OM System OM-3 Combines PEN-F Style With OM-1 II Performance

Feb 05, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A vintage-style camera labeled "OM System" and "OM-3" is surrounded by green ivy leaves on a stone surface. The scene is outdoors with a blurred leafy background, giving a natural, rustic feel.

As promised and teased, OM Digital Solutions announced a brand-new camera, the OM System OM-3.

The OM System OM-3 combines vintage style with modern performance. Specifically, the OM-3 blends the old-school look of the Olympus OM-1 film camera with the flagship-level performance of the OM System OM-1 Mark II Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera.

Close-up of a person holding a vintage-style camera by its strap. The person is wearing blue jeans, and the camera, which is black and silver, hangs by their side. The background is slightly blurred, with hints of greenery and a building. — The OM System OM-3 looks a lot like the OM-1 film camera from the 1970s, including a shared angular “pentaprism” design on top.

Style is a significant part of the OM-3’s pitch to contemporary photographers. The new camera sports a classic, elegant appearance that would not look out of place in the 1970s when the original OM-1 hit store shelves, save for the rear 3.0-inch vari-angle display and digital image sensor, of course. Much of the vintage aesthetic comprises an array of physical controls. The OM-3 has four dials on its metal top plate, including controls for swapping between stills and video recording, a mode dial, and two command dials.

Close-up of a person holding a vintage-style camera with both hands. The individual is wearing a dark sweater. The camera features a silver body and a large lens. The background is softly blurred, showcasing natural greenery.

Moving to the OM-3’s flat front fascia, there is the return of something special, a dial photographers haven’t seen since the Olympus PEN-F: the Color Profile control dial. This provides photographers with direct access to user-customizable color and monochrome profiles.

For color profiles, photographers can adjust the saturation of a dozen independent color channels, highlight and shadows, and more. For black-and-white photography, photographers can utilize color filter effects to change how different color channels translate to monochrome, tweak highlights and shadows, adjust shading, add grain, and give their photos a tone, like sepia. Various presets are included, of course, but OM (rightly) believes photographers will enjoy customizing their profiles.

Close-up of hands adjusting the settings on a vintage camera labeled "OM-3." The camera has a textured, black grip and a large lens, with fingers turning a dial on the top. A woolen surface is visible in the background. — The OM-3 has a front dial photographers can use to swap between customizable color and black and white profiles quickly.

The OM System OM-3 is 139.3 millimeters wide, 88.9 millimeters tall, and 45.8 millimeters deep at its thickest (5.5 x 3.5 x 1.8 inches). This makes the OM-3 slightly wider than the OM-1 II, which is 135 millimeters (5.3 inches) wide, but a little shorter (88.9 versus 92 millimeters), and much thinner — the OM-1 II is 73 millimeters (2.9 inches) thick thanks to its traditional front grip. The OM-3 is significantly lighter than its flagship sibling, tipping the scales at 496 grams (17.5 ounces) with its battery and memory card inserted. The OM-1 II weighs 599 grams (21.1 ounces).

Silver OM System OM-3 camera with a black textured body, featuring an extended touchscreen display on the right. The camera lens is large and slightly angled, displaying a green tint on the glass. Various dials and buttons are visible on top.

While the OM System OM-3 certainly looks like a 1970s-era film SLR, at least from the front and top, on the inside, it’s a modern OM System camera all the way. The OM-3 has the same imaging pipeline as the OM System OM-1 Mark II, including an identical 20.37-megapixel stacked BSI Live MOS image sensor and TruePic X image processor.

This has significant implications for performance. Like the OM-1 II, the OM-3 shoots at up to 120 frames per second with locked focus and as fast as 50 fps with continuous autofocus using compatible lenses. The OM-3 also has the same 1,053-point cross-type on-chip phase-detect autofocus system, Pro Capture Mode for pre-capture shooting (up to 70 frames), and the same high-capacity BLX-1 lithium-ion battery.

A silver and black camera with a textured grip and multiple knobs on top. The camera has a large lens and the brand name "OM SYSTEM" displayed near the top.

However, there are some important differences between the OM-3 and OM-1 II beyond the obvious aesthetic ones. The OM-3 has a single UHS-II SD card slot, unlike the two high-speed slots on the OM-1 II. The OM-3 also has a slightly less robust in-body image stabilization system (6.5 stops versus 8.0). One of the most significant differences in terms of usability is the OM-3’s lower resolution 2.36-million-dot EVF with 1.23 to 1.37x magnification. The OM-1 II’s EVF is bigger (1.48 to 1.65x magnification) and much higher resolution (5.76 million dots). Both cameras have the same 1.62-million-dot 3.0-inch vari-angle display and IP53-rated weather sealing, though.

A transparent camera with visible internal components, highlighted in red. The lens, buttons, and dials are detailed, showcasing the intricate design of the camera's structure and mechanics. — The OM-3 has a lot of sealing.

Since the OM-3 shares its imaging pipeline with the OM-1 II, OM System’s stylish new camera also has the same robust range of computational photography modes. The OM-3 has High-Res Shot [tripod (80 megapixels) and handheld (50 megapixels)], Live ND, Live GND, HDR, Focus Stacking, and Multi Exposure. Further, these are all accessible through a new computational photography (CP) button and accompanying control dial.

A digital camera connected to an external screen displaying an erupting volcano. The screen is mounted on top of the camera, and both show the same image. Cables tether the devices together.

The OM-3 also offers the same video modes, including log recording, C4K up to 60p, and slow/quick functionality. While the OM-3 has professional-grade features, like external RAW recording, it is designed to be easy to use. In that spirit, it introduces new creative video profiles: OM Cinema 1 and OM Cinema 2. These 8-bit recording modes won’t offer as much flexibility or quality as 10-bit log recording, but they promise a cinematic look without requiring special processing or grading.

Sample Images

A unique building with a red, cylindrical shape featuring square windows looms above lush, green foliage. The structure creates a striking contrast between the vibrant red facade and the vivid greenery below. — © Carl Johansson

Close-up of overlapping palm leaves, with one set in vibrant green and the other in a rich brownish-orange, creating a contrasting texture and color pattern. The lighting accentuates the natural veins and structure of the leaves. — © Carl Johansson

A small cluster of delicate white flowers emerges from a crack between two weathered bricks, one reddish-brown and the other beige, with a soft green blur in the foreground. — © Anna Salvador

Close-up of a tall plant stem with small green buds in focus, set against the blurred background of a modern high-rise building under a cloudy sky. The building's grid-like windows create a geometric pattern. — © Anna Salvador

Pricing and Availability

The OM System OM-3 will begin shipping in late February, costing $1,999.99 (body only) in the United States and $2,799.99 in Canada.

Buy the OM System OM-3 new on Amazon.com

A bundled kit includes the OM-3 body and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm f/4 Pro lens, which will also be available at the same time for $2,299.99 in the United States and $3,199.99 in Canada.

Image credits: OM System