Your videos are much apreciated, you are one of the few reviewers who focus more on the user experience and subjective feeling. Keep em coming Mr Thorpe. You are the man (:
froreyfire actually analogy is quite right but of course so laughable. Doing lots of hiking in mountains, it is huge difference of camera weight between starting point and after 10mile track. One day, after hauling 2 FF with just 2 excellent Primes with each weighing one kilo, starting at 4am to get to top of mountain for sunrise, back of my inner camel broke ;) and I went to m43 with zero regrets, ah my be one - why I waited so long?!
Fantastic review of a wonderful camera. I don’t know why this body isn’t more popular, but I’m loving mine. I think it’s the best value in the market today.
Very good video. I‘m a fan of panasonic cameras. My first camera was a Panasonic G6. But without Olympus EM1 Mark II and III i would not longer be in the MFT family. That‘s because i like taking pictures of dogs in Motion. So i leaved MFT and went to Nikon. But now i‘m back. The Olympus OM-D EM1 III is such a great camera. I like the fast phase detect autofocus, the ND filter and the HighRes handhold function. This alltogether makes the olympus a swiss knife. So helpfull for so much dfferent situations :-)
The Panasonics have a very effective C-AF system, the G9 in particular. But for animals in motion, the Olympus's PDAF has the edge, there's no question. I think the Mark III will do very well for Olympus.
Thank you for the effort and the sharing. I hope you and yours are well during this COVID madness. Here in the northeast of the US, the situation is getting better but is just a notch below dire. I appreciate you putting together this review under exacting circumstances. I am an appreciative subscriber. Stay well.
Great humor, the six straws broke the camel's back. More seriously, it is hard to get excited about a new camera when almost all of the M4/3 cameras from the past couple of years are so good. Sure, phase detect auto-focus is nice, but in my view how much is an incremental upgrade worth? Under the current circumstances, not that much. Thanks David - your reviews always brighten my otherwise dour mood.
Glad to raise a laugh, thanks! You raise an interesting point, the Micro Four Thirds cameras are now mature and overall very capable. The E-M1 Mark III is about as good as it gets right now but its predecessor was excellent too. In the absence of a new sensor with a 1 or 2 stop noise advantage I can't see what important aspect actually needs improving now. Ditto the G9. The Olympus's C-AF focusing is better but that doesn't imply that the G9's is in any way bad.
After over 4 years with the E-M5 Mark ll, I was looking to move on. After a great deal of research, I decided to stay with Olympus, (in the end, I just had too much good Oly glass to jump ship), and ordered a E-M1 Mark lll. I have had it for almost 2 weeks now and I am deeply impressed with it. I've got a lot to learn about it, but I already know that I absolutely will not ever regret the decision. I am very eager to try the Starry AF here in the Big Sky Country this summer. All I've got to do now is start saving up for the 300mm-F4 for a trip to Glacier Park this fall.
Sounds a fantastic trip for photos - hope circumstances allow it. The Mark III came at exactly the right time for you, then. I agree 100% - you will not regret buying it. Nothing better.
As someone who has been shooting on a simple E-PL6 for a long while, this particular model seems like an attractive upgrade. While the future of Olympus might turn out to be different from what I had originally expected, I do hope the price of the Mark III will drop in a few years instead of rise due to the prospective rarity of its brand name. A wonderfully comprehensive insight, thank you for putting out your great work here!
Thanks mr. Thorpe for yet another superb, factual, honest, no-nonsense overview. A wonderful start of the week. And thanks for a good laugh for the poor horse in isolation.
maybe I'm just exhausted from working 64 hours a week for past 2 months but I spit my drink out and laughed so hard I cried when you "broke the camels back" Ohhhhhhh how I needed that laugh, thank you.... and nice review BTW
Thanks for another great review. Because of you and some other stout 4/3 supporters I jumped into the fray with a passion 2 years ago in buying a G9 and some nice P/L lenses. Now my wife has one as well but she went with an Oly 12-100 as she prefers the all in one lens concept. I love this gear because of it’s light weight, great IQ and it is excellent gear for travel photography. I have found the G9 and P/L lenses do everything I need except BIF because the G9 lacks phase detect. I thought about the Oly MkIII and a 300mm but decided to go with a D500 and a lightweight Tamron 100-400mm which provides me with some excellent BIF images and only weighs 69.2 ounces for the combo. At 75 I’m probably done with my new gear purchases but I must say those who haven’t tried 4/3 are missing a treat. I sold most of my Nikon FX gear and probably will part with the rest of it soon. Once Covid 19 eases up we hope to be back taking photos with our 4/3 kit. I even now have a new Billingham to carry it in. What next, a Brompton? Stay safe!
I don't own a micro 4/3ds system and probably never will. But, I've been a subscriber for a few years now because, I just love your analysis, wealth of experience/knowledge and presentation.
I always look forward to hearing your thoughts on m43, and again you didn’t disappoint. In particular, when comparing the Olympus e-m1 iii to the overhyped Canon eos R5. Why isn’t Olympus and Panasonic ruling the photography universe? The technology that Canon is hyping has been around for a decade on m43 cameras.
You know that and I know that and so do other Micro Four Thirds users. In general, photographs who have chosen Micro Four Thirds have come to the system because they are looking for something to suit specific needs or requirements and they have looked at other systems and made an informed choice. For the majority though, such is the marketing power of Canon and Nikon that they look no further. That's my theory, anyway, backed up by the number of people who have come to Micro Four Thirds from Canon/Nikon FF and wonder why they didn't do it sooner.
David Thorpe, Obviously my amateur opinion is a little simplistic. I’ve owned my original e-m1 for seven or eight years and my shutter died last fall. I decided I would have it repaired and sent it to Olympus. In the mean time I decided I would get the eos R. Not knowing what I was getting I was disappointed with no ibs and while the lens has stabilization I couldn’t achieve nearly the handheld results of my Oly in some situations. Most of my photos I post to Photos, fb, Instagram and Flickr so doubling my pixel count and sensor size really didn’t matter. Taking photos in burst mode really was a disappointment going from 10fps to maybe 5. Anyway a very expensive lesson learned. After about two months I got my old friend back and the eos R found a comfortable spot on the shelf. On accession I pull it down, but mostly it sits there. My wife is thinking of putting online videos together for her business perhaps she’ll use it?
@@kent2000100 If I were you, Kent, I'd give my wife the Canon in case she wanted my Olympus :-) There's nothing simplistic about amateur opinions, it's your experience and as valid as anyone else's. In point of fact, amateur opinions are probably more important in that they are the people who bring in the money for the camera companies. The professionals are a small fraction of the market. I do wish we could get rid of this pejorative meaning to amateur, it really ought only to mean people who take pictures because they want to, rather than for money. I have one amateur frined who is a damn sight better a photographer than most of the pros that i know. I include myself in that. He doesn't have my technical expertise and experience but he has a lot more imagination.
Ooooohhhh ,,,how I have been anticipating this video for a couple of months now,,,,,I couldn't wait to hear what you had to say about this camera. I'm glad to hear that it's just as good as the hype has been suggesting,,(If you can call any discussion about M4/3 hype these days). I have yet to even see one. Our local Olympus dealer has nothing newer than an EM-5 II on the shelf. Even though I lean toward Panasonic, I have to say I have not been so smitten by an Olympus since I discovered the digital Pen F. I plan be traveling to Colorado and Arizona in the next while...providing some of the restrictions and precautions let up. Perhaps one of the larger cities there will have a better selection. Looking forward to more examples from you as the weeks move along. Stay well and keep making engaging videos..(still chuckling over the Pythonesque camel scenes----"is that an unladen camel?")
Thanks, Clint. I've always liked Panasonic's camera bodies just a bit better but I can't find a fault with the E-M1 Mark III, it seems to have been really thought through. Being able to build your own menu is great but to be able to so easily add an subtract, move things about and even choose the page they go shows a real photographers outlook. Panasonic's My Menu is good but much more clunky. It's those little things with the Olympus. And the joystick will move diagonally. Again not a big deal but one more thing that makes the camera so user friendly.
Thanks David for the review. Great to know you're safe in these horrible times. While this camera makes sense in its upgrade over the Mark II, I still find that micro four thirds are not offering the upgrades that I was looking for. I asked Joe Edelman, the Olympus ambassador, what he wants in future Olympus cameras. and his response was that he wants to see more AI improvements. But for me personally, what I want to see the next G9x is a 24 BSI sensor that achieves better scores for higher ISO's and DR. If either Olympus or Panasonic adds that upgrade, that would be a landslide improvement. I'd like to hear your thoughts .....
Sony would have to be willing to sell the 24 Mp BSI devices to Olympus for a reasonable price. Olympus says that this will NOT happen in the near future.
Hi Matt - thanks! I was surprised, using the Panasonic S1, how little the IQ was improved over my Micro Four Thirds bodies taking into account the extra weight, bulk and cost. If that level of IQ could be attained in Micro Four Thirds, that would be all I'd want. It doesn't seem an impossible ask as a next development. A stop would be great, actually. AI, why not? But phone camera users and Micro Four Thirds users are very different creatures and I don't think AI will bring them over. With a 1 or 2 stop noise/DR improvement they would attract APS-C/FF users, I think. DR is less important to me in that nothing I view on has the DR range of my present gear so all it does is give me more exposure leeway.
