Olympus EM-5 Mark III news and rumors

[saladin]

"independent" reviews such as TCSTV and dpreview are a bit "meh" on it, making the point that it's really nothing new, just a smaller Em1ii. Well, yes. That's exactly what it is. And was always likely to be.

 

[mawz]

I think that Oly likely was looking at a new processor and sensor for the E-M1X and E-M5III, but it simply wasn't ready.

I'm not expecting more than 20MP, because the 20MP sensor is still the highest pixel density sensor in common use today (the new Canon 32.5MP sensor is approximately the same pixel density). But copper wiring and BSI on the same basic pixel density would bring some real wins, especially if Oly balances the tradeoff between AF speed and noise performance a little better than Fuji did (Fuji put everything on AF with the 26MP sensor, which is why its noise performance isn't any better than the 24MP sensor in the previous gen bodies)

From what I've read, the current hardware that TruePic is built on is a developmental dead end. That means that Oly will need to port all their code to a new platform for TruePic IX, which explains why we didn't see it on the E-M5III (that's a very involved change).

The sensor is likely more a matter of money, they need to pay somebody to develop it and since Panasonic has gone in a different direction in terms of AF, there's much less of a shared investment than there was on the non-PDAF sensors

 

[Machi]

...but pana 12-60 is cheap enough.

And there is the Panasonic 12-60mm f/4-5.6 lens that is a kit lens for Panasonic mid-range cameras like the G85/G95. It can often be found used fairly cheap.

P12-60 looks good but it's not sold as combo with Olympus. Also I don't know how reliable is weathersealing on Olympus bodies.

14-150 II isn't bad at all and is reasonably priced.

...The 12-50 isn't actually bad, but it's definitely not performing commensurate to its cost.

And I've had good images from the 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens.

14-150II is not wide enough and I didn't see good, sharp examples, which is true for 12-50mm too.
I recently compared my results from another Olympus' kit lens 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6II at 14mm (where it has best results) with results from Panasonic FZ1000 and I must say that I was shocked by sharpness of Panasonic's images. If Panasonic can do this in case of modestly priced ultrazoom lens and 1" high density sensor I don't see reason why one should be satisfied with current cheaper M43 zooms (cheaper is relative term as 14-150 costs here more than entire FZ1000).

 

[drd1135]

It also means that neither Panasonic or Olympus has the money and or desire to create a new sensor or have someone make one for them

 

[gary0319]

I would have to agree.
I was at my local store yesterday to see if they new when they would get the mark 3, and as usual the Fuji cabinet had the most people around it. They tell me for mirrorless Fuji is one of their best sellers for the younger crowd with Sony slightly more popular for the older people looking for better image quality.
Fuji seems to be very well priced for what you get these days. When/if they XT3 line gets IBIS I think it may put pressure on the some sections of the Mu-43 market.

They still sell more DSLR's overall though.

They unfortunately had no idea when they would receive the Mark 3. I am looking forward to at least having a look at it as it ticks most of my boxes apart for the grip and dual card slots, something that I could do without.

Sound to me like your dealer isn’t really high on Olympus’ preferred dealer list. I’ve had two dealer sessions with the E-M5 III over the last few days. FWIW, my dealer dropped FUJI in favor of Olympus a couple of years ago.

BtW, the mark 3 feels pretty darn good without the grip, even with my 12-100.

 

[PhotoGraf]

Will we really see an new sensor in a EM1 Mkiii next year that would pretty much kill the already slow sales of the EM1X flagship? I highly doubt it. Unless of course, Olympus just gives up on the profitability of the EM1X and throws everything at the EM1 Mkiii.

 

[Aristophanes]

Will we really see an new sensor in a EM1 Mkiii next year that would pretty much kill the already slow sales of the EM1X flagship? I highly doubt it. Unless of course, Olympus just gives up on the profitability of the EM1X and throws everything at the EM1 Mkiii.

