Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Announced October 17, 2019
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a compact, weather-sealed camera that balances a 20MP sensor with effective in-body stabilization and a suite of advanced shooting modes. Although its plastic construction and smaller sensor size may disappoint those seeking a premium feel or extreme low-light performance, it remains a versatile and highly portable system for everyday photography.
Weighted from 19 reviewer scores
Pros
- Compact and lightweight weather-sealed body
- Highly effective 5-axis in-body image stabilization
- Fast autofocus system with face and eye detection
- Advanced shooting features including Pro Capture, focus stacking, and Live Composite
- Excellent color reproduction and JPEG quality
Cons
- Missing professional features like a headphone jack and joystick
- Complex and unintuitive menu system
- Limited low-light and high ISO performance
- Lacks premium build quality due to plastic construction
- Smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor compared to APSC rivals
- Launch price $1,199.99 (USD)
- Sensor 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS
- Video 4K 30p
- Stabilization In-body IS, 5.5 stops (CIPA)
What the Reviewers Say
All 19 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- DPReview 82/100
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III gets a lot of things right. It produces great images, is packed with fun and genuinely useful features, is well-built and beautifully designed, and above all, fun to use and take control over.
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In a lot of ways, the E-M5 III is essentially an E-M1 II crammed into an even smaller, lighter package, which is quite impressive.
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It’s also worth noting that APSC rivals generally deliver lower noise above 1600 ISO and I felt Sony’s AF system was superior during movies, but as an overall package it’s hard to find a more rounded camera than the EM5 III.
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It can be tempting to think of Olympus’s E-M5 line as being all about nostalgia, given how consciously the retro styling pays homage to the firm’s OM-series 35mm film SLRs.
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With weather sealing, a compact camera body, in-camera image stabilisation, 30fps high-speed continuous shooting, and 4K CINE video recording, the E-M5 III offers a compelling, and somewhat unique offering, for the price point.
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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.
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If you can “get over” the E-M5 Mark III’s smaller sensor, then you have access to an incredible range of features in a well-designed, weather-sealed and travel-friendly package. It’s an easy camera to fall in love with, and should almost certainly be worthy of your consideration.
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Olympus has packed a lot of technology into a very small and affordable camera body, and some clever and genuinely useful long exposure and focus bracketing options too. Don't be fooled by this camera's size.
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Stylish, lighter than ever, and crammed with shooting modes for users of all skill levels, power under the hood and improvements across the board, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a sensible upgrade.
- Digital Trends 7/10
The Mark III may be more functional than its predecessor, but it doesn’t feel as premium, and that’s a shame.
- Photo Review 9.0/10
We’ve waited a long time for the E-M5 Mark III so it’s great to see the wait was worth it.
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After using the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III, I'm happy to say it is still very relevant and there's still a massive fan base shooting Micro Four Thirds.
- Photography News 94/100
There’s much to love and enjoy about the OM-D E-M5 Mark III. It’s a capable, likeable and nicely priced camera.
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The OM-D E-M5 III is the classic all-rounder: it excels across the board without ever quite being top dog at anything.
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It seems to me that Olympus has taken the best bits of the E-M1 series cameras and somehow squeezed them into a smaller, lighter package. If you’re in the market for a new Olympus camera, the OM-D E-M5 Mark III packs an awful lot into its small and light body.
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All told, the E-M5 III probably won’t be one of the cheapest mirrorless cameras on the market anytime soon, but it hits the sweet spot in terms of its performance, size, and features.
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All in all, the E-M5 Mark III is a camera that I think anyone can fall in love with.
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[T]he Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a strong improvement over the Mark II, which you'd expect considering the amount of time between releases, but it now holds a very nice spot in the Olympus lineup.
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Ultimately, the E-M5 III is perfect for anyone who wants a more serious camera or an everyday system. It’s a great all rounder for anyone who wants to shoot a variety of photography or video and vloggers are going to find this a great system too.