Thanks for this much appreciated review David , now how much would i miss 60fps 4k for that great auto focus , well its an awesome camera . but i am happy enough with the recent upgrades on the gh5/g9 focus . but you, being more stills orientated , i totally would understand in going for the mk 3 , as the Olympus has more variety of photo ability for sure . mega review , thank you very much and great to see you well on the bike too .
Thanks for that! The G9 focus with the firmware upgrade is very impressive now. I can't help thinking that if Panasonic applied their know how and R&D to a PD or hybrid system, it would be second to none, including Sony.
I think this camera it has everything I need: perfect size, lightweight (that +6g can kill a camel tho), great design, sturdy and sealed body, new and great C-AF system, nipple, usb-c charge and a few features I find useful (handheld high res shot, stars af, pro capture, live nd filter...). I don't mind the sensor or the evf, they are ok and I'm fine with that, you can take beautiful shots and enjoy photography carrying with you this beast. Ty for your review David, best wishes and take care.
Good morning David! Do you consider the em-1 iii to be your current favorite camera, supplanting the Lumix G9? Specifically for Photographing Birds and wildlife, which one would you choose?
I really am taken with the E-M1 Mark III. The G9 has good C-AF, especially with the last firmware upgrade but there's no question that the PDAF of the Olympus is that much better. Less hesitation. If C-AF is not so important, there are many reasons to prefer the G9. swings and roundabouts, really.
Wow, never thought I could enjoy a review on RUclips that had no video but all stills, well done and thank you, not least because I ordered the MIII today and can’t wait for delivery! By the way, beautiful narrator’s voice 🙂
@@MorkusReX Turns out I hated it! In fact I hated it so much I lost about £1k selling it with lenses and happy to see the back of it. Great build quality but that bloody menu system drove me around the bend, can't remember how many times I got to a location to do a shoot only to find that I'd set it up earlier to do something different and couldn't intuitively work out how to change settings. Also, image quality was pretty poor I thought, I know many will disagree but when I work on my MK5iv RAW images it's just in another class. Sorry, I really wanted to love it but in the end I haven't regretted letting it go for one second.
@@riddles1137 Thanks! I actually bought it and I like it so far. I got around the menus by creating my own menus in "My Menu" + setting custom modes so I don't need to fiddle around with it. Image quality so far is good, but obviously I don't compare it to a full frame camera , but the size is also not comparable. Thanks again!
Great review, and fully concur, spot on -- after years with E-PL2 and E-PL5 for backpacking and street work, then E-M5 mkII with a Photodiox grip for nature and landscape photography (mythosphere.com), I'd moved to an E-M1 mkII for the improved focus speed with phase detection for legacy 4/3 glass, and then the E-M1 mkIII came out...a masterpiece. And yes, every critique you made is accurate...and as you say, the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. The problem from Olympus' perspective is I can't see any need to upgrade again for a very long time.
The upgrade, yes there's always that. I think a Mark IIII would have to have some big selling point, a 40Mp sensor or something. Not that that is necessary or a great draw for most of us. I can't really think of anything on the E-M1 Mark III that is ripe for improvement.
I love the EVF in my "X", and the MKii, I use the EVF "for composing" as it should be, I'm not looking for 4k quality in an EVF, its for info only. And BTW, no camels were harmed in the making of this video!
Yes, I use the EVF for framing mainly but there's no question the Panasonic G9 has a better eVF, brighter and bigger. You'd have to use the cameras side by side to notice though since once yo get used to a finder, even a bright line optical one, you just use it without thinking if its any good or not. You are quite right about the camel. Far from harming it, I now keep it as a pet in my home. Not recommended, far too big and troublesome.
You made a great choice - Olympus have always been good at keeping their camera sizes down without losing usability. The E-Ms all feel big while being small!
Wow! Using both mkII and mkIII I would absolutely agree with your point of view in this review. Too bad some reviewers of photography equipment are not an actually using cameras which they simply “review” or even worse they are not photographers at all :( Your phrase about mkIII been more than just sum its parts is brilliant! Personally, even some exotic and unique features like Star AF or handheld Hi-Res which may look like gimmicks from first glance, after you will get in situation when you need it and use it would make you wonder - why nobody else does it? Even Live ND, which I considers more like Art Effect comes handy in particular situations. And It’s little brother EM5mkIII is absolutely brilliant camera too.
It's the actual using of the E-M1 Mark III that makes you realise how accomplished it is. The spec doesn't tell the story. The E-M5 Mark III is remarkably close to the E-M1 Mark III in overall performance, too.
David, another great review; very enjoyable!. I have been pondering the Panasonic G9 (with latest firmware) versus the Olympus EM-MIII. I presently own an Olympus EM10 MIII and multiple Olympus lenses. One area that appeals to me on the G9 is that the Custom Buttons can be used for either picture settings or video settings. I have been told by others that the Custom Buttons on the EM1-MIII cannot be used to store video settings; they are reserved for picture settings only. Is this information correct based on your experience with both cameras? I'm sure this must be something Olympus could incorporate in another future firmware update. Thanks again.
Thanks, George. It is correct that the Custom modes on the E-M1 Mark III don't function with Movie mode but you can reconfigure all the buttons for Movie mode if you wish so that when you switch to it, the buttons, levers etc are set up for it.
@@DavidThorpeMFT Thanks David; I'm wrestling with the issue as to how much a camera's video capabilities should drive my decision to purchase or not. It is easy to get caught up in the technologies and what you "could do" with a future camera as oppose to what you likely "will do"! Clearly an Olympus camera can handle all the video I will likely do and it clearly is an excellent camera for photos. All of this is the reason we all enjoy photography, the unique combination of technology and art. Thanks again for your insightful comments.
Great review. This feels like the thin edge of the wedge. Finally mobile phone tech is going to infiltrate cameras (and the camera menu systems please!). Love panasonics colour science but this is pushing things further on. we want all of the great software tweaks and have all of the lens variety....best of both worlds. Anything that makes cameras more fun must be good. After putting up with a brick of a 7d, when I got a gx8 I realised that the best way to get better pictures was to have a camera that made you want to take more of them. The other side of this equation is that getting things printed is now incredibly cheap. For the first time in my life ive had 1m by 1m prints made on images with a g9. Thankyou for being a great coach on this journey.
Thanks Simon! Glad I've been helpful. Phone camera technology is moving so fast that camera makers need to keep up. Some is useful, some less so but you don't have to use it and if it gets more people buying cameras it can only be good for all of us.
Great review David, I take your point around the menu system, though as you pointed out the my menu negates some of that. The addition of a fourth custom point is useful and I tend to use the custom selections to set up my camera as if it's 3 different cameras as you can fine tune so much on each point. I'm not convinced about the joystick, there are modicum of improvements, and they are improvements not gimmicks which is typical Olympus, great. I remain though to be convinced that there are enough improvements to draw me away from my MKII, though I will buy one when I want to add another body to my collection. What I am convinced about is that these cameras are there for those who know, who look for quality not gimmicks, value for money and not a badge (people who buy a car for it's 3 pointed star, rather than knowing about cars) and who are happy that they know what they have in their hands will deliver because it's the best most complete package out there and didn't get there because of saturated marketing, but on it's own merits chosen by those who are comfortable, no - choose to be, led by their own decision making and able to see through the hype and pomp of other brands.
I agree, Martyn, a camera for someone who has thought through and knows their requirements. That true of Micro Four Thirds in general really. I approach cameras as if each one is complete in itself rather than an update to a previous one and then make a comparison later. For anyone who has a Mark II, they'd need to look at the differences and see if there was anything they found compelling. There's no one thing about the Mark III that would justify an upgrade and for most Mark II owners there would be no pressing need to do so.
Those slow motion incredibly stable beautiful dolly style shots at the start etc what is used for this in filming this review? Very nice. As is the camera!!
Thanks, Robert! I am using an Edelkrone JobOne with one of their HeadOne panning devices. It's so hard to get variety into product shots so it's nice to know it is noticed!
My 2 cents... was a Panasonic guy ,,but wanted the "party tricks" the Olympus had--AND the AF capability more than anything. I bought a very nice used MkII..and love it. The G9 stays home on the studio tripod--the Olympus goes to the field with me. Making the jump from a MKI to a MKII or III will come down to the questions of either price or the increased capabilities. In my area,, MKIIs run $500-600 used (nice condition with all the goodies.. MKIIIs are $800-1200. If price doesn't scare you off.. go for the III.
@@zarrow50 I would rate this as a seriously brilliant acquisition... Well bought!! As your system grows.. one thing you might consider is using Olympus legacy 4/3rds glass. Same size sensor so there's no sensor size problems.. you will need a 4/3 to micro four thirds adapter.. I recommend the Olympus branded ones although the Movo brand worked really well for me before I bought an Olympus. Absolutely superb lenses at a fraction of current price and you still get autofocus and exif data. Enjoy the new camera!
@@clintjohnson2460 I have some Four Thirds lenses- 12 -60, 14 - 54, 11 -22 and 40, 150 which is the f3.5 version and have the cheapest Olympus adapter.
@@zarrow50 Nice! You may be well set then. I bought an 80-200 2.8 when I still only had Panasonic cameras..and the AF was useless... it was my inspiration to get the EM1 mkII. Since then, I managed to get the 12-60.. which I think is fantastic. Over Christmas I was trolling eBay and someone put out the 50 f2 Marco and the 8mm with a MMF-3. .. On a Buy it Now for $300 US.. since most of the Olympus adapters were selling for close to $200 I indulged myself... And those 2 lenses replace 2 of my favorite focal lengths from my Nikon film days... Good shooting.. you are going to enjoy that so much!