Given the near identical processing they’d likely update both at the same time.

The EM1X is really just a gripped EM1.2 with an added processor.

 

[speedy]

"independent" reviews such as TCSTV and dpreview are a bit "meh" on it, making the point that it's really nothing new, just a smaller Em1ii. Well, yes. That's exactly what it is. And was always likely to be.

Yeah. It does my head in. The biggest criticism seems to be that it's not "exciting" yet no one can say what would make it so. All I see is a lot of whining for the sake of whining. I'm a die hard Panasonic fan, of I were in the market for a new camera, the 5-3 would be it. Tried and true, makes taking pictures easy and fun. Small and light to boot. Big win in my book
If you can't take an excellent photo of virtually any subject you can name with the 5-3, best you give up on photography, because it's not the camera that's the problem

 

[rezatravilla]

"independent" reviews such as TCSTV and dpreview are a bit "meh" on it, making the point that it's really nothing new, just a smaller Em1ii. Well, yes. That's exactly what it is. And was always likely to be.

There is a new things....the body is made by polycarbonate...also the battery is the same with EM10 or EPL series has (it's cheaper)

 

[saladin]

Yeah. It does my head in. The biggest criticism seems to be that it's not "exciting" yet no one can say what would make it so. All I see is a lot of whining for the sake of whining. I'm a die hard Panasonic fan, of I were in the market for a new camera, the 5-3 would be it. Tried and true, makes taking pictures easy and fun. Small and light to boot. Big win in my book
If you can't take an excellent photo of virtually any subject you can name with the 5-3, best you give up on photography, because it's not the camera that's the problem

Agreed. I'm strongly considering one for travel/motorcycling. I've been wanting a weathersealed PenF, but that's probably never happening. So if I compile my list - small body, weathersealed, excellent EVF, Tilt screen, great IBIS, best available sensor/IQ, USB charging - then this is the camera in MFT that ticks all of them. The only fly in the ointment of building a physically small kit around this camera is that my PL15 and Oly 45/1.8 aren't weathersealed. Nor are Oly's 17 and 25/1.8's . That does pose an issue if one doesn't want to buy the physically bigger Pro/PL25/Sigma 1.4's . I'm considering how unwieldy the PL12-60 will be on the Em5iii, or picking up a 12-40 pro. But gut feel is that this is a camera for primes.

But unless I'm willing to change systems - Fuji Xpro2 for example - then this new body is probably the best option I have right now. "Exciting" or not. So, I'll wait a month or two until they're available to check out / handle and make a decision then.

 

[gary0319]

Agreed. I'm strongly considering one for travel/motorcycling. I've been wanting a weathersealed PenF, but that's probably never happening. So if I compile my list - small body, weathersealed, excellent EVF, Tilt screen, great IBIS, best available sensor/IQ, USB charging - then this is the camera in MFT that ticks all of them. The only fly in the ointment of building a physically small kit around this camera is that my PL15 and Oly 45/1.8 aren't weathersealed. Nor are Oly's 17 and 25/1.8's . That does pose an issue if one doesn't want to buy the physically bigger Pro/PL25/Sigma 1.4's . I'm considering how unwieldy the PL12-60 will be on the Em5iii, or picking up a 12-40 pro. But gut feel is that this is a camera for primes.

But unless I'm willing to change systems - Fuji Xpro2 for example - then this new body is probably the best option I have right now. "Exciting" or not. So, I'll wait a month or two until they're available to check out / handle and make a decision then.

