It's safe to say that we were impressed with the OM-D E-M1 micro four thirds mirrorless camera when it launched in 2013. In fact, we pondered whether it was a true DSLR killer. DSLRs continue to be released of course, but Olympus stepped up its assault in 2016 with the second generation E-M1. Now the company has loaded a cheaper, smaller camera with much of what made the M1 shine.
Olympus says that many of the components of the OM-D E-M5 Mark III have undergone miniaturization in order to cram them into the 125.3 x 85.2 x 49.7-mm (4.9 x 3.35 x 1.95-in), 366-g (12.9-oz) body – the camera even makes use of a smaller Li-ion battery for the same 310 stills per charge as its predecessor.
The new compact mirrorless features the same 20.4 megapixel four thirds Live MOS sensor and TruePic VIII quad-core image processor. There's 121-point phase detection and 121-point contrast autofocus, Eye Detection AF is included, it can manage up to 30 frames per second sequential shooting, or 10 fps when employing tracking AF, and has ISO64-25,600 light sensitivity.
Movie-making shapes up as Cinema 4K (4,096 x 2,160) video recording at 24 fps, 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) at up to 30 fps, and 1080p at up to 60 fps. The 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization for video and stills was specifically redesigned to fit into the E-M5 Mark III, with up to 5.5 stops of compensation on offer. A silent electronic shutter could be useful for events like weddings too.
The E-M5 Mark III benefits from weather-sealed construction that makes it dust-, splash- and freeze-proof, Olympus points to a molded exterior with refined grip, and an updated Custom Mode setting makes for easy access to frequently-used settings.
The electronic viewfinder has the same 2.36-million-dot resolution as the E-M5 Mark II, but LCD has been switched to OLED. Also around back you'll find a 3-inch, 1.04-million-dot tilting touch-enabled LCD panel. And there's Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11n Wi-Fi for remote operation and wireless data transfer.
A number of long exposure shooting modes have been included that snap multiple images and combine them into a single stacked photo. Up to 999 shots can be fired with a single shutter press while shifting the focal position slightly for each, enabling users to create a single image with a depth of field beyond what's capable in normal operation.
The E-M5 Mark III goes on sale in November for a body-only price of US$1,199.99, or with an M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 II lens for $1,799.99. The video below has more.
Product page: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III