Packing a wealth of capabilities within an especially compact design, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera with an abundance of speed, precision, and versatility. Featuring a 20.4MP MOS sensor and a TruePic VIII image processor, the E-M5 Mark III offers quick continuous shooting up to 10 fps with a mechanical shutter, up to 30 fps shooting with an electronic shutter, and DCI and UHD 4K video recording. The sensor and processor combination also affords a sensitivity range up to ISO 25600 while a sophisticated 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization system compensates for up to 6.5 stops of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting. Complementing the imaging specs, the sensor's design also incorporates 121 phase-detection points, all of which are cross-type, along with 121 contrast-detection areas for fast and precise focusing and subject tracking performance.
Despite all of its performance-oriented attributes, the E-M5 Mark III manages to retain a sleek design, which is also weather-sealed for use in trying weather conditions. A high-resolution 2.36m-dot 0.67x-magnification OLED viewfinder is featured along with a 3.0" 1.04m-dot touchscreen LCD, which sports a vari-angle design to suit working from high, low, and front-facing angles. Additionally, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enable wireless transferring and remote camera control from linked mobile devices.
20.4MP Live MOS Sensor and TruePic VIII Image Processor
A high-resolution 20.4MP Live MOS sensor works in conjunction with a TruePic VIII image processor to promote fast shooting performance, a sensitivity range from ISO 200-25600, and versatile 4K video recording capabilities. Ideal for photographing moving subjects, the sensor and processor combination also avails a full-resolution continuous shooting rate of 10 fps for up to 150 consecutive raw files when working with the mechanical shutter. When shooting with the silent electronic shutter, this shooting rate can be boosted up to 30 fps with single-shot AF for up to 23 consecutive raw frames or 10 fps shooting with continuous AF for up to 152 consecutive raw frames. If recording JPEGs, unlimited sequential shooting is possible until the memory card is full.
DCI and UHD 4K Video Recording and OM-Log
The sensor and processor also support recording both DCI (4096 x 2160) and UHD (3840 x 2160) 4K movies. When working in DCI, a true 24.00 fps frame rate is used, along with IPB compression and a 237 Mb/s bit-rate, and UHD 4K is available in frame rates up to 29.97p and a 102 Mb/s bit-rate. Full HD 1080p and HD 720p recording is also supported. Audio recording is possible using the built-in stereo microphone, and an external mic jack is available for improved audio recording quality. Use of an external recording monitor is also possible, via HDMI output, which supports 4:2:2 8-bit color for a greater color correction range.
Additionally, a Time-lapse Movie mode is also available for recording up to 4K UHD resolution with a 5 fps shooting rate to highlight subject changes or movement over a longer period of time. Full HD and HD time-lapse settings are available, too, as well as a high-speed Full HD setting with 120 fps frame rate.
Additionally, a Time-lapse Movie mode is also available for recording up to 4K UHD resolution with a 5 fps shooting rate to highlight subject changes or movement over a longer period of time. Full HD and HD time-lapse settings are available, too, as well as a high-speed Full HD setting with 120 fps frame rate.
121-Point All Cross-Type Phase-Detection AF
An advanced autofocus system combines both 121 on-chip phase-detection points and 121 contrast detection areas for focusing performance that is both quick and accurate. All 121 phase-detection points are cross-type, too, for improved precision in mixed lighting conditions, as well as enhanced subject tracking capabilities. Different focusing modes are available to suit working in various shooting conditions, including 121-point, for general use; Group 25-point, for moving subjects, such as birds and wildlife, and when 121-point is too wide; Group 9-Point, for smaller and more distant subjects; Group 5-Point, for when 9-point is too wide or to suit working with nearer moving subjects; Single, for working with still or small subjects that are not moving; and Small AF, for working with close-up subjects. Custom AF targets can also be set, for working with specific numbers of focus points within the 121-point grid, and an AF limiter function allows you to constrain the focusing distance within a specified range for more responsive performance.
5-Axis Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization
In-body, sensor-shift image stabilization helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to 5.5 stops with any lens in use and compensates for camera movements that become especially noticeable when working with telephoto shots, macro imagery, and long exposures. Furthermore, this unique image stabilization system works across five axes to compensate for vertical angle rotation, horizontal angle rotation, horizontal shift, vertical shift, and rolling camera shake movement. This range of detected movements serves to benefit traditional still image shooting as well as movie recording and working with moving subjects more effectively. Additionally, when paired with select lenses featuring optical image stabilization, shake compensation up to 6.5 stops is possible.
