Olympus OM-D E-M1 III review in 2023

Pros

+ Same resolution as OM-1
+ Excellent IBIS
+ Durable and weather sealed
+ Twin card slots
+ Effective phase detect AF
+ 60fps Pro Capture mode

Cons

– Poor EVF
– One card slot is UHS I only
– 4K 30p maximum

Introduction and context

OM System, the new name for Olympus cameras, has taken some criticism for what looks like a relatively slow rate of development and new, rebranded cameras that are definite improvements but hardly revolutionary.

The OM-1 is a good example. This is a fast, powerful, durable camera with a new stacked sensor, high-speed shooting, advanced AI AF subject recognition and improved video capabilities. Its problem is that the camera it replaces, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 III, is not so very far behind. And while it can’t match the OM-1’s outright speed, it’s pretty fast in its own right and matches it for resolution and many clever Olympus/OM System shooting features, including a 50MP high res mode, Live Composite, LIve Bulb, Live time and Live ND modes, with focus stacking/merging, in-camera keystone correction and Starry Sky AF for astro fans.

This is the OM-D E-M1 III we’re talking about. The OM-1 is a better, faster camera, but the E-M1 III is/was already so good, there wasn’t much room for improvement.

The OM-1 is certainly fast. It has a new stacked sensor and TruePic X processor 3x faster than the one before, a new 1,027-point hybrid AF system with AI subject recognition and much faster burst speeds with continuous AF. Its new BLX-1 battery gives a 520-shot battery life vs 420 shots for the E-M1 II and the weatherproofing has been improved still further.

Physically, the E-M1 III and the new OM-1 are very similar indeed. One key difference is that the OM-1 has a far superior 5.76m dot EVF with a higher 0.83x magnification. The 2.36m dot 0.65x EVF of the OM-D E-M1 III is pretty poor, to be honest.

See also
• Best used cameras to buy today
• Are used digital cameras any good for photography today?

Olympus OM-D E-M1 III specifications

• Type: Mirrorless
• Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds
• Sensor: MFT Live MOS, 20.4MP
• ISO range: 200-25600, exp 64-25600
• Autofocus: 121-point phase-detect
• Continuous shooting: 15fps, 60fps silent/pro capture modes
• Video: C4K/4K UHD up to 30p
• Viewfinder: EVF, 2.36m dots, 100% coverage, 0.65x equiv. magnification
• Rear screen: 3-inch 1.04m dot vari-angle
• Storage: 1x SD UHS II, 1x SD UHS !
• Battery: BLH-1, 420 shots
• Dimensions: 134.1 x 90.9 x 68.9mm, 580g

Olympus OM-D E-M1 III key features

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 III was launched in 2020 as a modest but worthwhile upgrade to the E-M1 II, which was probably more of a breakthrough camera in its time. Back in 2020, the E-M1 III’s 20MP resolution looked adequate, but by now it might be starting to make some users uneasy, as a typical ‘baseline’ resolution for cameras these days is 24MP.

Having said that, it’s rare to actually need more resolution than this, certainly for any kind of online publishing and for most printing applications too. We’ve stayed rather hung up on resolution, well past the time when cameras barely had enough.

There is some bias against the Micro Four Thirds format too because of the smaller sensor size and perceived loss of image quality, especially at higher ISOs. I say ‘perceived’, because most bias against MFT cameras comes from photographers who don’t use them and perhaps never have.

The smaller sensor format means smaller lenses, so that while the OM-D E-M1 III is no smaller than many APS-C and some full frame rivals, the overall system/kit size with lenses attached is substantially smaller and lighter – and cheaper too, come to that.

The smaller sensor also allows for much more effective in-body stabilization. OM System quotes 7 stops of compensation and 7.5 stops with Sync IS with the M-Zuiko 12-100mm f/4, for example. For once, this estimate doesn’t seem far off.

Olympus/OM System has become well known for its computational features. The E-M1 III’s 50MP handheld high res mode is not unique these days, but it does hike the megapixel rating as well as offering around 2 stops worth of noise reduction.

The Live ND filter is clever, though it only allows up to 5 stops of exposure adjustment, where many daylight scenes might be better with a 10-stop filter. The Live Composite mode is great for traffic trails or firework displays, while the Live Bulb and Live Time modes let you watch a long exposure building on the rear screen even as the exposure is being made.

The in-camera keystone correction is interesting if a little fiddly (it might just be easier to do it later in software), and the Starry Sky AF should make focusing a bit easier for astro shots.

