E-M5 mk III released at US$1199

[XR1505]

Well, maybe you're right, but...

• Much improved sensor for E-M1 II
  It's same sensor as the E-M1ii isn't it? Personally, in terms of raw file quality, it's a little better than the older 16Mp sensor, but it's not a big difference IMHO.
  
  
• PDAF and new AF system
  Ah, yes - the PDAF. Forgot about that - definitely worth having on the smaller body, but it's just a lift from the E-M1ii.
  
  
• high end 4K video features
  Has it? I've no interest in video.
  
  
• Lighter weight
  Did we need lighter weight than the old E-M5ii? Personally, I loved the weight and feel of that.
  
  
• IBIS upgrade (including Sync IS)
  Better than the E-M1ii? In any meaningful way? Oly keep saying they improve the IBIS with every camera, but recent improvements don't seem to have made an impression on reviewers.
  
  
• Faster burst shooting
  Than the E-M1ii?
  
  
• pro capture
  Again, an E-M1ii feature.
  
  
• bluetooth and connectivity upgrades
  What are these?

I'm not saying that some of these aren't of interest - but there's nothing that moves the m43 world forward at all.

I agree with you personally i dont see it as an upgrade that was worth waiting so long for, we could have had all these feature 2 years ago but they made us wait all this time for old tech past down from the em1 mk2

 

[SojiOkita]

I've waited so long for this camera
Compared to what I hoped there are some improvements (PDAF mostly) and I'm pretty sure I'll buy it quite soon.
(I bought my E-M10 in 2014 so 5 years seems pretty reasonable for a body upgrade. Even if it's not reasonable I'll upgrade anyway )

I ran through most of the manual and I'm mostly satisfied with the way it works.
However, on 2 points I think Olympus should have done much better:

1) The 1-2 lever has much more potential than the options Olympus offers... only 2 options available (I don't do video so I don't consider option 3): switch the 2 wheels / switch AF-MF. Why not a complete button config, or a combination of both (for instance switching from AF to MF and assigning specific button config for MF like magnification & peaking).

2) Only 1 custom mode available from the mode dial????? I had 4 on my E-M10.
I had 2 on the first digital camera I bought in 2004, a Canon A80...
C2 & C3 modes are only available from the menus, no shortcut from a Fn button... and they are only partial custom modes: the PSAM mode is not recorded.
I only use the S A M (mostly A & M) positions - the B position is a nice addition though - so a lot of useless space on the dial mode that would have been replaced by something useful if the customization was on par with my E-M10.
Everybody uses his camera in his own way so I don't understand why in 2019 we're not given the full customization of the mode dial.
That's something I wanted since years... and I was so pleased Olympus allowed it on my E-M10... 5 years later they dropped this possibility to revert to 1 custom mode... such a pity...

 

[BrightonRay]

Seeing reviews of this camera has made me look more at the Pen-F when you look at the specs for me a plastic body and a smaller battery are not on my wish list as my gear gets used in all kinds of situations sometimes taking a good knock, my em1 mk2 has been back to Olympus 3 times in 3 years for repair from drops, knocks and the odd accidental kick with only minimal damage, putting a plastic camera that costs over a 1000GBP is not going to happen for me.

There’s the rub. The Pen-F is sensational, except for lack of PDAF and WR..... I might buy a second one used and be done. The EM5-3 is a MASSIVE fail for the Jpeg centric travel shooter. It’s a bit like when they retired Concorde and now we all fly 777.

 

[mumu]

That and totally subjective, but, I believe Olympus' styling is better too not to mention build quality. I didn't have GX9 but owned G85 and GX85 and EM5.2 just felt better in hands and ..solid.