Fantastic review for a amazing camera. I've owned my Em1 Mark III for less than a month and it's easily one of the best all around cameras I have ever used. Like you stated, autofocus was never a strong suit for M43 cameras but the Em1 III is an absolute beast with AF. The face/eye AF is so fast and quick to pick up on, it's amazing. The features this camera has is astonishing and so fun to use. Olympus did a wonderful job!👍
They did do a good job, I agree. Lots of thought put into the camera even on some small details like setting what page of your personal menu an item goes on when you select it. Small thing but smooths a path.
Thanks, Kim. I used C-AF with 10fps sequence L and the 'All' Grid. My wife, who is not a photographer kept the camera pointed ahead, not moving it as I weaved, so the camera decided where it should focus. It takes a dozen frames, a second or so, focusing on the background before it sees that I am the subject at which point it holds focus on every frame after that. When I get really close, there's only limited depth of field (I shot at f/4) but the shots are all in focus. I wouldn't, using it myself, ask the camera to make all the decisions and with the focusing area narrowed down to the 5x5 grid or smaller, subject selection take a couple of frames only. It's very impressive.
Hi David, thanks for the review; can I probe for your thoughts on my dilemma? I've got a bunch of legacy 4/3 glass (and the MMF3 adapter) and I'm looking at either the EM1 Mk II or Mk III to continue using them; these days I'm an occasional landscape and (minor) wildlife photographer. The Mk II is highly discounted now and for the price difference for the MkIII I could get an additional nice lens. Given my situation and based on your experience with both models, would you have a strong recommendation to got with the Mk III?
Hi FlyingRock, I‘m using my old 50-200 f2.8 FT and sometimes in Low Light my 14-54 f 2.8 FT with the original olympus adapter. I would recommend not to use a cheap other adapter to mFT, but with the Olympus-Adapter it works fine. It is louder when focusing, and a few function cannot be used, f.e. Focus staking inside the camera. I use as well since 3 years the OMD1MII and I love it. Meanwhile I purchased a 12-100 f4 pro and this lence is the one I use almost always, it is perfect, check some tests here... I will not upgrade to MIII because the MII is just great and I not really miss the few new things... Hope this helps. Regards from Germany, Volker
No, I'd be inclined to a Mark II and the new lens. IQ wise no difference in the cameras and for what you do (unless the wildlife is _very_ fast flying/ _very_ fast running) no massive advantage in the Mark III.
For wildlife photography, regarding C-AF performance, is there a big difference between the Mark III and the Mark II (with the latest firmware)? Thank you!
No, not a huge difference. It would be very difficult to really know because every fast moving subject is a bit different, the background a bit different. My hunch is that if you could repeat the same target, movement and background every time, you'd find little if any real world difference.
A bit late but as I’ve just bought one and thought I’d try some different reviews from Rob Trek who is the Guru on Olympus cameras, good delivery and a nice guy! I know as I contacted him several times on particular issues and he never fails. I like your steady approach and how you get those wooden dummies to play with a ball is black magic, perhaps the blue ones, Arsenal fan I reckon! are cleverer than the plain wooden ones! Cheers DG U.K.
As usual, the best reviewer of MFT on YT. If the E-M1 mkiii was the same price as the G9, I wonder which would be the winner..? Panasonic's persistence with DFD contrast AF is now verging on perverse. One can only speculate that Olympus have an exclusivity deal with Sony for this sensor, and/or Panasonic's choice of sensor and AF is connected to their stake in TowerJazz sensor manufacturing (which hasn't used phase detect AF in it's sensors to date)?
Thanks, Andrew! The two flagship cameras are different enough to offer a good choice. I think the focusing of the Olympus would be a big factor for many but that shouldn't be the only thing. The Panasonic's focusing is no slouch ad the EVF is definitely better. The sizes are different too. All in all, there's plenty to differentiate the cameras but given the G9 is currently not a lot more than half the price of the Olympus, that must influence people.
@@DavidThorpeMFT I've had the G9 since launch (and paid the full price too...sigh!) and think its a great camera, astounding for the current price. The AF hasn't been a problem, even for sports, although the DFD jitter takes a bit of getting used to. But it certainly wouldn't harm it if it did have phase detect AF for that certainty it brings to continuous AF.
You did not mention the livecomp mode, unique to Olympus, and « irremplaçable » for stars trails, fireworks, storm lightnings photography, light painting....
That's right, Simoneister. It would be nice to mention everything in a - what would be a very long - video but equally it's nice to have a few viewers still awake at the end of it🙂
I'd forgotten the C plug on the Mark II, thanks William. The E-M1X hasn't come on to my radar since I have to buy the stuff for my reviews and the X is just too expensive for me. Given that the Mark II has USB C it makes it even more inexplicable that Panasonic went with the unwieldy cable they did.
@@DavidThorpeMFT IIRC Olympus didn't really make a big fuss about the USB-C port on the E-M1ii and neither does it support charging over USB so it's completely understandable. The choice of the connector type on the G9 is definitely...odd, seems almost like the worst of both worlds. Probably still better than when Olympus was using their own proprietary variant of mini-USB though. Thanks for all the work, your reviews are consistently excellent!
Excellent Review as always. I am seriously thinking about buying this camera. I need a second camera for video, but with good AF, to complement my GH5. And I need a camera for birding and wildlife fotografy. The doubt is in relation to the price! Here in Germany: G9 900 Euros; em1 ii 900 euros and em1 iii 1800 euros. A tremendous difference in price. greetings from the Black Forest
Your point is completely valid. The E-M1 Mark III is superb but at double the price of the G9 it is by comparison not good value. I'd imagine the price will come down quite quickly, especially given present trading conditions.
I've got to tell you that I have been a happy Lumix G9 owner for some time now, however with the new Fuji XT4 I've been thinking of jumping ship. Wonder how much cleaner cropped images I could expect going from 4/3 to APS-C
There's less difference than you might think, Ken. Naturally, bigger will always be better, especially if you crop images a lot. But I have to say that even with the FF Panasonic S1, I was disappointed at how little extra IQ all that bulk and expense provided.
In Custom Menu I.EVF you'll see EVF Auto Switch. Set that to On2. Now when you take your eye from the EVF you'll see the SCP. Press the Info button to toggle between SCP and Info Screen.
Will Olympus ever up grade the magnificent pen-f? The idea of built in ND filter is genies but not always practical. G9 and xt3 beat em1 markiii in video But i don't shoot much video So out with the extra stuff in my life to make room for the em1 mark iii
I need to disagree about the video assertions. The G9 still pulses in C-AF. Since it's latest firmware update, the Fuji XT3 C-AF is TOTALLY unreliable. I read/watched YT vids proclaiming the C-AF in the OMD E-M1 mk2 to be MUCH better since it's last firmware update.
Michael S the em1 mkiii has a software mode that mimics what an ND filter does. It does this by taking multiple shots. It is not a true built in ND filter but it gives the same effect.
Same here. And what better is - my wife wants to learn how to photograph with something better than an iPhone, so instead of buying a em10'er mk3 for her, she 'inherits' my old em1 mk1.
that being said, if you don't need super-fast burst rates and or better battery life, what separates it from the OMD5 MK3? it is $500 cheaper which might entice some, but then again besides weight, also the G9 at $999 is at about the same price, creating a difficult scenario to pick from, thoughts? giving up dual OIS with Panasonic lenses, in favor of the build-in OIS of Olympus, and better 4K video of the G9 for better auto focus (all day for me, as don't shot video professionally)....
I can share some of my opinions: I bought the Em5 Mark III back in March and returned it for the Em1 Mark III. The Em5 III is a fantastic camera but the Em1 III is much better camera (at least for me). The Autofocus, especially face/eye AF, is faster and locks onto a subject's eye much quicker AND more accurately. The stabilization feels more solid than the Em5 III and it's much easier to handle my Panasonic 100-400mm especially on the long end. Add in the handheld high res (which works very well), built in ND filter, starry sky AF, 7 stops of IBIS, a longer battery life, and you have yourself a heck of a camera. Not to mention the fantastic grip and handling that the Em1 provides over the Em5. Either way you go, these are both well made cameras!
Good thoughts from the other responders here. The E-M1 Mark III is better than the E-M5 Mark III if you will use its top line features. If you are involved with normal day to day photography not at the outer limits of modern camera performance, there's no difference between the two other than a saving of money, size and weight. I'm a big admirer of the G9 but the big size difference between that and the E-M5 Mark III would probably be the main reason for choosing one over the other.
Haha! Seriously, the E-M1 Mark #/ 12-40 Pro combo isn't cheap initially but quality gear pays off in the long run and can be argued to be cheaper....honest!
Hello David. How do you compare this with your G9? Will you be selling the and keeping the Oly? Can you (or your subscribers) offer some advice? I'm looking at buying a camera system (havent chosen yet (still saving)). I think that the M43 system could suit my needs. My interests are cityscapes/architectural details and street photography, especially at dusk & dawn. Could you recommend lenses as there seems to be no end of very well reviewed lenses available? I think I am looking for a wide angle lens, a walk around lens and then perhaps a telephoto for detail. I have no preference for zooms or primes and would prefer to buy very good/great lenses now, rather than spend more on a camera body. Thanks and stay safe
Hi Lee. I'll be keeping both cameras for the time being at least. I love them both but daft little things like the C type USB connection and the SCP keep me picking up the Olympus. Lenses, the 8-18mm Panasonic is a very useful lens, a 12-40 for standard and 40-150 f/2.8 for tele. So many possibilities. For lightness, the 8-18, 24mm f/1.4 Panasonic an Panasonic 35-100 f/2.8 cover most needs. The G9 is absurdly cheap at the time of writing, a real bargain.
