- Location
- Switzerland
- Name
- Matt
@gordo has encouraged me to give a little overview over my impressions, so I'll oblige - also because I think the Olympus OM-D E-M5 III is a remarkable camera.
Let's first remind ourselves what was about at the beginning: small, capable cameras and lenses that didn't break the bank. In the last couple of years, neither Panasonic nor Olympus have adhered to that paradigm as fully as I would have wished for - even though the Panasonic GX9 is a very impressive camera; however, it's just not quite on the same level as Olympus' E-M5 line, and even if it sports a good 20MP sensor, it doesn't manage to clearly outperform older models.
The model that first introduced an intriguing glimpse into what might become was (and still ist) the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II - extremely capable, clear advantages in terms of performance as well as IQ over all previous models - but that camera was introduced in 2016, more than three years ago. And while it was (and mostly still is) great, it's not a truely compact camera - Sony's A6*** line are for the most part considerably more compact while offering a bigger sensor.
Enter the OM-D E-M5 III. It's basically (and actually to an astonishing degree) the E-M1 II's tech in E-M5 II body with a slightly deeper grip (yes, I know that the body isn't quite as sturdily built - but you know what: I don't care). I simply had to try it, and by and large, it has lived up to my expectations so far, even if there are a couple of things I wish Olympus had considered.
Let's get those out of the way first: I wish it had a joystick - I love the one on the Nikon Z6, and the one on the X-E3 (a camera that has been on the market for over two years) is very useful, too. I wish there were a couple more configuration options (like the ability to assign a specific function to the "OK" button). I also found some minor niggles that most probably are caused by the current firmware and can be resolved in due time: Sometimes when using the 14-150mm II superzoom zoomed out to longer focal lengths, the EVF flickers on switch-on (it doesn't do that in any other circumstances), and if you want to review images in the EVF, you have to lift the camera to your eye before pressing the playback button, or the camera will revert to shooting mode. But that about it for issues - and both are most probably heavily depended on my own idiosyncratic habits. But the camera is so customisable that I've already managed to make it work as desired to a large extend.
The good things are much more numerous. Two stand-out things: speed and I.B.I.S. The camera is ready to shoot if I switch it on while lifting it up to my eye - not waiting, it feels immediate. S-AF is fast and basically reliable, though I have somehow made it fail - exactly once; it also works in extremely low light, better than any other system I own, maybe bar the D750. I.B.I.S. is outworldly - I've managed sharp shots at 1/4" at - take a lick of this - 300mm (not 300mm-e - that was yesterday!), using the Panasonic 100-300mm II with its O.I.S. switched off. Basically, even in low light, if you know what you're doing, you can trust your camera to counter all shakes - within reasonable margins, of course. This makes this quite sophisticated camera a truely reliable tool even for the less-than-able as far as shot discipline is concerned - and if you have stable hands, you can push it even further.
IQ is very solid - not heads and shoulders above the GX9, but better, especially in low light. I also think it's a tad better at the pixel level - but that might be the effect of the far superior I.B.I.S. DR is okay - not quite as good as on 24MP APS-C sensors, but not far behind at all; noise is reasonably contained up to ISO 1600 - so the camera is basically on par with the Sony A6000, while the Fujifilm X-E3 and Ricoh GR III outperform it by no more than half a stop, all things considered (though I'd not hesitate to shoot the GR III at ISO 3200 - it's got its own magic going in that respect). Resolution is fine - but YMMV if you prefer high-resolution sensors; I don't - 24MP is my personal sweet spot.
Battery life is very good compared to what other small cameras offer - I've used it for a couple of days now without emptying even the first battery (though I *will* charge it soon, or swap it, respectively - for peace of mind).
The grip is quite good as well - I always preferred the E-M10 with its dedicated additional grip when using my favourite zoom, the 12-40mm PRO, but don't feel a strong need for one with that lens on the E-M5 III. It's a pretty convincing compromise between size and comfort - a better one than the already surprisingly good one on the GX80 and, consequently, the GX9. However, I can see myself using the Panasonic 100-300mm II on the E-M5 III *without* a bigger grip (though I'd support that lens anyway - regardless of how big the grip is). On the GX9, I really need the additional grip (even if I don't particularily like it because it forces you to grab your camera from a strange angle I don't find all that intuitive).
I like the fact that the camera is small, but it really shouldn't be any smaller - I'm left-eye dominant, and my glasses almost (but not quite) get in the way of my thumb operating the controls. It's not too bad, but a little more room (or, annoyingly, a rangefinder style EVF) would solve that problem. I guess that's just my bad - I like the control layout better than the one on the GX9 overall, but two things, the power switch and the placement of the back control wheel, are not how I would prefer them to be.
Overall, shooting experience was very pleasant - it's an easy camera to get used to, and you can - as I did - customise it to fit your style and preferences. I've already posted some results - if anyone is interested in anything in particular, please let me know.