The 60fps Pro Capture mode is pretty amazing, but the focus is locked on the first frame, so it works best with static framing. For continuous AF with high-speed bursts, the OM-1 is the best bet. Even so, the E-M1 III can shoot at 10fps with AF-C and has a pretty good raw buffer depth too.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 III build and handling

For a durable, flagship body (in its day), the E-M1 III is very compact. Almost too compact when fitted with larger pro lenses, in fact, as the grip isn’t quite high enough to get all four fingers around it. With the optional HLD-9 grip fitted it’s a bit more substantial and better suited to extended vertical shooting sessions.

Olympus/OM System has a real knack with camera controls, fitting a large number of dials and buttons on this body without them ever seeming cramped. The control dials have a very good feel indeed, and the two-position mode lever on the back is a clever idea, offering two sets of functions for the main dials.

The four-way controller on the rear is a little small, but there is a separate focus joystick, so it’s mainly used for navigation, where it’s fine. The vari-angle screen has a pretty robust feeling pivot and the memory card door has a good solid ‘snap’ to it. This is a really well made camera. It might have a smaller sensor than other cameras, but its quality of construction, materials and handling are top tier.

Olympus did, however, make  two cost-saving decisions which looked bad when the camera came out and look worse now. The 2.36m dot EVF has only a modest magnification and is prone to flare and loss of contrast when you’re shooting into the light. And while having two SD card slots is great, only one of them is SD UHS II compatible, so you can’t shoot with matched UHS II cards or use them interchangeably in the card slots… well you can, but you have to keep remembering that one slot will be slower.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 III performance

While the newer OM System OM-1 has an image quality advantage at higher ISOs, in normal shooting conditions the E-M1 III is just as good. The resolution is the same. The image quality, using Olympus/OM System Pro lenses is extremely good. Like most camera makers, OM System makes both ‘consumer’ and pro lenses – the difference is that in the OM system, pro lenses are actually quite affordable.

The E-M1 III does use an anti-aliasing filter but, even so, the pixel-level resolution is very high. Noise and softness does creep in at higher ISOs and a little sooner than with larger format cameras, but if you shoot RAW and use Lightroom, you’re not getting a fair impression of what this camera can do. If I shoot JPEGs or use Capture One or DxO PhotoLab, I find the image quality good right up to ISO 3200 or 6400. The E-M1 III’s stabilization is so good that you’ll rarely need to go higher than that and, if you do because your subjects are moving, the Olympus/OM System f/1.2 primes are a great solution – or you can use DxO PureRAW and its DeepPrime XD denoising to restore excellent image quality to higher ISOs still.

I rarely need the kind of high-speed shooting the E-M1 III is capable of, but if I did I would probably go for the OM-1 instead, which raises the bar even higher. I would probably choose the OM-1 for video too, if only because it can shoot 4K 60p.

I habitually shoot RAW files, and I’ve noted that the E-M1 III, along with its Olympus/OM System stablemates, only shoots 12-bit RAW files not the more usual 14-bit files of rival cameras. However, I’ve never been able to identify any differences in dynamic range or image quality.

The AF system has just 121 AF points – a low number by today’s standards – but they cover almost all of the frame and focus point selection is easier when there aren’t so many, so that doesn’t worry me at all. The AF performance itself is excellent, and its speed is limited more by the lens’s AF actuators than the camera itself.

Within the limits of its 20-megapixel sensor – if that even is a limit for most of us – the E-M1 III delivers excellent all-round performance. It might have been superseded, but it’s most definitely not outdated.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 III verdict

Not everyone is prepared to take Micro Four Thirds cameras seriously. That’s their loss, because these cameras perform brilliantly, deliver quality equivalent to similar resolution APS-C models and, with pro lenses, can deliver the best aberration-free edge-to-edge sharpness you’ll see outside of Sony’s huge and expensive G Master lenses. Indeed, the lens ecosystem for Micro Four Thirds cameras isn’t just one of the largest, but also the most affordable.

The OM-D E-M1 III itself feels like a thoroughly modern camera – well, it did come out in 2020. It’s extremely well made, with excellent controls and weather sealing, with features like Live ND, Live Composite, Live Bulb and Live Time that other cameras don’t have. It’s also an extremely capable sports/action camera – though the newer OM-1 is better still, if that’s your thing.

As a used buy, the E-M1 III makes a lot of sense. You’re getting a lot of power for not much money, and there are plenty of used examples around in excellent and sometimes as-new condition.