Olympus - Om-d E-m10 Mark Iii Mirrorless Camera With 14-42mm Lens Review

Our Verdict

The E-M10 Mark III adds 4K, ameliorate autofocus and revised controls to our favourite travel camera, though the 16MP sensor stays the aforementioned. It's small, powerful and actually rather adept.

For

• Now with 4K video
• 5-centrality in-camera stabilisation
• Powerful features in a small torso

Against

• No 20MP sensor yet
• Harsh JPEG sharpening
• Small changes over Mark Two

Digital Camera World Verdict

The E-M10 Mark III adds 4K, meliorate autofocus and revised controls to our favourite travel photographic camera, though the 16MP sensor stays the same. Information technology's modest, powerful and actually rather practiced.

Pros

• +

  Now with 4K video

• +

  v-axis in-photographic camera stabilisation

• +

  Powerful features in a small body

Cons

• -

  No 20MP sensor yet

• -

  Harsh JPEG sharpening

• -

  Small changes over Mark II

The 'old' OM-D E-M10 Marking Two used to come commencement in our list of superlative travel cameras , and Olympus says it will continue for now alongside this new Mark Iii version, which is really more than of an update and a refresh rather than a brand new camera.

Update: The Olympus OM-D East-M10 Marker III is now getting difficult to notice new in some territories as it'due south been replaced by the superior OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. We would definitely recommend the newer model, which is even so pretty affordable. Read our Olympus OM-D Due east-M10 Mark 4 review .

It uses a smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor than rival mirrorless cameras and DSLRs, which might put some people off, just this sensor is still way bigger than those in regular compact digital cameras and smartphones, so the quality difference betwixt the little E-M10 and a DSLR is really not that large.

• Read more: Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV vs Mark III vs Mark II

Olympus makes two sets of interchangeable lens cameras that use this sensor size. There's the cheaper PEN E-PL7 and East-PL8 models which don't have viewfinders but practice have flip-upward selfie screens and will appeal to bloggers and fashionistas, and so there's the OM-D series, which have DSLR styling and an electronic viewfinder on the top – the Eastward-M10 III is the beginner model in this OM-D range, though information technology'south actually a lot more than sophisticated than virtually beginner cameras.

Features

The primal new features in the Olympus OM-D East-M10 Mark Three are 4K video and a more powerful epitome processor that brings 121 autofocus points, together with a new Bleach Bypass Art Filter and a modest reworking of the camera's exterior and controls.

Externally, the OM-D E-M10 III looks almost identical to the existing Mark Ii version, and within it has the same 16MP Micro 4 Thirds sensor. We were wondering if it would become the aforementioned 20MP sensor every bit the more upmarket PEN-F and OM-D E-M1 II, only clearly Olympus is keeping that back for now.

The Micro Iv Thirds sensor is smaller than APS-C but that brings a big size reduction in both the body and lenses

The Micro 4 Thirds sensor is nigh one-half the size of an APS-C type, which ways larger-format mirrorless cameras tend to produce better image quality at high ISO settings. Still, Olympus holds its ain lower down the ISO range and does incorporate a highly effective 5-axis, in-torso stabilisation system to assist go sharp shots in depression calorie-free.

The advantage of the smaller sensor format is that the lenses are small likewise. Lots of APS-C mirrorless bodies are pocket-sized, only the lenses aren't, so the Olympus does indeed have a clear reward for travellers.

We tested the OM-D E-M10 Iii with Olympus'south 14-42mm EZ 'pancake' lens, which extends when you switch the power on

The E-M10 III is certainly small, but information technology crams on a lot of exterior dials and buttons, so it'southward ideal for enthusiasts who expect to exist able to take control when they want to. The rear bear on-screen and its bear upon-focus, touch-shutter pick is perfect for smartphone upgraders and novices, but this is still very much a serious photographic camera.

You get both a tilting bear on-screen display and high-resolution electronic viewfinder

The rear thumb grip has been enlarged to make the small-scale trunk easier to handle, merely well-nigh of the residual of the controls are straight from the old model.