Probably not that long to wait for price drops. The Panasonic G9 is very comparable to the E-M1 Mark III and sells for hundreds less. Photographers who really, really want one will have bought by now and for those less motivated, they will compare those prices. Mind you, my predictions are about as good as my guitar playing 😮
my GH5 has a usb-c port but sadly it cannot power or charge the camera. I hope simultaneous power delivery and raw data transfer becomes the industry standard for mirrorless cams
Get a single lens to rule them all... The Olympus 12-100mm F4 IS Pro has an incredibly versatile range while still being able to maintain excellent image quality. If you require a lens that is good in low light, pair the 12-100 with a fast prime for night/astro photography and you should be set for almost any landscape scene.
If a tripod is used and care taken, any lens will do good landscapes. Stop down to f/4 or 5.6 and ISO200 and quality will be best. Most people find the 12-40mm range most useful, some prefer a bit wider. By and large you'll get best results from lenses that don't feature very wide apertures. Today, though, the native Micro Four Thirds lenses are so good that you could use almost any of them. To cover most any landscape, you could go the 12-100mm route mentioned by Jay19876 with maybe a 8-18mm Panasonic for wider stuff. The reason I mention the Panasonic is that it can take filters where the other wide zooms can't.
I don't think there's much you could do with a mark III that you couldn't with a Mark II, Joel. I'm always approaching each camera as if no other existed but as a rule of thumb I think you need to wait for every other upgrade, II to IIII, for example to get value for the money paid out.
Yes, I have compared them. The hand held hi res is a compromise and does not show more detail (in my hands, anyway). The tripod hi res, if I enlarge an object on a standard res file to the same size as on the hi res file, there is definitely more detail and to a worthwhile degree. I find that the better the lens the better the hi res result. Because I don't make big prints, the hi res had little practical use for me in stills but I love it for my videos because that lovely big pixel count gives enormous scope for the 'Ken Burns' effect, zooming and panning a still image.
David Thorpe i must keep experimenting, i guess. I am using a EM1/2 with 12-40 PRO, on a tripod and havent had the expected increase in detail. i also only print to 30 x 40 cm, so the normal RAW file is perfect. during the crazy time currently proceeding, I'm playing with features i haven't used before. currently trying inbody focus stacking, again not yet achieving the expected results.
@@antonydavid2953 In my experience (on an e-m5 II though) the high res shots have a lot more detail, but you do need to crank up sharpening a lot more for the RAWs or they will look quite soft. In Lightroom something like 120 rather than 40.
@@antonydavid2953 Pretty good results are obtainable in camera, though I do find it needs a lot of trail and error. Photoshop makes a pretty good job f stacking, too but if you (or I) were heavily into it, I suppose some specialised software might be best.
Nice. I was half ready to get a G9 to upgrade from the original Em1. Hope its firmware can distinguish animals too since birding is a stress test w AF. USB C is more durable than microusb and better in every way. I wonder if it allows an external battery to charge.
It doesn't have the animal recognition AI but with a little direction the focusing should pick up what you want. It will charge from an external battery but powering it needs something stronger than a power bank's 5 volts.
Love the camera after two months of usage. One big problem, however: the new Photoshop Elements 2020 does NOT support RAW. It appears that PE2020 is using version 12.0 of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) rather than 12.2... Spoke with their tech support and they have nothing to say...
David I was watching a lot of reviews of the Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 pro the other day and thought what does Mr Thorpe have to say about it, as your opinion is held in high regard, only to notice that you haven't done a review of it. I know you usually do a review when a new bit of kit comes out.... but... maybe........... PLEASE DO A REVIEW OF THE 12-40MM 2.8 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE....... I'll buy you a drink. :)
Great review. I actually enjoy your reviews, you hit the important stuff, leave out the usual several minutes of self-referential plugs, and aim them at people who have some idea what you're talking about. I usually avoid video reviews in favour of text where I can skip the rubbish and get right to the good bits. With your video revews, I don't have to. I have a Mark III, had a Mark II but agree entirely, the advances in the III make it really worthwhile. I use the handheld hires fairly often and love it, removes the last real objection to M43 for landscapes.
Thank you, Ross. I'm with you about video reviews. I prefer written reviews in general but I try to keep my videos to the point as far as possible. Nice to know it is noticed. Totally agree about the camera.
the Olympus LCD EVF is the only EVF capable of maintaining 120 fps at its full resolution in all conditions and all AF setting. No other EVF in the market can do this. I would rather have 120 fps over high resolution EVF any day. The one in the canon eos R is really bad with low refresh rate.
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Dude, you gotta be one of the funniest RUclipsrs I watch. Your subtle jokes and deadpan humor is top notch.
I think he has taken it to the next level being stuck at home.
Nail on the head, there, RobShootPhotos.
@@DavidThorpeMFT 🤣👍
@@DavidThorpeMFT Don't let the cabin fever get to you David. Head to the nearest off licence and stock up.
Dude is a mole on an elephant butt
We all miss you mate!
miss his reviews, RIP David Thorpe
Thank you for all your content friend. Rest in peace!
Great work sir! I feel like I'm listening to calming Sunday afternoon radio talk show, you have one of those voices. Great info too, thank you!
Thanks, Darren.
Great fan of you both. I agree with Darren, David Sir's delivery/narration & vocals are 2nd to none.
Another wonderful review. The best on RUclips. All your videos are brilliant. Thank you.
Wow, thank you, Marek!
Thank God your’e back - and you brought a camel. I have been waiting for this review.
Thanks you, Martha! The camel is a bit angry with me for overloading it. It's got the hump,you could say.
How does this great man, David Thorpe, only have 32,000 subscribers? He is a brilliant photographer.
😀
Your videos are much apreciated, you are one of the few reviewers who focus more on the user experience and subjective feeling. Keep em coming Mr Thorpe. You are the man (:
Thanks you, Pablo!
Always so nice to see Olympus and Panasonic (and other) products mixing it up together in an unaffiliated review. Just like they do in our bags! ;-)
Glad you liked it, Hank, thanks!
We miss you, David
I broke down laughing about the straw that broke the camel's back. :-)
😀
froreyfire actually analogy is quite right but of course so laughable. Doing lots of hiking in mountains, it is huge difference of camera weight between starting point and after 10mile track. One day, after hauling 2 FF with just 2 excellent Primes with each weighing one kilo, starting at 4am to get to top of mountain for sunrise, back of my inner camel broke ;) and I went to m43 with zero regrets, ah my be one - why I waited so long?!
Fantastic review of a wonderful camera. I don’t know why this body isn’t more popular, but I’m loving mine. I think it’s the best value in the market today.
I think it will be a big seller.
Thanks David. I've been waiting for this review, and as expected it's been very helpful indeed. Yours is my favourite RUclips channel! Stay safe.
Great to hear that, Charlotte. You stay safe too, in these strange times.
Couldn't agree more. I love my EM1 mkiii. A little lackluster in terms of cutting edge specs.. but simply; a great camera.
Yes, it's the overall camera and user experience that impresses so much.
Very good video. I‘m a fan of panasonic cameras. My first camera was a Panasonic G6. But without Olympus EM1 Mark II and III i would not longer be in the MFT family. That‘s because i like taking pictures of dogs in Motion. So i leaved MFT and went to Nikon. But now i‘m back. The Olympus OM-D EM1 III is such a great camera. I like the fast phase detect autofocus, the ND filter and the HighRes handhold function. This alltogether makes the olympus a swiss knife. So helpfull for so much dfferent situations :-)
The Panasonics have a very effective C-AF system, the G9 in particular. But for animals in motion, the Olympus's PDAF has the edge, there's no question. I think the Mark III will do very well for Olympus.
Thank you for the effort and the sharing. I hope you and yours are well during this COVID madness. Here in the northeast of the US, the situation is getting better but is just a notch below dire. I appreciate you putting together this review under exacting circumstances. I am an appreciative subscriber. Stay well.
Thanks - it is all a bit dire still but we can only hope for the best. Hope you're keeping well.
The camel did my day, it reminded me of Monty Python. Great review!
😄
The video of the flowers is very impressive! Amazing that you can get those results handheld 👍
Great humor, the six straws broke the camel's back. More seriously, it is hard to get excited about a new camera when almost all of the M4/3 cameras from the past couple of years are so good. Sure, phase detect auto-focus is nice, but in my view how much is an incremental upgrade worth? Under the current circumstances, not that much. Thanks David - your reviews always brighten my otherwise dour mood.
Glad to raise a laugh, thanks! You raise an interesting point, the Micro Four Thirds cameras are now mature and overall very capable. The E-M1 Mark III is about as good as it gets right now but its predecessor was excellent too. In the absence of a new sensor with a 1 or 2 stop noise advantage I can't see what important aspect actually needs improving now. Ditto the G9. The Olympus's C-AF focusing is better but that doesn't imply that the G9's is in any way bad.