I'm exactly the opposite: I have the GX7, G85, GX9 and had the EM5.2. The G85 felt much more comfortable to carry/handle/operate. I sold the EM5.2 partly due to ergonomic issues. As for build quality, how do you evaluate the differences? On my EM5.2 the first thing I did was tape over the screws for the rear screen and use double-sided tape to hold the EVF hood in place due to frequent reports of them coming loose. I'll agree with you that the EM5.2 is a better looking camera but ***IMO*** that's also the reason for some of its poor (again, IMO) ergonomics. I also agree that this is all totally subjective. ;-)

 

[Sleepy Capybara]

I'm exactly the opposite: I have the GX7, G85, GX9 and had the EM5.2. The G85 felt much more comfortable to carry/handle/operate. I sold the EM5.2 partly due to ergonomic issues. As for build quality, how do you evaluate the differences? On my EM5.2 the first thing I did was tape over the screws for the rear screen and use double-sided tape to hold the EVF hood in place due to frequent reports of them coming loose. I'll agree with you that the EM5.2 is a better looking camera but ***IMO*** that's also the reason for some of its poor (again, IMO) ergonomics. I also agree that this is all totally subjective. ;-)

G85 ergonomics are definitely better than EM5.2. I could have worded that comment better. I like the buttons and the tactile feel they have on Olympus not to mention those sweet dials, materials used and the surfaces. Hard to put my finger on but I liked how EM5.2 felt heavy and substantial despite being smaller than G85. The G85 was lighter ..or felt lighter. I am actually a little sad that new EM5.3 is plastick-y and lighter than previous generation.
I eventually sold, EM5.2 and G85 and settled on EM1.2 mostly for ergonomics and comfort because of the grip. G9 was a strong contender, but as I said there is something about Olympus' buttons and dials that I love.

 

[demiro]

Only to those that have been brainwashed into thinking it matters or even makes a blind bit of difference to I.q . In this day and age I estimate around 98% of images only ever end up online ..making full frame a total waste of time ..

The logical conclusion to this line of thinking leads away from any sort of dedicated camera at all. That works for most everyone, but not on a photography forum.

 

[saladin]

over half the review say that the grip makes it more usable, why buy a smaller camera and then put a larger grip on it? Just by a camera with a grip in the first place, at least battery changing (which will be far more often with that tiny battery) will be far easier.

Just on this, there is an argument to be made that the flexibility to grip or not is useful on a camera of this size. Much like I'd never buy the Em1x because there's no way to make it smaller, for some people having an Em1ii that can be further reduced in size probably makes sense.

The plastic build, I agree with you. It's one of my concerns that at the price, I'd expect a metal body from a premium camera.

 

[retiredfromlife]

One thing that worries me a little with plastic bodies is the repairability. With no metal frame the screws may strip out easier, and not many electronic companies use inserts for screws on small items. But I guess at least the lens mount hopefully has some sort of backing plate for it's screws.

For the initial asking price in Australia the EM1.2 often goes for cheaper, be interesting to see what they do for the normal pre Christmas sales as if they discounted as in the past the EM1.2 would be a few hundred cheaper.

I really like what they have done with the camera as a whole though except to omission of the flash socket, and unlike the EM1X I will keep it in my sights.

 

[Drdave944]

I must be fortune teller. The pre- Mk III discussion madness was out of control. Now the predicted let down. I have been using the MX-1 and find it incredibly flexible and intuitive, for an Olympus person. It is a bit bulky. I was using the Pen F-1 but can't get used to the oddball controls, so the MX is heaven.
What would the Mk-iii offer? What would I be giving up to get the smaller form factor?

 

[FrayAdjacent]

The plastic build, I agree with you. It's one of my concerns that at the price, I'd expect a metal body from a premium camera.

I'd expect the plastic body would reduce costs... I'd expect the MkIII to cost the same or less than the MkII. We're not seeing a brand new processor or a brand new sensor, so there has to be some measure of economy-of-scale there. Sure, they managed to make the IBIS system smaller, but that wouldn't likely cost a whole lot more.

