This MIGHT Be As Close to a New Pen F as We're Gonna Get

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Chris Niccolls has been begging OM System for years to release a high end mirrorless camera with classic styling, has his wish been granted? Hang out in sunny California and nightmarishly cold Alberta as we look at the handling, performance, computational photography and video performance of this gorgeous new camera.

0:00 - Intro
2:03 - Design and handling
6:04 - Sample images
6:55 - Displays
7:52 - Filters
9:34 - Burst Shooting
10:37 - Stabilization
12:28 - Computational Photography
13:55 - Video Performance
18:35 - Should you buy it?

#om3 #microfourthirds #omsystem

[affirmingyourself]

I love the look of this thing and I'm SO delighted that the price is so high - it means I'll be able to control my impulse to buy and simply not get one. As cool as it looks - and to me it really does look great - as so many others have said, the pricing is a real obstacle. In a few years when used models are about it may become something within reach, but right now it seems like a sale inhibitor. Glad they've brought out a new model though - means that line isn't dead, at least.

[falxonPSN]

This camera looks gorgeous, and your sample gallery on this one is one of your best. Some of those black and white shots are amazing and that close-up portrait of Jordan looks great!

[MtShay]

It was so cool to run into Chris and Jordan from PetaPixel Team in Palo Alto (7:04). I didn’t know you were filming this camera either. Just pre-ordered one and thank you so much for taking a photo with me and my friends =)🎉🎉🎉

[Thunderontheroad]

When I bought my EPL-1 in 2010 it was expensive 15 years later it still works which cannot be said for other cameras I’ve owned. I’ve owned a lot of cameras since I got m43 all the major brands and yet keep coming back to m43. It’s a fun camera that you can use professionally that’s why I keep coming back.

[siskygod]

Just so you all know, the price in Japan today at launch, (body only) is 237, 600 yen, which converts to about US$1, 560.
So...if you have Olympus glass and an Olympus OM-D EM-5 mk2 which is all-but-dead (yes, that's definitely me!), this is looking like a very sweet modernization and upgrade, all in a gorgeous package.

If it's offered over there for US$2, 000, that must be with a kit lens, or it's just the "it's a brand spanking new camera 😁" price.
Give it time...

Cheers all,
Simon in Southern Japan

[danielx]

I am a Canon shooter but this is a really attractive set of specs and abilities. And it's a beautiful camera. I am really happy that this company produced this high level of a product. When they were spun off, I was afraid that Olympus would disappear.

[MrKkspeed]

This is what the OM-5 should've be frankly. If OM released the OM-5 as OM-10, selling it for $800, then wait a bit and release this as OM-5 with a $1500 price, they could've avoided all the criticism.

As of now, this camera is really cornered for a niche market. If I want a cheaper OM-1 II, I'd buy the OM-1 instead for $1100. If I want a vintage camera and I don't have a deep pocket, I'd pick a Fuji, or even the OM-5. This camera is basically for vintage M43 lovers with a deep pocket. That's not a big chunk of the market, is it?

To make matters worse, the OM-3 has same buffer size as OM-1, but has updated AF, Live GND, 14-bit hires, which means these functionalities do not require the addition buffer of OM-1 II. Basically OM is holding on to those features and not going to do a firmware update to OM-1 to protect OM-1 II sales.

[kylehaggard]

This thing is... more expensive than the Zf? What?

[RyanH]

At $1500 I would have preordered it. $2000 hurts for what you're getting. I'll have to see what sales come up this year.

[lionheart]

For around $300 USD less you can get a NEW Fujifilm X-T5 with better EVF, an AF Joy stick, two UHS-II card slots, bigger sensor and matches the retro look.

This seems like a tough sell at that price, maybe at around $1700 USD might be more competitive.

[yukonchris]

The OM-3 looks like a very nice camera. That said, after using the wonderful OM-D E-M1 Mk I for a decade or more, I have literally just updated my system to the OM-1 Mk I. I love buying previous generation cameras for the substantial savings while still getting 98% of the features. Very happy with the Olympus/OMDS system. Anyway, great review although comparing a v30 card to a v90 card is kind of crazy. The card speed is one thing but the camera's bus speed and throughput is another. I would imagine that a v60 card would pretty much match the throughput speed of the camera's circuitry making the extra potential of a v90 card superfluous and wasted for this application.

[Tropfl]

How many new camera products can we thank Chris and Jordan for now

[AchakBrooks]

Nice, your photos really popping more and more over time! 

Something about Olympuses images always pulls me back to m43. Straight out of camera I always liked that old Nikon (green tint?) + highlight handling that seems more natural(blownout) (ps: i understand everything can be changed/avoided in post)

Owning many Sony a7r series + Panasonic bodies as well, I always feel the images feel plastic-y, odd roll off in gradients (which I can’t change in post). I stick with Sony a7IV now but every time I see a new Olympus I want to add one back.

Favourite combo was the om1 mark II + 12-100mm +17.5mm 1.8 + 75mm 1.8 + 300mm f4

[stevehageman]

Woke up this Am to find the Peta Pixel review of the OM-3 FIRST in my playlist. Now that's being important! 🙂

[carlyoshihara]

Bay Area is nice, huh. I bought the OM-2n SLR in 1977, there. I still use the lens on the LUMIX and Sony. I’m on Maui, if you want to take warm and fun pics! Love you guys!

[jamcloudberry]

Yeah even as an unashamed Olympus/OM fan I think it's priced too highly. There's so many other good cameras at the 2K pricepoint that people can look at. Hopefully it doesn't take too long for some sales to come.

[danthegeetarman]

First off, _thank you_ for putting the picture settings used for each picture. That’s a small detail that goes a _long_ way. You can tell a lot about a picture based on the settings used. Also there were a few pictures that had pretty high iso settings and were still very clear and sharp which is pretty impressive. My current Olympus cameras can’t use more than 800 ISO before they start getting very noticeable and weird colored noise. But overall this camera handles in low light with movement and how much ISO it allows before it start getting unusable noise is what I’m curious about

[robertmerrifield]

The consumer market for retro cars, motorcycles, watches, hi-fi, clothes, etc is huge compared to OM System's present market focus.

I can see a huge market for this from amateurs and enthusiasts who can't afford Leica and are looking for something different: Style, quality and a premium feel.

It's a premium product with a price to match, not a plastic fantastic.

And it may just make OM System more successful!

[JCBShortFilms]

I feel like OM priced this camera in such a way that those who are looking at it would compare it to the OM-1 II and almost feel obligated to spend a little bit more to get the better camera.

Kinda like how restaurants price a medium soda, getting you to spend more for the large.

Looks like a neat camera though! My mom had an Olympus E-520 when I was growing up, so that brand has some nostalgia attached!

[ManyDoors]

Beautiful camera!! $2k dollars is a steep price for something like this, but nothing is getting cheaper these days. Thank goodness they made most of this camera out of metal. You can tell Olympus was really trying to make something that will last! That’s pretty cool.