After over 4 years with the E-M5 Mark ll, I was looking to move on. After a great deal of research, I decided to stay with Olympus, (in the end, I just had too much good Oly glass to jump ship), and ordered a E-M1 Mark lll. I have had it for almost 2 weeks now and I am deeply impressed with it. I've got a lot to learn about it, but I already know that I absolutely will not ever regret the decision. I am very eager to try the Starry AF here in the Big Sky Country this summer. All I've got to do now is start saving up for the 300mm-F4 for a trip to Glacier Park this fall.
Sounds a fantastic trip for photos - hope circumstances allow it. The Mark III came at exactly the right time for you, then. I agree 100% - you will not regret buying it. Nothing better.
As someone who has been shooting on a simple E-PL6 for a long while, this particular model seems like an attractive upgrade. While the future of Olympus might turn out to be different from what I had originally expected, I do hope the price of the Mark III will drop in a few years instead of rise due to the prospective rarity of its brand name.
A wonderfully comprehensive insight, thank you for putting out your great work here!
... the horse went on a voluntary isolation... 😂😂😂
As always, it's such a delight watching your videos.
Thank you!
Thanks mr. Thorpe for yet another superb, factual, honest, no-nonsense overview. A wonderful start of the week. And thanks for a good laugh for the poor horse in isolation.
Thanks! Glad you liked it! I hope the horse will shortly be able to go for a munch around the filed with his mates 🙂
This camera is a beast!! Thanks for the nice review Mr. Thorpe.
Thanks, Bruno!
Simply a great camera review!
Glad you liked it, Shaka.
An honest review at it's best. Yes, i agree the flash should be bundled too :) Hope you can shoot more soon!
Thanks! More shooting, yes, me too.
maybe I'm just exhausted from working 64 hours a week for past 2 months but I spit my drink out and laughed so hard I cried when you "broke the camels back" Ohhhhhhh how I needed that laugh, thank you.... and nice review BTW
I love to hear that, Caleb! Thanks so much for telling me. Made my day.
Thanks for another great review. Because of you and some other stout 4/3 supporters I jumped into the fray with a passion 2 years ago in buying a G9 and some nice P/L lenses. Now my wife has one as well but she went with an Oly 12-100 as she prefers the all in one lens concept. I love this gear because of it’s light weight, great IQ and it is excellent gear for travel photography. I have found the G9 and P/L lenses do everything I need except BIF because the G9 lacks phase detect. I thought about the Oly MkIII and a 300mm but decided to go with a D500 and a lightweight Tamron 100-400mm which provides me with some excellent BIF images and only weighs 69.2 ounces for the combo. At 75 I’m probably done with my new gear purchases but I must say those who haven’t tried 4/3 are missing a treat. I sold most of my Nikon FX gear and probably will part with the rest of it soon. Once Covid 19 eases up we hope to be back taking photos with our 4/3 kit. I even now have a new Billingham to carry it in. What next, a Brompton? Stay safe!
THIS!
Great comment, Gary and thanks for it. And lets hope you are back out with the birds again soon!
As usual a great revue !
After a revue like this, you know, that you now know, all the things that are useful to know.
Job done.
Thanks, Gary!
Good to see another of your reviews David, hope we can all take lots of pics soon, stay safe, Rich.
Cheers, Richard!
Dear mister Thorpe,
Up until this video I hadn't fully grasped the width of your genius. The 6 grams that broke the camel's back did.
Thanks.
Thanks, Magnus. I just wish the camel felt the same way :-)
@@DavidThorpeMFT 😅
Thank you David. You have a poet in you which makes your videos unique. Waiting to see a 'Video' review of this camera. Take care.
Kind words, thanks Mohammed.
@@DavidThorpeMFT You're most welcome.
Finally! was waiting for this one. Excellent and to the point as always.
Thanks, Adam.
I don't own a micro 4/3ds system and probably never will. But, I've been a subscriber for a few years now because, I just love your analysis, wealth of experience/knowledge and presentation.
That's very pleasing to hear - very flattering too. I can only say thanks!
Cheers David!
This is one hell of a camera. Tempted...
Always carry my GM1, at least in these still cold days when I carry a jacket with a pocket.
Big size difference but yes, it is a tempting camera, that's for sure!
I always look forward to hearing your thoughts on m43, and again you didn’t disappoint. In particular, when comparing the Olympus e-m1 iii to the overhyped Canon eos R5. Why isn’t Olympus and Panasonic ruling the photography universe? The technology that Canon is hyping has been around for a decade on m43 cameras.
You know that and I know that and so do other Micro Four Thirds users. In general, photographs who have chosen Micro Four Thirds have come to the system because they are looking for something to suit specific needs or requirements and they have looked at other systems and made an informed choice. For the majority though, such is the marketing power of Canon and Nikon that they look no further. That's my theory, anyway, backed up by the number of people who have come to Micro Four Thirds from Canon/Nikon FF and wonder why they didn't do it sooner.
David Thorpe, Obviously my amateur opinion is a little simplistic. I’ve owned my original e-m1 for seven or eight years and my shutter died last fall. I decided I would have it repaired and sent it to Olympus. In the mean time I decided I would get the eos R. Not knowing what I was getting I was disappointed with no ibs and while the lens has stabilization I couldn’t achieve nearly the handheld results of my Oly in some situations. Most of my photos I post to Photos, fb, Instagram and Flickr so doubling my pixel count and sensor size really didn’t matter. Taking photos in burst mode really was a disappointment going from 10fps to maybe 5. Anyway a very expensive lesson learned. After about two months I got my old friend back and the eos R found a comfortable spot on the shelf. On accession I pull it down, but mostly it sits there. My wife is thinking of putting online videos together for her business perhaps she’ll use it?
@@kent2000100 If I were you, Kent, I'd give my wife the Canon in case she wanted my Olympus :-) There's nothing simplistic about amateur opinions, it's your experience and as valid as anyone else's. In point of fact, amateur opinions are probably more important in that they are the people who bring in the money for the camera companies. The professionals are a small fraction of the market. I do wish we could get rid of this pejorative meaning to amateur, it really ought only to mean people who take pictures because they want to, rather than for money. I have one amateur frined who is a damn sight better a photographer than most of the pros that i know. I include myself in that. He doesn't have my technical expertise and experience but he has a lot more imagination.
A superb review as always.
Glad you enjoyed it, Paul!
I wish you could have made a video on the OM-1.
For sure!!
Ooooohhhh ,,,how I have been anticipating this video for a couple of months now,,,,,I couldn't wait to hear what you had to say about this camera. I'm glad to hear that it's just as good as the hype has been suggesting,,(If you can call any discussion about M4/3 hype these days). I have yet to even see one. Our local Olympus dealer has nothing newer than an EM-5 II on the shelf. Even though I lean toward Panasonic, I have to say I have not been so smitten by an Olympus since I discovered the digital Pen F. I plan be traveling to Colorado and Arizona in the next while...providing some of the restrictions and precautions let up. Perhaps one of the larger cities there will have a better selection. Looking forward to more examples from you as the weeks move along. Stay well and keep making engaging videos..(still chuckling over the Pythonesque camel scenes----"is that an unladen camel?")
Thanks, Clint. I've always liked Panasonic's camera bodies just a bit better but I can't find a fault with the E-M1 Mark III, it seems to have been really thought through. Being able to build your own menu is great but to be able to so easily add an subtract, move things about and even choose the page they go shows a real photographers outlook. Panasonic's My Menu is good but much more clunky. It's those little things with the Olympus. And the joystick will move diagonally. Again not a big deal but one more thing that makes the camera so user friendly.
Thanks David for the review. Great to know you're safe in these horrible times.
While this camera makes sense in its upgrade over the Mark II, I still find that micro four thirds are not offering the upgrades that I was looking for.
I asked Joe Edelman, the Olympus ambassador, what he wants in future Olympus cameras. and his response was that he wants to see more AI improvements.
But for me personally, what I want to see the next G9x is a 24 BSI sensor that achieves better scores for higher ISO's and DR. If either Olympus or Panasonic adds that upgrade, that would be a landslide improvement.
I'd like to hear your thoughts .....
Sony would have to be willing to sell the 24 Mp BSI devices to Olympus for a reasonable price. Olympus says that this will NOT happen in the near future.
@@michaels3003 can I see where you read this piece of information?
Hi Matt - thanks! I was surprised, using the Panasonic S1, how little the IQ was improved over my Micro Four Thirds bodies taking into account the extra weight, bulk and cost. If that level of IQ could be attained in Micro Four Thirds, that would be all I'd want. It doesn't seem an impossible ask as a next development. A stop would be great, actually. AI, why not? But phone camera users and Micro Four Thirds users are very different creatures and I don't think AI will bring them over. With a 1 or 2 stop noise/DR improvement they would attract APS-C/FF users, I think. DR is less important to me in that nothing I view on has the DR range of my present gear so all it does is give me more exposure leeway.
Thanks for this much appreciated review David , now how much would i miss 60fps 4k for that great auto focus , well its an awesome camera . but i am happy enough with the recent upgrades on the gh5/g9 focus . but you, being more stills orientated , i totally would understand in going for the mk 3 , as the Olympus has more variety of photo ability for sure . mega review , thank you very much and great to see you well on the bike too .
Thanks for that! The G9 focus with the firmware upgrade is very impressive now. I can't help thinking that if Panasonic applied their know how and R&D to a PD or hybrid system, it would be second to none, including Sony.
@@DavidThorpeMFT VERY TRUE , THANKS DAVID .
