW

  12bit

• RAW & JPEG

  Applied parallel recording

• JPEG

  Applied

• Aspect ratio

  4:3 / 3:2 / 16:9 / 6:6 / 3:4

Image Size

• RAW

  5184 x 3888 compressed

• 5184 x 3888 Fine (compression: 1/4)

Still Image Recording

• EXIF

  2.3

• DCF

  Applied

• RAW

  Applied

Movie Recording System

• Recording format

  MOV(MPEG‑4AVC/H.264)

• Picture mode

  Flat

• Time code

  Rec run / Free run

• Drop frame / Non‑drop frame

• Image Stabilisation Mode

  Applied Sensor shift

• M‑IS1 (Image sensor shift and electronic image stabilizer with multi motion IS)

• M‑IS2 (Image sensor shift with multi motion IS)

• 4K Movie quality

  4096 x 2160 (C4K) / 24p / IPB (approx. 237 Mbps)

• 3840 x 2160 (4K) / 30p, 25p, 24p / IPB (approx. 102 Mbps)

• HD Movie quality

  Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) / 30p, 25p, 24p / ALL‑I (A‑I), IPB (SF, F, N) (MOV)

• Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) / 60p, 50p / IPB (SF, F, N) (MOV)

• HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) / 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p / ALL‑I (A‑I), IPB (SF, F, N) (MOV)

• ALL‑I: ~ 202 Mbps

• FullHD IPB (SF: ~52Mbps, F: ~30Mbps)

• HD IPB (SF: ~26Mbps, F: ~14Mbps, N: ~10Mbps)

• Maximum Recording Time

  29min (MOV)

• Max. file size

  4GB (AVCHD)

• Exposure Modes
• • Aperture priority
  • Manual
  • Programme automatic
  • Shutter priority

• * Frame rate may drop when using certain art filter

• Class 10 or higher SD card is recommended for movie shooting

• UHS‑II or UHS‑I U3 card is recommended for ALL‑I shooting

Movie Specialties

• High-Speed Recording

  1920x1080 (MOV) / 120fps

• Time lapse

  4k, 1080p, 720p (AVI Motion JPEG®)

• Fast motion

  Available

• Slow motion

  Available

• Movie clips

  1, 2, 4, 8s

• (Extension up to 16s by pressing record button before clip ends.)

• Movie effects
• • Multi shot echo
  • One shot echo
  • Art fade
  • One push tele-converter
  • Old Film
• Art Filter
• • Cross Process
  • Diorama
  • Dramatic Tone
  • Gentle Sepia
  • Grainy Film
  • Key Line
  • Light Tone
  • Pale & Light Colour
  • Pin Hole
  • Pop Art
  • Soft Focus
  • Vintage
  • Partial Colour*
  • Bleach Bypass

• * 18 colours selectable

• Frame rate limited to 30fps or lower

• HDMI Live View
• Monitor mode

  Video signal and info display is processed

• While recording, footage is simultaneously displayed on the HDMI monitor and on the camera, but the info display is shown only on either one of the two.

• While playing movies, footage is simultaneously displayed on the HDMI monitor (normal size) and on the camera (normal size or enlarged).

• Record mode

  Only video signal is processed

• Movie quality is set to YCbCr 4:2:2 (8 bit), frame rate follows movie setting (24p, 30p and 60p settings are not recommended.), and sound will be recorded.

• Flicker Scan

  Available in M mode (can be confirmed in Live View)

Sound Recording System

• Internal microphone

  Stereo

• Recording format

  High quality sound recording (Stereo linear PCM/24‑bit, Sampling frequency 96kHz)

• Stereo PCM/16bit, 48kHz, Wave Format Base

• Image footage

  30s

• Speaker

  Equipped

• Microphone functions
• • Wind Noise Reduction
  • Recording Volume
  • Volume limiter
  • Audio Dubbing
• Linking Olympus PCM Recorders
• Functions

  Slate Tone / Synchronised Audio Rec‑Movie Rec

• Compatible with: LS‑100

Image Editing

• Editing functions
• • RAW data edit
  • Red-eye reduction
  • Sepia
  • Black & White
  • Resize
  • Correction of saturation
  • Correction of brightness
  • Correction of colour balance
  • Shadow Adjustment
  • Trimming
  • e-Portrait
  • Aspect ratio

Menu

• Menu languages in camera

  English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Greek, Slovak, Turkish, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Serbian

Customisation Options

• Fn Button

  Equipped

• My Mode

  1 setting storable (Can be set to mode dial.)