I love my MkII for the quality build and the feel. I shot a few pictures earlier for some stuff I'm selling on eBay, and man, I just love using that camera. I'll get the MkIII because it fills in a few things that are missing or not good... and, I really hope it is worth it. I'll probably use it for years.

 

[PakkyT]

One thing that worries me a little with plastic bodies is the repairability. With no metal frame the screws may strip out easier, and not many electronic companies use inserts for screws on small items.

Well then you should be worried about most of your lenses then. Probably most, yes, even if they have a metal mount, have the mount screws going into plastic. You drop your camera and the lens breaks off and what typically happens is the mount stays on the camera body while those screws strip out of the plastic in which they were mounted moments ago.

 

[zanydroid]

After indulging in the Internet outrage mob for 24 hours, I reflected a bit more and compared it with the other M43 bodies bracketing it in size and capability.

This is a much more desirable camera than the G95 (which I mildly dislike for not having the modern Panasonic AF system and bad 4K crop) or GX9 (which I really, really dislike because of that EVF). Slots above the GX9/G95 and below the G9 in functionality. Arguably, most people buying a G9 don't need its higher burst rate nor 4K60; plus the G9 body is pushing the limit of making sense with the average size of M43 lenses. EM5mkII has no real objectionable aspects, unlike the GX9/G95, except for the fact that it was released in 2019 instead of 2018.

 

[RS86]

Finally it's out. I have had E-M10 ii as my 1st camera for over 3 years now. Then I bought GX9 as 2nd camera, I have both Panasonic & Olympus lenses. Great to have for example macro lens on other camera when at cabin, and other lens like 75-300mm ready on the other. Same goes when walking in the city but with different lenses.

Seems I got lucky with the battery decision. Looking like a good upgrade for e-m10 ii at some point. Having one fully articulated screen might be good also, but haven't tried one yet.

Anyone have guesses when we will see price drops? What about black friday? I'm planning to upgrade it in couple of years, no hurry. 1200 € is too much.

It seems E-M1 II price dropped by 200-300 dollars in over a year. E-M5 II dropped also 100-200 dollars in over 6 months, but got up again fast. But it seems with camera at this price range we can only expect maximum 200 dollars drop so when one sees that better buy fast?

Olympus E-M1 Mark II

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Olympus-OM-D-Mark-Camera-Black/product/B01M4MB3DK

Olympus E-M5 Mark II

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Olympus-OM-D-Mark-Black-Body/product/B00S6DBM2S

Does anyone know any other price development pages to compare with?

 

[Lcrunyon]

As an E-M1 Mkii and X owner, there is nothing here for me. But, I am imagining this body paired with small Oly primes, and it’s hard not to lust over how fantastic a travel setup that would be.

I think it is going to sell well. There may be sales now and then, but I doubt we’ll see a price drop any time soon.

 

[Lupin 3rd]

Got a chance to play with the camera at my local store... not impressed.

The Olympus rep confirmed that it’s pretty much an E-M1 ii in a smaller body. That said the AF speed didn’t seem as quick as either the E-M1ii or E-M1X that were available to play with. The camera was still a pre-production sample so things should improve as Olympus releases firmware updates - as they usually do.

I didn’t like a few things:
1. the mounting point for the right strap is too low. I think Olympus changed the mount point because the top is plastic instead of magnesium.
2. No battery grip. Olympus rep said that not enough people bought the grips for the previous E-M5 generations so they won’t make one.

Personally instead of the new E-M5iii, I’d much rather get an E-M1ii: it has better ergos, a larger battery, and the option of a battery grip.

Anyway enough talk, here’s some (iPhone) pics.


Family portrait.

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The offending mount

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[FrayAdjacent]

I remove those little triangular swivels anyway... the Peak Design anchor links can be pulled through the loops on the body with a little effort, but once they're in, of course, they stay there.

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I am a little disappoint that the MkIII is basically an EM-1 MkII shoved into a smaller body. That whole "we can't make it do anything better than the three year old E-M1.II" logic bothers me. While the 5mkIII is a definite upgrade to the (now almost 5 year old) MkII, it's very 'iterative'... and to me feels like it should have come out a year or two ago.