At the far left of the superlative plate is a large on/off switch which might look odd on a photographic camera of this size, merely is a really nice echo of the classic Olympus OM SLR cameras. On the correct side is a big metal mode dial and two (yeah, two) metal control dials. About entry-level cameras offer just one dial, but the Eastward-M10 III is not your ordinary entry-level camera.

Small as it is, the OM-D East-M10 Marking Iii handles brilliantly. The dials accept a business firm, positive experience and the controls don't feel cramped. The iv-way navigation pad on the dorsum is a little small, but it works well and Olympus has resisted whatsoever urge to add an additional spinning dial effectually the outside.

We love this retro-styled Olympus power switch

The rear screen tilts upwardly and down, which is actually useful, but information technology doesn't have a fully-articulating swivel. Then, while information technology works perfectly for horizontal shots, it'south less effective when you hold the camera vertically.

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Our sample camera was supplied with Olympus's 14-42mm EZ 'pancake' zoom and this has already acquired some controversy in the Digital Camera Earth offices. 1 faction says it's a masterstroke of miniaturisation that makes the OM-D E-M10 III perfect for travel; the other doesn't like the slower startup and motorised zoom action and would rather have the slightly larger (and slightly cheaper) retracting fourteen-42mm kit lens option.

Olympus packs a lot of very smart shooting options into its cameras, and on the OM-D Due east-M10 Mark Three these have now been fabricated a lot more than attainable. The mode punch now has an AP (Advanced Photograph) mode which displays the camera'south Live Composite mode, Live Fourth dimension exposures, multiple exposures, HDR mode, silent mode, panorama and bracketing modes.

The camera can fifty-fifty correct horizontal and keystone baloney in-camera. Olympus has been guilty in the past of burial some of its cleverest features in rather complex menu systems, so it's great to encounter these coming to the forefront.

The mode dial now has an AP setting for accessing this camera'due south innovative shooting modes, including Alive Composite and Live Time exposure images

Regular camera settings are easy to go to as well. Pressing the small-scale button adjacent to the photographic camera's power switch displays a bear upon-sensitive info screen – you tap the setting you want to suit and then turn the dials to alter information technology.

The motorized EZ zoom lens slows down the startup time slightly, but after that the OM-D Eastward-M10 Marking III feels extremely responsive. The revised 121-bespeak autofocus system does non offer on-sensor phase-detection autofocus, but that doesn't seem to injure information technology at all – it's really quick and responsive, almost uncannily quick if you use the touch on-shutter pick on the rear screen. Information technology does offset to wearisome down a little in poor indoor lighting with longer zoom settings, but not by much, and there'south very little hunting.

The East-M10's color rendition and dynamic range is actually good, though this shot came out a fiddling dark.

The colours aren't curt of 'pop'. If you lot find Vivid fashion a bit too strong, y'all tin can swap to Natural mode or shoot raw and tweak your images to your liking

Both the EVF and the rear impact-screen are very constructive. The electronic viewfinder has a resolution of ii.36million dots, so although this is Olympus's 'base' OM-D model, it hasn't cutting whatever corners hither.

The viewfinder is bright, articulate, colourful and lag-free in good light. It does get a little jittery if you move the photographic camera quickly in dim, indoor lighting, just it's unlikely to go an issue unless you lot're trying to track a fast-moving subject.

The photographic camera has captured this scene really well – the exposure and colour rendition are spot on

We haven't even so had a chance to endeavour out this subject tracking capabilities, simply with a continuous shooting speed of viii.6fps, the camera is off to a expert first. That's typical for a mid-range mirrorless camera, just faster than any DSLR in this price bracket.

Nosotros also demand to spend a little more than fourth dimension with this camera'southward 4K film fashion to form a proper opinion about its video capabilities, merely Olympus'southward in-body v-axis stabilisation system has already proved its worth in other models – and it works for the video mode equally well equally for stills shooting.

