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Olympus E-M1 III Comparison Review

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in February 2020 and is equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. It offers a resolution of 20.2 megapixel.

camera

Is the Olympus E-M1 III a good camera? The E-M1 III has a Camera Elo of 2759. This rating puts the E-M1 III among the top 30 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (Four Thirds cameras), the E-M1 III ranks among the top 10 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 4.5-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M1 III
Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses
20.2 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
4K/30p Video
ISO 200 - 25 600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1037k dots
Swivel touchscreen
18 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body
420 shots per battery charge
134 x 91 x 69 mm, 580 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Olympus E-M1 III vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Olympus E-M1 III vs credit card front
E-M1 III versus credit card top view
E-M1 III and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Olympus E-M1 III alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 III 134 mm 91 mm 69 mm 580 g 420 Y Feb 2020 US$ 1 799ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 II 134 mm 91 mm 67 mm 574 g 440 Y Sep 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M1X 144 mm 147 mm 75 mm 997 g 870 Y Jan 2019 US$ 2 999ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 III 125 mm 85 mm 50 mm 414 g 310 Y Oct 2019 US$ 1 199ebay.com
6.
 
OM System OM-1 135 mm 92 mm 73 mm 599 g 520 Y Feb 2022 US$ 2 199ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G9 137 mm 97 mm 92 mm 658 g 400 Y Nov 2017 US$ 1 699ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic G95 130 mm 94 mm 77 mm 536 g 290 Y Apr 2019 US$ 999ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GH5 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 725 g 410 Y Jan 2017 US$ 1 999ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GH5 II 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 727 g 400 Y May 2021 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Olympus E-M1 III was launched in the US market at a price of $1,799. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Olympus E-M1 III features a Four Thirds sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Olympus E-M1 III among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Olympus E-M1 III sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1135676
2.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.712.8131280
4.
 
Olympus E-M1X Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.213.0125475
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1132476
6.
 
OM System OM-1 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.413.4155377
7.
 
Panasonic G9 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.112.8113874
8.
 
Panasonic G95 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.213.0127375
9.
 
Panasonic GH5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.913.080777
10.
 
Panasonic GH5 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.713.1113679
11.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The E-M1 III indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the E-M1 III can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the E-M1 III has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2360k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.74x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-M1 III and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 III2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
2.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M1X2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
OM System OM-15760 n3.0 / 1640 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
7.
 
Panasonic G93680 Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
8.
 
Panasonic G952360 n3.0 / 1240 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Panasonic GH53680 n3.2 / 1620 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
10.
 
Panasonic GH5 II3680 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
11.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is hinged on the side and can be flipped out for odd-angle shots in both portrait and landscape orientation. Also, this fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment is often appreciated by videographers for its flexibility. Moreover, v-loggers like the design because the screen can be turned to be front-facing.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the E-M1 III

One feature that differentiates the E-M1 III from many older cameras is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-M1 III reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while cameras without IBIS have to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
2.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-M1XYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y-Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
6.
 
OM System OM-1Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y-Y
7.
 
Panasonic G9Ystereo / monoYYfull3.0Y-Y
8.
 
Panasonic G95Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y-Y
9.
 
Panasonic GH5Ystereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
10.
 
Panasonic GH5 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
11.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the E-M1 III has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the E-M1 III can be found in the free online Olympus E-M1 III Manual or on the Olympus support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the E-M1 III in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 III5/5..5/583/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2020 US$ 1 799ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 II5/5+ +5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M1X4.5/5o5/585/1004.5/5.. Jan 2019 US$ 2 999ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 III5/5+5/582/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2019 US$ 1 199ebay.com
6.
 
OM System OM-15/5....87/1005/54.5/5 Feb 2022 US$ 2 199ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G9..+ +5/585/1005/55/5 Nov 2017 US$ 1 699ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic G954.5/5+4.5/583/1004.5/54.5/5 Apr 2019 US$ 999ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GH54.5/5+ +..85/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2017 US$ 1 999ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GH5 II4.5/5..4.5/585/1004.5/55/5 May 2021 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Olympus E-M1 III FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the E-M1 III.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Olympus E-M1 III?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Olympus E-M1 III to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Olympus equipped the E-M1 III with the TruePic IX image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Olympus E-M1 III?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 64-25600.

Does the Olympus E-M1 III have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the E-M1 III is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III?

Olympus mentions a shutter rating of 400 000 actuations for the E-M1 III. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the E-M1 III over, say, three years, one would have to take about 400 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Olympus E-M1 III?

Olympus embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your E-M1 III has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Olympus E-M1 III shutter count page.

Is completely silent shooting possible with the Olympus E-M1 III?

The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Olympus E-M1 III?

No, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Olympus E-M1 III?

The E-M1 III offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Olympus E-M1 III feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Olympus E-M1 III for flash photography?

The E-M1 III's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.

Does the Olympus E-M1 III support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-II cards (data transfer speed of up to 312 MB/s) in its first slot, and UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s) in its second slot.

Which battery does the Olympus E-M1 III use?

The camera gets its power from the Olympus BLH-1 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Olympus E-M1 III?

Yes, Olympus offers the HLD-9 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Where can I find the best deals for the Olympus E-M1 III?

Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Olympus.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Olympus E-M1 III
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date February 2020
    Launch Price USD 1 799
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 225 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 20.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5 184 x 3 888 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.34 μm
    Pixel Density 8.96 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 64 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic IX
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.74x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 18 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy400 000 actuations
    Silent ShootingElectronic Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support Single UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 3.1
    HDMI Port micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLH-1 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)420 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 134 x 91 x 69 mm
    (5.3 x 3.6 x 2.7 in)
    Camera Weight 580 g (20.5 oz)

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