I think this camera it has everything I need: perfect size, lightweight (that +6g can kill a camel tho), great design, sturdy and sealed body, new and great C-AF system, nipple, usb-c charge and a few features I find useful (handheld high res shot, stars af, pro capture, live nd filter...). I don't mind the sensor or the evf, they are ok and I'm fine with that, you can take beautiful shots and enjoy photography carrying with you this beast. Ty for your review David, best wishes and take care.
Thanks, Ricardo. The standard of this camera is such that I think it will be a long term buy for many photographers.
Lmao the camel part earned a sub. Great review!
Oh David our prometheus what fire of knowledge do you bring to us mortals today
Hi Kyle - oh, the usual, the wisdom of the universe, that sort of thing :-)
That camel part > . <
I love it!
😄
Good morning David! Do you consider the em-1 iii to be your current favorite camera, supplanting the Lumix G9? Specifically for Photographing Birds and wildlife, which one would you choose?
I really am taken with the E-M1 Mark III. The G9 has good C-AF, especially with the last firmware upgrade but there's no question that the PDAF of the Olympus is that much better. Less hesitation. If C-AF is not so important, there are many reasons to prefer the G9. swings and roundabouts, really.
Wow, never thought I could enjoy a review on RUclips that had no video but all stills, well done and thank you, not least because I ordered the MIII today and can’t wait for delivery! By the way, beautiful narrator’s voice 🙂
What can I say but thank you, Rhidian? So, thank you. You'll love the camera.
How do you like it so far?
@@MorkusReX Turns out I hated it! In fact I hated it so much I lost about £1k selling it with lenses and happy to see the back of it. Great build quality but that bloody menu system drove me around the bend, can't remember how many times I got to a location to do a shoot only to find that I'd set it up earlier to do something different and couldn't intuitively work out how to change settings. Also, image quality was pretty poor I thought, I know many will disagree but when I work on my MK5iv RAW images it's just in another class. Sorry, I really wanted to love it but in the end I haven't regretted letting it go for one second.
@@riddles1137 Thanks! I actually bought it and I like it so far. I got around the menus by creating my own menus in "My Menu" + setting custom modes so I don't need to fiddle around with it.
Image quality so far is good, but obviously I don't compare it to a full frame camera , but the size is also not comparable.
Thanks again!
Excellent as usual!!!
Thanks you, Brain!
Well done David! Always look forward to your videos.
Thanks, Marl!
Great review, and fully concur, spot on -- after years with E-PL2 and E-PL5 for backpacking and street work, then E-M5 mkII with a Photodiox grip for nature and landscape photography (mythosphere.com), I'd moved to an E-M1 mkII for the improved focus speed with phase detection for legacy 4/3 glass, and then the E-M1 mkIII came out...a masterpiece. And yes, every critique you made is accurate...and as you say, the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. The problem from Olympus' perspective is I can't see any need to upgrade again for a very long time.
The upgrade, yes there's always that. I think a Mark IIII would have to have some big selling point, a 40Mp sensor or something. Not that that is necessary or a great draw for most of us. I can't really think of anything on the E-M1 Mark III that is ripe for improvement.
I love your voice..and the way you do your video's...keep it up please...right to the point...and very informative .....
I'm always a bit concerned about my videos - so thanks for that!
I love the EVF in my "X", and the MKii, I use the EVF "for composing" as it should be, I'm not looking for 4k quality in an EVF, its for info only.
And BTW, no camels were harmed in the making of this video!
Yes, I use the EVF for framing mainly but there's no question the Panasonic G9 has a better eVF, brighter and bigger. You'd have to use the cameras side by side to notice though since once yo get used to a finder, even a bright line optical one, you just use it without thinking if its any good or not. You are quite right about the camel. Far from harming it, I now keep it as a pet in my home. Not recommended, far too big and troublesome.
Hi great vid, I recently swapped my Nikon gear for a MK 3 - Best thing I ever did, its light enough to carry everywhere, the ibis is awesome.
You made a great choice - Olympus have always been good at keeping their camera sizes down without losing usability. The E-Ms all feel big while being small!
@@DavidThorpeMFT if only we could market that for other things
Wow! Using both mkII and mkIII I would absolutely agree with your point of view in this review. Too bad some reviewers of photography equipment are not an actually using cameras which they simply “review” or even worse they are not photographers at all :( Your phrase about mkIII been more than just sum its parts is brilliant! Personally, even some exotic and unique features like Star AF or handheld Hi-Res which may look like gimmicks from first glance, after you will get in situation when you need it and use it would make you wonder - why nobody else does it? Even Live ND, which I considers more like Art Effect comes handy in particular situations. And It’s little brother EM5mkIII is absolutely brilliant camera too.
It's the actual using of the E-M1 Mark III that makes you realise how accomplished it is. The spec doesn't tell the story. The E-M5 Mark III is remarkably close to the E-M1 Mark III in overall performance, too.
I just love the wry remarks you make throughout your videos :)
Agree on silent mode mock shutter sound option.
David, another great review; very enjoyable!. I have been pondering the Panasonic G9 (with latest firmware) versus the Olympus EM-MIII. I presently own an Olympus EM10 MIII and multiple Olympus lenses. One area that appeals to me on the G9 is that the Custom Buttons can be used for either picture settings or video settings. I have been told by others that the Custom Buttons on the EM1-MIII cannot be used to store video settings; they are reserved for picture settings only. Is this information correct based on your experience with both cameras? I'm sure this must be something Olympus could incorporate in another future firmware update. Thanks again.
Thanks, George. It is correct that the Custom modes on the E-M1 Mark III don't function with Movie mode but you can reconfigure all the buttons for Movie mode if you wish so that when you switch to it, the buttons, levers etc are set up for it.
@@DavidThorpeMFT Thanks David; I'm wrestling with the issue as to how much a camera's video capabilities should drive my decision to purchase or not. It is easy to get caught up in the technologies and what you "could do" with a future camera as oppose to what you likely "will do"! Clearly an Olympus camera can handle all the video I will likely do and it clearly is an excellent camera for photos. All of this is the reason we all enjoy photography, the unique combination of technology and art. Thanks again for your insightful comments.
Thank you, David, I needed that
:-)
Thanks for the review!
Can you please compare the autofocus for stills of E-M1 m3 vs G9 in two words?
No hunting!
@@DavidThorpeMFT does it matter for stills?
Great review. This feels like the thin edge of the wedge. Finally mobile phone tech is going to infiltrate cameras (and the camera menu systems please!). Love panasonics colour science but this is pushing things further on. we want all of the great software tweaks and have all of the lens variety....best of both worlds. Anything that makes cameras more fun must be good. After putting up with a brick of a 7d, when I got a gx8 I realised that the best way to get better pictures was to have a camera that made you want to take more of them. The other side of this equation is that getting things printed is now incredibly cheap. For the first time in my life ive had 1m by 1m prints made on images with a g9. Thankyou for being a great coach on this journey.
Thanks Simon! Glad I've been helpful. Phone camera technology is moving so fast that camera makers need to keep up. Some is useful, some less so but you don't have to use it and if it gets more people buying cameras it can only be good for all of us.
Great review David, I take your point around the menu system, though as you pointed out the my menu negates some of that. The addition of a fourth custom point is useful and I tend to use the custom selections to set up my camera as if it's 3 different cameras as you can fine tune so much on each point. I'm not convinced about the joystick, there are modicum of improvements, and they are improvements not gimmicks which is typical Olympus, great. I remain though to be convinced that there are enough improvements to draw me away from my MKII, though I will buy one when I want to add another body to my collection. What I am convinced about is that these cameras are there for those who know, who look for quality not gimmicks, value for money and not a badge (people who buy a car for it's 3 pointed star, rather than knowing about cars) and who are happy that they know what they have in their hands will deliver because it's the best most complete package out there and didn't get there because of saturated marketing, but on it's own merits chosen by those who are comfortable, no - choose to be, led by their own decision making and able to see through the hype and pomp of other brands.
I agree, Martyn, a camera for someone who has thought through and knows their requirements. That true of Micro Four Thirds in general really. I approach cameras as if each one is complete in itself rather than an update to a previous one and then make a comparison later. For anyone who has a Mark II, they'd need to look at the differences and see if there was anything they found compelling. There's no one thing about the Mark III that would justify an upgrade and for most Mark II owners there would be no pressing need to do so.
Thanks David
You are very welcome!
Those slow motion incredibly stable beautiful dolly style shots at the start etc what is used for this in filming this review? Very nice. As is the camera!!
Thanks, Robert! I am using an Edelkrone JobOne with one of their HeadOne panning devices. It's so hard to get variety into product shots so it's nice to know it is noticed!
is it worth going from the E MI mki straight to the mkiii, or is the mkii a good buy?
My 2 cents... was a Panasonic guy ,,but wanted the "party tricks" the Olympus had--AND the AF capability more than anything. I bought a very nice used MkII..and love it. The G9 stays home on the studio tripod--the Olympus goes to the field with me. Making the jump from a MKI to a MKII or III will come down to the questions of either price or the increased capabilities. In my area,, MKIIs run $500-600 used (nice condition with all the goodies.. MKIIIs are $800-1200. If price doesn't scare you off.. go for the III.
@@clintjohnson2460 Got the MK II with 3 batteries and two chargers for £500, 7000 shutter count and it seems a lot quicker to do things than the MK I.