• Factory reset

  Full / Basic

• Programmable button

  Equipped

Interface

• Media

  SD Memory Card (SDHC, SDXC, UHS‑I, UHS‑II compatible) Class 10 or higher SD card is recommended for movie shooting UHS‑II or UHS‑I U3 card is recommended for 4K, C4K, ALL‑I shooting.

• HDMI™

  Applied Micro connector (Type D) *

• USB 2.0 High Speed

  Applied

• Wireless connectivity
• • WiFi
  • Bluetooth®

• * "HDMI", the HDMI logo and "High‑Definition Multimedia Interface" are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

• Hot shoe

  Equipped

• Communication method

  Bluetooth® Ver.4.2 BLE

• Microphone jack

  3.5 ø mm mini‑jack

Wi-Fi Functions

• Easy Connection

  QR code setting

• Wireless Shooting
• • Live View
  • Power off
  • Rec View
  • Self timer
  • Touch AF & Shutter
  • P/A/S/M exposure modes
  • Bulb mode
  • Zoom
  • Movie recording
  • Live Composite
  • Short movie

Power Supply

• Battery

  BLS‑50 Lithium‑Ion Battery (included)

• Sleep mode

  1, 3, 5, 10 min. and off selectable.

• Battery life
• Image shooting

  310 shots (using Toshiba SDHC UHS‑I Card Exceria with IS on, with no flashes attached , based on CIPA test standards)

• Movie recording

  60min (standard JEITA conditions) 110min (when zoom and other operational functions are not used)

• USB charging

  Performance varies depending on different USB devices

Environment

• Temperature

  ‑10 ‑ 40°C Operating temperature / ‑20 ‑ 60°C storage temperature

• Humidity

  30 ‑ 90% operation humidity / 10 ‑ 90% storage humidity

Dimensions

• Width

  125.3mm

• Height

  85.2mm

• Depth

  49.7mm

• Weight

  414g (including battery and memory card)

• 366g (body only)

Exterior

• Available Colours
• • Black
  • Silver

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

First Impressions

Photography Blog attended the UK launch of the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III mirrorless camera at The Magic Circle headquarters in central London, UK.

Find out what we thought of Olympus's brand new camera by reading our detailed first impressions...

Pricing

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III will go on sale in mid-late November 2019 priced at £1099 / $1199 body only. Various lens kits will also be available at launch, depending on your geographical location.

Key Specifications

• 20 megapixel Micro Four Thirds Live MOS sensor
• Latest TruePic VIII processor
• Weather-sealed to official standards
• 5-axis in-body image stabilisation, up to 6.5 EV compensation with 12-100mm lens
• 121-point all-cross-type Dual Phase and Contrast Detection AF system
• 10fps burst shooting with continuous AF/AE
• Cinema 4K video recording at 30p, 1080p at 120fps
• Live Composite mode
• 50MP Tripod HR Shot mode
• Pro Capture mode
• Focus Stacking mode

Target Audience

With the marketing strapline "Break free from heavy gear", Olympus are continuing to target advanced amateurs and photographer enthusiasts looking for a discrete, compact camera kit that doesn't break the back or the bank.

The OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a smaller, cheaper alternative to the flagship E-M1 Mark II / E-M1X models, offering many of the same features at a more palatable price-point in a smaller, lighter body.