M.
Let's first remind ourselves what was about at the beginning: small, capable cameras and lenses that didn't break the bank. In the last couple of years, neither Panasonic nor Olympus have adhered to that paradigm as fully as I would have wished for - even though the Panasonic GX9 is a very impressive camera; however, it's just not quite on the same level as Olympus' E-M5 line, and even if it sports a good 20MP sensor, it doesn't manage to clearly outperform older models.
The model that first introduced an intriguing glimpse into what might become was (and still ist) the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II - extremely capable, clear advantages in terms of performance as well as IQ over all previous models - but that camera was introduced in 2016, more than three years ago. And while it was (and mostly still is) great, it's not a truely compact camera - Sony's A6*** line are for the most part considerably more compact while offering a bigger sensor.
Enter the OM-D E-M5 III. It's basically (and actually to an astonishing degree) the E-M1 II's tech in E-M5 II body with a slightly deeper grip (yes, I know that the body isn't quite as sturdily built - but you know what: I don't care). I simply had to try it, and by and large, it has lived up to my expectations so far, even if there are a couple of things I wish Olympus had considered.
Let's get those out of the way first: I wish it had a joystick - I love the one on the Nikon Z6, and the one on the X-E3 (a camera that has been on the market for over two years) is very useful, too. I wish there were a couple more configuration options (like the ability to assign a specific function to the "OK" button). I also found some minor niggles that most probably are caused by the current firmware and can be resolved in due time: Sometimes when using the 14-150mm II superzoom zoomed out to longer focal lengths, the EVF flickers on switch-on (it doesn't do that in any other circumstances), and if you want to review images in the EVF, you have to lift the camera to your eye before pressing the playback button, or the camera will revert to shooting mode. But that about it for issues - and both are most probably heavily depended on my own idiosyncratic habits. But the camera is so customisable that I've already managed to make it work as desired to a large extend.
The good things are much more numerous. Two stand-out things: speed and I.B.I.S. The camera is ready to shoot if I switch it on while lifting it up to my eye - not waiting, it feels immediate. S-AF is fast and basically reliable, though I have somehow made it fail - exactly once; it also works in extremely low light, better than any other system I own, maybe bar the D750. I.B.I.S. is outworldly - I've managed sharp shots at 1/4" at - take a lick of this - 300mm (not 300mm-e - that was yesterday!), using the Panasonic 100-300mm II with its O.I.S. switched off. Basically, even in low light, if you know what you're doing, you can trust your camera to counter all shakes - within reasonable margins, of course. This makes this quite sophisticated camera a truely reliable tool even for the less-than-able as far as shot discipline is concerned - and if you have stable hands, you can push it even further.
IQ is very solid - not heads and shoulders above the GX9, but better, especially in low light. I also think it's a tad better at the pixel level - but that might be the effect of the far superior I.B.I.S. DR is okay - not quite as good as on 24MP APS-C sensors, but not far behind at all; noise is reasonably contained up to ISO 1600 - so the camera is basically on par with the Sony A6000, while the Fujifilm X-E3 and Ricoh GR III outperform it by no more than half a stop, all things considered (though I'd not hesitate to shoot the GR III at ISO 3200 - it's got its own magic going in that respect). Resolution is fine - but YMMV if you prefer high-resolution sensors; I don't - 24MP is my personal sweet spot.
Battery life is very good compared to what other small cameras offer - I've used it for a couple of days now without emptying even the first battery (though I *will* charge it soon, or swap it, respectively - for peace of mind).
The grip is quite good as well - I always preferred the E-M10 with its dedicated additional grip when using my favourite zoom, the 12-40mm PRO, but don't feel a strong need for one with that lens on the E-M5 III. It's a pretty convincing compromise between size and comfort - a better one than the already surprisingly good one on the GX80 and, consequently, the GX9. However, I can see myself using the Panasonic 100-300mm II on the E-M5 III *without* a bigger grip (though I'd support that lens anyway - regardless of how big the grip is). On the GX9, I really need the additional grip (even if I don't particularily like it because it forces you to grab your camera from a strange angle I don't find all that intuitive).
I like the fact that the camera is small, but it really shouldn't be any smaller - I'm left-eye dominant, and my glasses almost (but not quite) get in the way of my thumb operating the controls. It's not too bad, but a little more room (or, annoyingly, a rangefinder style EVF) would solve that problem. I guess that's just my bad - I like the control layout better than the one on the GX9 overall, but two things, the power switch and the placement of the back control wheel, are not how I would prefer them to be.
Overall, shooting experience was very pleasant - it's an easy camera to get used to, and you can - as I did - customise it to fit your style and preferences. I've already posted some results - if anyone is interested in anything in particular, please let me know.
M.