I’m not a prime guy and have been using my E-M10 II with the 12-14 EZ, the 12-40 f/2.8, and the 14-150 as my lightweight/travel setup for the last few years. Each combo works just fine on the E-M10 II with the little add on grip, but the E-M10 II is not weather sealed. I auditioned the new E-M5 III at my dealer this week and it will work out perfectly, actually smaller and lighter than the 10.2 with the grip, but with the new deeper grip no add on is needed.....at least for these smaller zooms

 

[saladin]

I’m not a prime guy and have been using my E-M10 II with the 12-14 EZ, the 12-40 f/2.8, and the 14-150 as my lightweight/travel setup for the last few years. Each combo works just fine on the E-M10 II with the little add on grip, but the E-M10 II is not weather sealed. I auditioned the new E-M5 III at my dealer this week and it will work out perfectly, actually smaller and lighter than the 10.2 with the grip, but with the new deeper grip no add on is needed.....at least for these smaller zooms

Cheers. I'd probably add the grip to the 5iii purely for the flexibility.

 

[Saledolce]

I’m not a prime guy and have been using my E-M10 II with the 12-14 EZ, the 12-40 f/2.8, and the 14-150 as my lightweight/travel setup for the last few years. Each combo works just fine on the E-M10 II with the little add on grip, but the E-M10 II is not weather sealed. I auditioned the new E-M5 III at my dealer this week and it will work out perfectly, actually smaller and lighter than the 10.2 with the grip, but with the new deeper grip no add on is needed.....at least for these smaller zooms

Did you try the 40-150 f2.8 on the em5.3?

 

[Saledolce]

Cheers. I'd probably add the grip to the 5iii purely for the flexibility.

Is any picture of the grip available?

 

[Michael Meissner]

Is any picture of the grip available?

Olympus USA has 3 pictures on the page for ordering the grip:
https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/accessories/camera/external-grip-ecg-5.html

 

[pake]

Cheers. I'd probably add the grip to the 5iii purely for the flexibility.

I'll probably add a grip too but not the extremely overpriced Olympus one but a $10-30 third party custom grip. Or I'll create my own. But we'll see if the camera feels good enough even without one.

 

[wjiang]

I'd wait for a 3rd party grip with an Arca Swiss L-plate.

 

[retiredfromlife]

Agreed. I'm strongly considering one for travel/motorcycling. I've been wanting a weathersealed PenF, but that's probably never happening. So if I compile my list - small body, weathersealed, excellent EVF, Tilt screen, great IBIS, best available sensor/IQ, USB charging - then this is the camera in MFT that ticks all of them. The only fly in the ointment of building a physically small kit around this camera is that my PL15 and Oly 45/1.8 aren't weathersealed. Nor are Oly's 17 and 25/1.8's . That does pose an issue if one doesn't want to buy the physically bigger Pro/PL25/Sigma 1.4's . I'm considering how unwieldy the PL12-60 will be on the Em5iii, or picking up a 12-40 pro. But gut feel is that this is a camera for primes.

But unless I'm willing to change systems - Fuji Xpro2 for example - then this new body is probably the best option I have right now. "Exciting" or not. So, I'll wait a month or two until they're available to check out / handle and make a decision then.

I would have to agree, for what you are after it seems a good fit. I think there is always too much expectations around new cameras. An EM1.2 in a small body seems like a good idea to me. My only real complaint is the price in Australia compared to the EM1.2, but I think the camera is OK. There will always be dissapointments as we all like different things in a camera but not getting those does not make them bad.

 

[MichailK]

The only lamentation I'd have is that those things trickling down in to the E-M5 MkIV would make it so much superior to the MkIII version.

...around some time in 2023... oh, well...

 

[kawhona]

I really like the Mu 4/3 glass and the compactness. I started with the em 5 mk 1 , had a em5 mk 2 and use the em1 mk2. But, until there is a new sensor or really compelling reason to buy a new camera like my em 1 mk2 falling into an ocean somewhere a new Oly body is not on my list. Put a new sensor in the em1 mk3 and I will buy it I don't care if it costs $2k . I just had a trip to Bali and carried both my Oly and Nikon FF gear it made me realize I am too old to be lugging that much gear and the FF stuff is just too big now. Once Nikon develops a reasonable z mount catalog of lenses maybe I would consider that but, that means building another collection of glass which at my age is probably silly.