How practice you like your carrots? At present with fifteen different Art Filters, the OM-D East-M10 Mark Three offers a lot of potential for creative expression

The paradigm quality looks very good. Information technology's a shame the Eastward-M10 Marker III doesn't get Olympus's 20MP sensor, but its 16MP shots are sharp and full of detail.

The color rendition is spot on, and Olympus cameras do produce particularly pleasing JPEGs – though if you look at them up close you'll see that the sharpening is pretty crude and leaves some obvious edge halos. Smashing photographers would exist better off shooting raw files.

Our lab tests suggest the dynamic range is very good across the ISO range besides, so although the little Olympus doesn't have grade-leading resolution, its all-round epitome quality is right up there with the residuum.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark Iii specifications

Sensor sixteen.1MP Micro Iv Thirds

Image processor TruePic VIII

AF points 121 (dissimilarity AF)

ISO range 100-25,600

Max image size 4,608 ten 3,456

Metering zones 324

Video 4K UHD at xxx, 25, 24fps

Viewfinder EVF, 2,360k dots

Memory carte du jour SD/SDHC/SDXC

LCD 3-inch tilting touchscreen, 1,040k dots

Max flare-up eight.6fps (22 raw)

Connectivity Wi-Fi

Size 121.v x 83.6 ten 49.5mm

Weight 410g

Olympus OM-D Eastward-M10 Mark III verdict

Fans of bigger APS-C format cameras might take some disarming that the Olympus Micro Four Thirds format is a serious rival… but it is. The OM-D E-M10 Mark Three might not have the megapixels of rival mirrorless cameras, merely information technology'southward very close in terms of epitome quality, and its size (and the size of its lenses, crucially) gives information technology a major advantage for photographers who similar to travel light.

And you get a lot for your money. Information technology might be the base model in Olympus's OM-D range, only really it has the features and controls of a mid-range mirrorless photographic camera or DSLR, or even some advanced models.

This does have a downside if y'all're shopping for a simple interchangeable-lens photographic camera to get started with – the E-M10 Mark 3 is beginner friendly up to a point, only this is a sophisticated and powerful camera, not a stripped-downward snapper for smartphone upgraders.

If yous already have an OM-D E-M10 Mark Two then there'southward no betoken in upgrading to the Marking III unless 4K video is a priority, but if you have the original Eastward-M10 Marking I and you love information technology, and then you should have a close look at the East-M10 Mark III because information technology's practically a new camera.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark Three goes on auction in mid-September in body-only or diverse body-and-lens combinations, and the good news is that information technology's not going to cost a lot more than the Mark 2.

Olympus OM-D East-M10 Marking III competition

Fujifilm Ten-T20

The Ten-T20 is just a little larger and more expensive than the Due east-M10 III but it has a larger APS-C sensor and 24 million pixels. It's a keen alternative for enthusiasts, only it'southward not designed for compactness in the same way as the Olympus.

Canon EOS 200D/Insubordinate SL2

Canon's latest version of its miniature DSLR concept has a bigger, higher-resolution sensor than the E-M10 3, but it's as well a bigger and more expensive camera that feels distinctly 'dumbed down' next to the Olympus.

Nikon D3400

Nikon's entry-level DSLR is compact, cheap and produces pinnacle-quality images. Merely it can't compete with the OM-D E-M10 III for size or composure. It's a great buy on a budget, but its features are relatively limited.

Read more

Olympus OM-D E-M10 3 vs E-M5 III vs E-M1 Two
Best Olympus camera
Best Micro Four Thirds lenses

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Digital Photographic camera Magazine is packed with more skillful advice and more inspirational images than any other title, with the sole aim of helping you become a better photographer. Every effect we also bring you a selection of great gifts which are designed to aid yous get more from your photography – everything from tips cards and cheat sheets to free software and bookazines.

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Source: https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/olympus-om-d-e-m10-mark-iii-hands-on-review

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