Size and Weight

Weighing just 366g and measuring 125.3mm x 85.2mm x 49.7mm, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is constructed of polycarbonate to help keep both the weight and price down.

Controls

As with many aspects, the control layout of the new E-M5 Mark III more closely resembles the E-M1 Mark II, rather than its predecessor.

On top, only the power switch is in the same place, with the shooting mode dial now on the right and customizable drive and display buttons on the left.

There are fewer changes to the rear, with the principal one being the addition of a dedicated ISO button just above the rear thumb-rest.

Sensor

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has the same 20.4 megapixel Live MOS sensor and Truepix VIII processor found in the E-M1 Mark II/E-M1X cameras. Consequently the still image quality should be be very similar, if not nigh on identical, to Olympus' flagship cameras.

Video Recording

In addition to stills, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a capable video camera too, offering Cine 4K recording at 24p and 4K 30p recording, plus Full HD 120p slow-motion. It even has a dedicated 3.5mm Mic jack on the body for better sound recording for vlogging.

Stabilisation

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a brand new in-body stabilisation system that now offers an improved 5.5EV steps of compensation, increasing to an even more impressive 6.5EV step when using the stabilized 12-100mm lens.

LCD Screen

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a versatile vari-angle LCD screen that can be tilted out to the side and swivelled to the front for easier selfies or vlogging. If only every camera had one...

Auto-focusing

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a dual phase- and contrast-based auto-focus system with 121 points for both - in fact, it's exactly the same system as used on the flagship E-M1 Mark II and E-M1X cameras.

Burst Shooting

10fps high-speed sequential shooting with full time AF/AE tracking is offered by the E-M5 Mark III, which is slower than the E-M1 Mark II / E-M1 X's 18fps rate but still more than respectable for this class of camera.

This new model also gains the Pro Capture mode from further up the range, which takes 30fps bursts but with 15 of those frames saved before you actually pressed the shutter,helping to ensure that you don't miss that vital moment.

Viewfinder

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a bright and colourful OLED viewfinder, sacrificing out-and-out accuracy for a more pleasing display.

There's also an eyepoint of 27mm that should please glasses wearers - the industry standard is 23mm.

Unfortunately the move to an OLED panel has seen the magnification fall from 0.7x to 0.68x.

Battery

Battery life is OK on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III. It's officially rated at 310 still images or 60mins of video recording, via a new BLS‑50 Lithium‑Ion battery that's physically smaller than the one used on the Mark II.

You can also charge the camera on the go via the USB port, a great new feature that is appearing in more and more cameras (and rightly so).

Memory Cards

An unfortunate consequence of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III's compact size is the single memory card slot, rather than a dual-slot system.

Thankfully, it is at least housed in dedicated compartment on the side of the camera, rather than in the same one as the battery on the bottom, which is better news for tripod users.

And even better, Olympus have upgraded the slot's spec to UHS-II, which should help the camera keep up with all those high-speed bursts. It's also not that common in this class of camera, where the slower UHS-I standard is the norm.

Weather Proofing

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is fully weatherproof to the official IPX1 rating thanks to some clever dust-, splash- and freeze-proof sealing.

Image Quality

You can see an extensive gallery of Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III sample images and videos here.

Early Verdict

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a well-thought out update of the rather long-in-the-tooth Mark II version, inheriting a lot of features and performance from the more expensive E-M1 II and E-M1 X models whilst improving the user interface of its predecessor. On paper at least it probably offers the best balance of price, size and performance in the Olympus range.

Until we get one in for a full review, why don't you share your thoughts on the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III by leaving a comment below?

Would you buy one? What do you like and dislike? Does Micro Four Thirds still have a future? Share your opinion now!

Hands On

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III camera in both black and silver colours and including a side-by-side comparison with the previous E-M5 Mark II camera.

A hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III mirrorless camera.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample JPEG and Raw images taken with the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 III mirrorless camera at an official Olympus UK press event in London, UK, including the full ISO range.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 III mirrorless camera.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Olympus RAW (ORF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

Your Comments