@@zarrow50 I would rate this as a seriously brilliant acquisition... Well bought!! As your system grows.. one thing you might consider is using Olympus legacy 4/3rds glass. Same size sensor so there's no sensor size problems.. you will need a 4/3 to micro four thirds adapter.. I recommend the Olympus branded ones although the Movo brand worked really well for me before I bought an Olympus. Absolutely superb lenses at a fraction of current price and you still get autofocus and exif data. Enjoy the new camera!
@@clintjohnson2460 I have some Four Thirds lenses- 12 -60, 14 - 54, 11 -22 and 40, 150 which is the f3.5 version and have the cheapest Olympus adapter.
@@zarrow50 Nice! You may be well set then. I bought an 80-200 2.8 when I still only had Panasonic cameras..and the AF was useless... it was my inspiration to get the EM1 mkII. Since then, I managed to get the 12-60.. which I think is fantastic. Over Christmas I was trolling eBay and someone put out the 50 f2 Marco and the 8mm with a MMF-3. .. On a Buy it Now for $300 US.. since most of the Olympus adapters were selling for close to $200 I indulged myself... And those 2 lenses replace 2 of my favorite focal lengths from my Nikon film days... Good shooting.. you are going to enjoy that so much!
Fantastic review for a amazing camera. I've owned my Em1 Mark III for less than a month and it's easily one of the best all around cameras I have ever used. Like you stated, autofocus was never a strong suit for M43 cameras but the Em1 III is an absolute beast with AF. The face/eye AF is so fast and quick to pick up on, it's amazing. The features this camera has is astonishing and so fun to use. Olympus did a wonderful job!👍
They did do a good job, I agree. Lots of thought put into the camera even on some small details like setting what page of your personal menu an item goes on when you select it. Small thing but smooths a path.
Hey Dave thanks for the review! Just wondering what focus mode used while you weaved on your bike? Thanks again and great vid as always!
Thanks, Kim. I used C-AF with 10fps sequence L and the 'All' Grid. My wife, who is not a photographer kept the camera pointed ahead, not moving it as I weaved, so the camera decided where it should focus. It takes a dozen frames, a second or so, focusing on the background before it sees that I am the subject at which point it holds focus on every frame after that. When I get really close, there's only limited depth of field (I shot at f/4) but the shots are all in focus. I wouldn't, using it myself, ask the camera to make all the decisions and with the focusing area narrowed down to the 5x5 grid or smaller, subject selection take a couple of frames only. It's very impressive.
David Thorpe alright thanks Dave glad to see another vid of yours!
Hi David, thanks for the review; can I probe for your thoughts on my dilemma? I've got a bunch of legacy 4/3 glass (and the MMF3 adapter) and I'm looking at either the EM1 Mk II or Mk III to continue using them; these days I'm an occasional landscape and (minor) wildlife photographer. The Mk II is highly discounted now and for the price difference for the MkIII I could get an additional nice lens. Given my situation and based on your experience with both models, would you have a strong recommendation to got with the Mk III?
Hi FlyingRock,
I‘m using my old 50-200 f2.8 FT and sometimes in Low Light my 14-54 f 2.8 FT with the original olympus adapter. I would recommend not to use a cheap other adapter to mFT, but with the Olympus-Adapter it works fine. It is louder when focusing, and a few function cannot be used, f.e. Focus staking inside the camera. I use as well since 3 years the OMD1MII and I love it. Meanwhile I purchased a 12-100 f4 pro and this lence is the one I use almost always, it is perfect, check some tests here... I will not upgrade to MIII because the MII is just great and I not really miss the few new things...
Hope this helps. Regards from Germany, Volker
@@volkerwehres5917 that was super helpful Volker, thank you so much for the feedback! all the best!
No, I'd be inclined to a Mark II and the new lens. IQ wise no difference in the cameras and for what you do (unless the wildlife is _very_ fast flying/ _very_ fast running) no massive advantage in the Mark III.
For wildlife photography, regarding C-AF performance, is there a big difference between the Mark III and the Mark II (with the latest firmware)?
Thank you!
No, not a huge difference. It would be very difficult to really know because every fast moving subject is a bit different, the background a bit different. My hunch is that if you could repeat the same target, movement and background every time, you'd find little if any real world difference.
My G9 still rocking but I can't wait to see a new Panasonic 4/3 camera with phase detection auto focus system 😍
I wonder if we will?
It won't...their lenses are incompatible with phase detect.
Matt Brum tony Northrop said the same about Olympus lenses, yet here we are.
Always enjoy your videos! Hope you can get out to shoot before you go crazy.
Glad you like them. According to those around me I'm already crazy, actually :-)
A bit late but as I’ve just bought one and thought I’d try some different reviews from Rob Trek who is the Guru on Olympus cameras, good delivery and a nice guy! I know as I contacted him several times on particular issues and he never fails. I like your steady approach and how you get those wooden dummies to play with a ball is black magic, perhaps the blue ones, Arsenal fan I reckon! are cleverer than the plain wooden ones! Cheers DG U.K.
As usual, the best reviewer of MFT on YT. If the E-M1 mkiii was the same price as the G9, I wonder which would be the winner..? Panasonic's persistence with DFD contrast AF is now verging on perverse. One can only speculate that Olympus have an exclusivity deal with Sony for this sensor, and/or Panasonic's choice of sensor and AF is connected to their stake in TowerJazz sensor manufacturing (which hasn't used phase detect AF in it's sensors to date)?
Thanks, Andrew! The two flagship cameras are different enough to offer a good choice. I think the focusing of the Olympus would be a big factor for many but that shouldn't be the only thing. The Panasonic's focusing is no slouch ad the EVF is definitely better. The sizes are different too. All in all, there's plenty to differentiate the cameras but given the G9 is currently not a lot more than half the price of the Olympus, that must influence people.
@@DavidThorpeMFT I've had the G9 since launch (and paid the full price too...sigh!) and think its a great camera, astounding for the current price. The AF hasn't been a problem, even for sports, although the DFD jitter takes a bit of getting used to. But it certainly wouldn't harm it if it did have phase detect AF for that certainty it brings to continuous AF.
You did not mention the livecomp mode, unique to Olympus, and « irremplaçable » for stars trails, fireworks, storm lightnings photography, light painting....
I think it's because they're fundamentally the same as the Mark II
That's right, Simoneister. It would be nice to mention everything in a - what would be a very long - video but equally it's nice to have a few viewers still awake at the end of it🙂
E-M1ii and E-M1X both have USB-C plugs as well.
I'd forgotten the C plug on the Mark II, thanks William. The E-M1X hasn't come on to my radar since I have to buy the stuff for my reviews and the X is just too expensive for me. Given that the Mark II has USB C it makes it even more inexplicable that Panasonic went with the unwieldy cable they did.
@@DavidThorpeMFT IIRC Olympus didn't really make a big fuss about the USB-C port on the E-M1ii and neither does it support charging over USB so it's completely understandable. The choice of the connector type on the G9 is definitely...odd, seems almost like the worst of both worlds. Probably still better than when Olympus was using their own proprietary variant of mini-USB though. Thanks for all the work, your reviews are consistently excellent!
Excellent Review as always. I am seriously thinking about buying this camera. I need a second camera for video, but with good AF, to complement my GH5. And I need a camera for birding and wildlife fotografy. The doubt is in relation to the price! Here in Germany: G9 900 Euros; em1 ii 900 euros and em1 iii 1800 euros. A tremendous difference in price. greetings from the Black Forest
At about 1400 EUR this should be much more appealing. At 1800 it is imo overpriced.
Your point is completely valid. The E-M1 Mark III is superb but at double the price of the G9 it is by comparison not good value. I'd imagine the price will come down quite quickly, especially given present trading conditions.
Agreed.
David Thorpe I’m hopping that the price drops. 1500 Euros would be acceptable.
@@TITAOSTEIN That seems a likely price, maybe 3 or 4 months time.
Why have I not found your channel until today .......
Bara, the best things come to those who wait....🙂
Very informative, David. Thank you so much!
Glad you found it so - thanks!
I've got to tell you that I have been a happy Lumix G9 owner for some time now, however with the new Fuji XT4 I've been thinking of jumping ship. Wonder how much cleaner cropped images I could expect going from 4/3 to APS-C
There's less difference than you might think, Ken. Naturally, bigger will always be better, especially if you crop images a lot. But I have to say that even with the FF Panasonic S1, I was disappointed at how little extra IQ all that bulk and expense provided.
great review, how do you turn on the "viewing information screen" I cannot find how to turn it on. Thanks!
He pressed a button at 4:02 time marker of this video...
In Custom Menu I.EVF you'll see EVF Auto Switch. Set that to On2. Now when you take your eye from the EVF you'll see the SCP. Press the Info button to toggle between SCP and Info Screen.
Will Olympus ever up grade the magnificent pen-f?
The idea of built in ND filter is genies but not always practical.
G9 and xt3 beat em1 markiii in video
But i don't shoot much video
So out with the extra stuff in my life to make room for the em1 mark iii
I need to disagree about the video assertions. The G9 still pulses in C-AF. Since it's latest firmware update, the Fuji XT3 C-AF is TOTALLY unreliable. I read/watched YT vids proclaiming the C-AF in the OMD E-M1 mk2 to be MUCH better since it's last firmware update.
It does not have a built-in ND filter (I see this misconception poping up more and more on YT). At least some professional-grade camcorders do.
Olympus last year stated that, sadly, they will not be upgrading the Pen F.
