Amateur Photographer

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

It's now almost eight years since Olympus introduced the original OM-D E-M5, and with it, the concept of a small, fully featured and weather-sealed mirrorless camera aimed squarely at enthusiasts. But while its successor, the Mark II, brought a slew of updates and improvements in 2015, the market has moved on considerably since. Other firms have introduced multiple models with progressive advances in features and image quality, so the latest iteration feels long overdue.

On the whole, the Mark III retains the core characteristics that have made the E-M5 range so appealing. Its petite body measures just 125x85x50mm yet finds space for an extensive complement of external controls, along with Olympus's class-leading 5-axis in-body image stabilisation. The main update is the addition of a 20MP sensor borrowed from the flagship OM-D E-M1 Mark II that includes on-chip phase detection for much-improved autofocus. However the E-M5 III is also 55g lighter than its predecessor at 414g, thanks to the body shell being made from polycarbonate rather than metal. The result is a camera with a rare combination of portability, ruggedness and high capability that's a real pleasure to use.

The E-M5 III is available in silver or black for £1,099.99 body only; £1,249.99 with the 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ pancake zoom; £1,399.99 with the 14-140mm F4-5.6 II; £1,599.99 with the 12-200mm F3.5-6.3; and £1,699.99 with the premium, large-aperture 12-40mm F2.8 PRO. The latter three lenses are all weather-sealed to match the camera.

Features

In almost every respect, the Mark III is

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