Body Design and Connectivity
- High-resolution 2.36m-dot electronic viewfinder is available for eye-level monitoring, and it offers a 0.67x maximum magnification for clear, distortion-free viewing.
- Rear 3.0" 1.04m-dot LCD monitor features a vari-angle design to support working from a variety of angles, and it is also a touchscreen for intuitive menu navigation and image playback. Additionally, a Live View Boost mode can be used to optimize the screen's brightness and prioritize the frame rate when working in dark locations.
- Included BLS-50 rechargeable lithium-ion battery is used to provide approximately 310 shots per charge .
- In-camera battery charging is supported via the micro-USB port.
- Single SD memory card slot is UHS-II compatible for fast read/write speeds.
- Wide accessory compatibility provided with the incorporation of a microphone port, a top hot shoe, micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports, and a 2.5mm port for optional remotes.
- Rugged splashproof, dustproof, and freezeproof construction incorporates extensive sealing throughout the body design to accommodate working in harsh weather conditions and trying environments.
- Supersonic Wave Filter and a dust-resistant coating are used to greatly reduce the likelihood of dust reaching the sensor.
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth permits wireless image sharing and remote camera control from a linked smartphone or tablet when using the dedicated O.I.Share app for iOS and Android.
Shooting Modes
- High Res Shot mode offers the equivalent output of a 50MP JPEG image or 80MP raw image by combining eight sequentially recorded frames into a single, larger image. In between each of the exposures, the sensor-shift stabilization mechanism moves slightly in order to acquire more information than in a single exposure and these frames are then composited into a final image with greater resolution and color detail. TruePic VIII processing aids this shooting function by compensating for any subject movement blur and this feature can also be configured to record 25MP images for file size flexibility.
- Live Composite is a unique long exposure mode that allows you to gradually build up an exposure over time without overexposing key elements within the frame. This mode works to only record newly detected light sources over time, and allows you to watch as an image develops, making it ideally suited for photographing star trails or other moving light sources.
- Live Bulb and Live Time settings can be used to produce creative long exposure imagery. Live Bulb lets you hold the shutter open for up to one minute and Live Time lets you press the shutter button once to open the shutter and then press again within a minute to end the exposure.
- Pro Capture Mode is a unique setting that starts recording and buffering full-resolution JPEG or raw images prior to fully depressing the shutter. As soon as you press the shutter button halfway, frames will begin to be recorded, and once you fully press the shutter, the image will be saved in addition to the previous 35 frames. Additionally, you can hold the shutter button in this mode to keep shooting continuously using the silent electronic shutter function.
- Interval shooting is supported for up to 999 frames with 1 second to 24-hour exposure intervals.
- Anti-flicker shooting automatically detects the frequency/flicker of artificial lighting and activates the shutter at peak brightness moments to render exposures with consistent exposure and color.
- In-Camera Focus Stacking will automatically record eight images of a subject while shifting the plane of focus slightly, then composite these exposures into a single frame to exhibit an extended depth of field. Alternatively, Focus Bracketing allows you to record between 3-999 frames with adjustable focus steps in a 1-10 range for manual compositing during post-production. These modes are only available when working with M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro, 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO, 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO, 30mm f/3.5 Macro, 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO, 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO, 300mm f/4 IS PRO, and 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lenses.
- Keystone Compensation allows you to correct for convergence when working in live view. Similarly, Fisheye Compensation allows you to use the M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO lens as a rectilinear wide-angle lens by correcting and eliminating distortion.
M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II Lens
Included with the camera body is the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II lens; a 28-300mm equivalent all-in-one zoom spanning a wide-angle to telephoto range to suit photographing in nearly any situation. Despite its reach, the lens still remains compact for easy portability, and it utilizes a sophisticated optical design, comprised of various aspherical, low dispersion, and high refractive index glass elements, to reduce aberrations and distortion for high sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy. A ZERO coating has also been applied to suppress flare and ghosting for improved contrast when working in strong lighting conditions. Additionally, this 14-150mm lens also sports a Movie & Still Compatible (MSC) AF system that is quick and quiet, and has a weather-resistant construction to suit working in inclement weather conditions.