BUT, I like the smaller size camera and the ability to keep it small or add the grip. I'm not a pro, so battery life is something I can easily deal with. I can really only think of about one time I was out and about shooting and actually had to swap batteries. Pros won't like it, tho. AND the 5MkIII does shoot 120FPS in 1080p. (technically, I think the EM-1 MkII could as well, but they haven't added it to the firmware).

Anyway, yeah, it's a bit of a meh release. I was hoping for something like a next-gen processor that would enable all the things it does, but better/faster/harder. Screw it if it competes with the E-M1 MkII. Just update the stupid E-M1, TOO!

 

[demiro]

The real issue with this camera, and really most all m4/3s releases for quite a while now, for me is the expectations set by the original E-M5. That camera was a game-changer. I've been waiting for a camera that is somewhat close to being as significant, and I have not seen it.

That doesn't mean the mk3 version isn’t a good camera. I’m sure it is. But it does nothing to excite. Given the maturity of the tech involved here that probably shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is a bit of an ongoing disappointment.

 

[Cederic]

Disappointment #1: In this day and age, even with adding USB charging to the camera, why the heck is this camera still USB 2.0 and using a micro-B connector? How difficult would it have been to use USB 3.0 or 3.1 and an USB-C connector in the camera?

It may be worth validating the USB connector type - the EM1.2 has USB-C so it feels strange that a camera two years newer with predominantly the same internal components wouldn't. But I haven't checked myself.

The Olympus rep confirmed that it’s pretty much an E-M1 ii in a smaller body.

Yes, and that's why it's so fantastic. I've carried my EM1.2 to 40 countries on six continents and trust me, I'd have loved to have the same camera in a smaller lighter form.

Yes, it's not a sexy metal case, and that may impact durability, and it has a smaller battery (but not necessarily lower battery life), and the strap lugs are in a daft place but.. it's smaller and lighter and cheaper, and that kind of counts.

It's also basically the same camera in a different form factor, so I'm not paying that much to replace a camera I've been happily using for two years.

 

[Pluttis]

Got a chance to play with the camera at my local store... not impressed.

The Olympus rep confirmed that it’s pretty much an E-M1 ii in a smaller body. That said the AF speed didn’t seem as quick as either the E-M1ii or E-M1X that were available to play with. The camera was still a pre-production sample so things should improve as Olympus releases firmware updates - as they usually do.

I didn’t like a few things:
1. the mounting point for the right strap is too low. I think Olympus changed the mount point because the top is plastic instead of magnesium.
2. No battery grip. Olympus rep said that not enough people bought the grips for the previous E-M5 generations so they won’t make one.

Personally instead of the new E-M5iii, I’d much rather get an E-M1ii: it has better ergos, a larger battery, and the option of a battery grip.

Anyway enough talk, here’s some (iPhone) pics.


Family portrait.


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The offending mount

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I torn...will probably cancel my pre-order and get a E-M1 MarkII insted, even if that means a slightly bigger and heavier body...i relly want the E-M5 MarkIII, great the spec, formfactor and design of the but i dont want a polycarbonate body...it just dont have the same finish and premium feel as a magnesium alloy body.

Personally i think Canon have the best strap lugs

 

[Lcrunyon]

I torn...will probably cancel my pre-order and get a E-M1 MarkII insted, even if that means a slightly bigger and heavier body...i relly want the E-M5 MarkIII, great the spec, formfactor and design of the but i dont want a polycarbonate body...it just dont have the same finish and premium feel as a magnesium alloy body.

Personally i think Canon have the best strap lugs

I'd advise waiting on a decision until you had a chance to hold it and see for yourself if the new material bothers you. Many have said that they couldn't tell the difference, and I imagine it is all a matter of personal perspective. Maybe even wait a while and see how real-life users feel about it after having it for a while.