OM System OM-3 | Born To Create

I was able to get my hands on the all-new OM System OM-3 for a day out in the city of Bristol to see what it can do.

Available as OM System OM-3 Body Only or OM System OM-3 with 12-45mm Pro Lens.

Watch the full video below for a first look.

Key Features

The OM-3 features a metal body construction that weighs under 500g making it a perfect choice for urban exploration, Cityscapes, Street Portraits etc and this is further aided by a host of useful features that are easy to access.

At the heart of the camera is a 20MP stacked BSI Sensor that is paired with a Truepic X Image Processor to produce outstanding image quality. It is possible to shoot at up to 120fps while continuous AF is possible at up to 50fps. The OM-3 can produce up to 7.5 stops of IBIS for sharp images even at lower shutter speeds and features all-new dials for Computational Photography, Creative modes and a handy S&Q selection. This includes built-in colour profiles, artistic filters, and customizable menus.

The camera body has an IP53 rating and uses the BLX-1 battery that is capable of taking up to 500 shots in RAW on a single charge and this can be charged via USB-C as well as the option to charge while you are shooting.

Creative Dial

The Creative Dial gives you easy access to 4 colour profiles, 4 monochrome profiles as well as Art filters and a colour creator. The OM-3 offers a wide range of art filters which can be applied to your images and viewed live through the viewfinder so that you can capture the mood you are looking for at a moment's notice. Some of the standouts for me were Pop Art, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Gentle Sepia and Dramatic Tone.

Computational Photography Button

The new Computational Photography button allows quick access to 6 photography features. This includes Live ND and Graduated ND filters, High Res shooting, Multiple Exposure, Focus Stacking and HDR, all perfect for walking around a busy city like Bristol and being able to switch styles to whatever the scene dictates.

The OM-3 allows you to take Hi-Res images at up to 14bit even when using the camera handheld thanks to the aforementioned 7.5 steps of IBIS.

ND Grad Filter | Hand Held
Hi-res Image
Hi-res Image zoomed in x1000

Still, Video and S&Q Video Dial

Switching between stills, video and Slow & Quick motion video is effortless thanks to the dial atop the camera. You can capture 4K footage at up to 60P in 10bit H.265 with OMLog400 for greater flexibility in post-production as well as 2 NEW video colour profiles called OM Cinema 1&2.

In regards to the Slow & Quick motion options, you can capture a large array of frame rates ranging from 240fps to 1fps depending on the settings you are using.

Moving Targets

The OM-3 is capable of shooting at up to 120fps while continuous AF is possible at up to 50fps. The camera is capable of capturing sharp images at these fast speeds thanks to 1053 cross-type detection AF points and AI Subject Detection AF which includes Human, Cars, Aircraft, Trains, Birds, Dogs and Cats.

Conclusion

I had a great time using this camera, the easy access to all of the filters and presets let me adapt quickly and easily to whichever shooting scenario I found myself in. The Computational Photography button made it effortless to access the likes of Grad filters and High-res shooting as did the Still, Video and S&Q Video Dial. The 20MP sensor really did produce outstanding image quality and I was very pleased with the images I took when I got to look at them later on my laptop. As I have already mentioned, the camera has not been designed for capturing wildlife specifically but I was very pleasantly surprised with how well the high frame rates and AF system kept up.

My only real gripe with the camera was the grip, or lack thereof. I completely understand that the idea is to keep the camera as small as possible and it wasn’t an issue until later in the day after literal hours of use but I would have preferred something a little more substantial. Another reason for this is down to the tactile nature of the camera where so many of the features are accessed via the dials. It would have just been nice to have had the added security of a more substantial grip while I was doing this.

That being said this camera delivers on all of its promises. If you are looking for a compact camera that you can take with you anywhere and capture whatever is in front of you then you need look no further than the OM-3.

Key Features

20MP Stacked BSI Sensor
Truepic X Image Processor
Computational Photography Button
Creative Dial
Colour Creator
S&Q Modes
7.5 Stops of in-body image stabilisation
IP53 Weather sealing
AI Detection AF
413g (body only)

Convinced yet?

The OM System OM-3 Body Only and OM System OM-3 with 12-45mm Pro Lens are available for pre-order now.

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By Ben Wright
6 Feb 2025