Michael S the em1 mkiii has a software mode that mimics what an ND filter does. It does this by taking multiple shots. It is not a true built in ND filter but it gives the same effect.
@@smalltalk.productions9977
I noticed that also on my x-t3 lousing focus filming runners in continues autofocus i thought it was just me.
👍 Thanks - time to upgrade my trusty
em1 mark1 😃
Hi Lats - yes, it might well be. I'm not normally big on upgrading but from 1 to 3 is a difference you'll notice.
Same here. And what better is - my wife wants to learn how to photograph with something better than an iPhone, so instead of buying a em10'er mk3 for her, she 'inherits' my old em1 mk1.
@@majamogens A win - win for sure.
that being said, if you don't need super-fast burst rates and or better battery life, what separates it from the OMD5 MK3? it is $500 cheaper which might entice some, but then again besides weight, also the G9 at $999 is at about the same price, creating a difficult scenario to pick from, thoughts? giving up dual OIS with Panasonic lenses, in favor of the build-in OIS of Olympus, and better 4K video of the G9 for better auto focus (all day for me, as don't shot video professionally)....
Better autofocus - for some that may be enough for wildlife
I can share some of my opinions: I bought the Em5 Mark III back in March and returned it for the Em1 Mark III. The Em5 III is a fantastic camera but the Em1 III is much better camera (at least for me). The Autofocus, especially face/eye AF, is faster and locks onto a subject's eye much quicker AND more accurately. The stabilization feels more solid than the Em5 III and it's much easier to handle my Panasonic 100-400mm especially on the long end. Add in the handheld high res (which works very well), built in ND filter, starry sky AF, 7 stops of IBIS, a longer battery life, and you have yourself a heck of a camera. Not to mention the fantastic grip and handling that the Em1 provides over the Em5. Either way you go, these are both well made cameras!
Good thoughts from the other responders here. The E-M1 Mark III is better than the E-M5 Mark III if you will use its top line features. If you are involved with normal day to day photography not at the outer limits of modern camera performance, there's no difference between the two other than a saving of money, size and weight. I'm a big admirer of the G9 but the big size difference between that and the E-M5 Mark III would probably be the main reason for choosing one over the other.
One small correction EM1 II also came with Type C but now with PD vs EM1 III
Thanks for the info, Tomer. Noted!
Well, David, I think I now know what the next two adds to my M43 system will be. This camera and the Oly 12-40 f/2.8. My wallet thanks you!
Haha! Seriously, the E-M1 Mark #/ 12-40 Pro combo isn't cheap initially but quality gear pays off in the long run and can be argued to be cheaper....honest!
Hello David. How do you compare this with your G9? Will you be selling the and keeping the Oly? Can you (or your subscribers) offer some advice? I'm looking at buying a camera system (havent chosen yet (still saving)). I think that the M43 system could suit my needs. My interests are cityscapes/architectural details and street photography, especially at dusk & dawn. Could you recommend lenses as there seems to be no end of very well reviewed lenses available? I think I am looking for a wide angle lens, a walk around lens and then perhaps a telephoto for detail. I have no preference for zooms or primes and would prefer to buy very good/great lenses now, rather than spend more on a camera body. Thanks and stay safe
Hi Lee. I'll be keeping both cameras for the time being at least. I love them both but daft little things like the C type USB connection and the SCP keep me picking up the Olympus.
Lenses, the 8-18mm Panasonic is a very useful lens, a 12-40 for standard and 40-150 f/2.8 for tele. So many possibilities. For lightness, the 8-18, 24mm f/1.4 Panasonic an Panasonic 35-100 f/2.8 cover most needs. The G9 is absurdly cheap at the time of writing, a real bargain.
@@DavidThorpeMFT Thank you so much for taking the time to reply David. It's always such a pleasure to watch your reviews.
Going to wait for the prices to drop or my finances to improve before I get my Mark iii but I will be getting one.
Probably not that long to wait for price drops. The Panasonic G9 is very comparable to the E-M1 Mark III and sells for hundreds less. Photographers who really, really want one will have bought by now and for those less motivated, they will compare those prices. Mind you, my predictions are about as good as my guitar playing 😮
If you choose the slo-mo (fhd 120 fps), the autofocus works? Thanks!
Hi Alin - S-AF only for and it is locked to the first spot focused on when you press the release. .
"Since the horse went into isolation." 😂
I think, he said "...voluntary isolation." Smart horse. :-)
😄
7:42 Wow, as a Panasonic user, that stabilization is great, and it kept focus, too.
It si superb. Mind you, the G9 comes pretty close.
my GH5 has a usb-c port but sadly it cannot power or charge the camera. I hope simultaneous power delivery and raw data transfer becomes the industry standard for mirrorless cams
Yes, that would be a good standard to impose across the board.
What would say is the best group of lenses for landscape photography with this body?
Get a single lens to rule them all... The Olympus 12-100mm F4 IS Pro has an incredibly versatile range while still being able to maintain excellent image quality. If you require a lens that is good in low light, pair the 12-100 with a fast prime for night/astro photography and you should be set for almost any landscape scene.
If a tripod is used and care taken, any lens will do good landscapes. Stop down to f/4 or 5.6 and ISO200 and quality will be best. Most people find the 12-40mm range most useful, some prefer a bit wider. By and large you'll get best results from lenses that don't feature very wide apertures. Today, though, the native Micro Four Thirds lenses are so good that you could use almost any of them. To cover most any landscape, you could go the 12-100mm route mentioned by Jay19876 with maybe a 8-18mm Panasonic for wider stuff. The reason I mention the Panasonic is that it can take filters where the other wide zooms can't.
Ouch! I had thought I could sit tight on my Mark II.
I don't think there's much you could do with a mark III that you couldn't with a Mark II, Joel. I'm always approaching each camera as if no other existed but as a rule of thumb I think you need to wait for every other upgrade, II to IIII, for example to get value for the money paid out.
David have you compared hi res shots with normal ones. i find the former to be slightly less sharp, and cannot see the increased detail on an iMac.
Yes, I have compared them. The hand held hi res is a compromise and does not show more detail (in my hands, anyway). The tripod hi res, if I enlarge an object on a standard res file to the same size as on the hi res file, there is definitely more detail and to a worthwhile degree. I find that the better the lens the better the hi res result. Because I don't make big prints, the hi res had little practical use for me in stills but I love it for my videos because that lovely big pixel count gives enormous scope for the 'Ken Burns' effect, zooming and panning a still image.
David Thorpe i must keep experimenting, i guess. I am using a EM1/2 with 12-40 PRO, on a tripod and havent had the expected increase in detail.
i also only print to 30 x 40 cm, so the normal RAW file is perfect. during the crazy time currently proceeding, I'm playing with features i haven't used before. currently trying inbody focus stacking, again not yet achieving the expected results.
@@antonydavid2953 In my experience (on an e-m5 II though) the high res shots have a lot more detail, but you do need to crank up sharpening a lot more for the RAWs or they will look quite soft. In Lightroom something like 120 rather than 40.
That's because I mac have garbage color science and reproduction buy another monitor like all video editors do.
@@antonydavid2953 Pretty good results are obtainable in camera, though I do find it needs a lot of trail and error. Photoshop makes a pretty good job f stacking, too but if you (or I) were heavily into it, I suppose some specialised software might be best.
Nice. I was half ready to get a G9 to upgrade from the original Em1. Hope its firmware can distinguish animals too since birding is a stress test w AF.
USB C is more durable than microusb and better in every way. I wonder if it allows an external battery to charge.
It doesn't have the animal recognition AI but with a little direction the focusing should pick up what you want. It will charge from an external battery but powering it needs something stronger than a power bank's 5 volts.
Love the camera after two months of usage. One big problem, however: the new Photoshop Elements 2020 does NOT support RAW. It appears that PE2020 is using version 12.0 of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) rather than 12.2... Spoke with their tech support and they have nothing to say...
B Galouskin they want you to subscribe to pay monthly. Be careful as you won’t be able to access your catalogue and edits if you leave subscription.
That's a s*d. Can anyone help?
David I was watching a lot of reviews of the Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 pro the other day and thought what does Mr Thorpe have to say about it, as your opinion is held in high regard, only to notice that you haven't done a review of it. I know you usually do a review when a new bit of kit comes out.... but... maybe........... PLEASE DO A REVIEW OF THE 12-40MM 2.8 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE....... I'll buy you a drink. :)
I will do that, sir!
Great review. I actually enjoy your reviews, you hit the important stuff, leave out the usual several minutes of self-referential plugs, and aim them at people who have some idea what you're talking about. I usually avoid video reviews in favour of text where I can skip the rubbish and get right to the good bits. With your video revews, I don't have to. I have a Mark III, had a Mark II but agree entirely, the advances in the III make it really worthwhile. I use the handheld hires fairly often and love it, removes the last real objection to M43 for landscapes.
Thank you, Ross. I'm with you about video reviews. I prefer written reviews in general but I try to keep my videos to the point as far as possible. Nice to know it is noticed. Totally agree about the camera.
the Olympus LCD EVF is the only EVF capable of maintaining 120 fps at its full resolution in all conditions and all AF setting. No other EVF in the market can do this. I would rather have 120 fps over high resolution EVF any day. The one in the canon eos R is really bad with low refresh rate.
Yes, and Panasonics' G9 goes very fuzzy at high speed shooting settings, too.
Brilliant! Thanks David
😀