Olympus just announced the OM-D E-M10 Mark III – the successor to the E-M10 Mark II, however this time with 4K video recording. The compact, little Micro 4/3 mirrorless camera features the same 16.1 Megapixel 4/3 CMOS chip as its predecessor, however this time it gets an updated TruePic VIII processor and 121 AF points from the flagship E-M1 Mark II. Olympus are pitching their new camera as the “perfect travel companion” and now with the addition of 4K video combined with the already top notch Olympus in-camera image stabilization, which has been improved somewhat apparently, Micro Four Thirds shooters have another camera to choose from for their next holiday destination video.
Those familiar with the Olympus OM-D cameras, will notice the E-M10 Mark III is still keeping it “retro” with its rugged body design and button layout, however its operation remains intuitive, benefitting from many physical controls as well as a 3.0″ tilting touchscreen LCD and a 2.36m-dot electronic viewfinder with an improved 1.23x magnification.
Additionally, various other functions have been implemented to make shooting more fun, such as 15 Art Filters and a Clips Video Mode that lets you quickly make videos in camera if you need to publish quickly without going through post.
Of course, the new Olympus E-M10 Mark III is predominantly a stills camera and will be used as such by the majority of its owners; hence why the new 121 contrast AF points is a major plus, allowing you to focus almost anywhere on the screen. The continuous AF can track the movement of a subject; while Face Priority AF and Eye Detection AF are particularly useful for portrait shooting, which automatically provide sharp and correctly exposed faces.
Olympus E-M10 Mark III Features
- 16 Megapixels 4/3″ Live MOS Sensor
- Dual Quad-Core TruePic VIII Processor
- Micro Four Thirds Lens mount
- 4K (UHD 3840 x 2160) at 24/25/30p IPB at 102 Mbps
- 1080p up to 50/60 fps
- 4K Timelapse function
- 720p / 120fps Super-Slow motion
- 5-Axis In-body Image Stabilization
- 2.36m-Dot 1.23x Electronic Viewfinder
- 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 121-Point Contrast-Detect AF System
- Up to 8.6 fps Shooting and ISO 25,600
- Built-In Wi-Fi
- Silent Shutter Setting
- Price: $649 (B&H) / €649 / £630 + VAT
- Availability: Mid-September
B&H have a first look of the new E-M10 Mark III, which you can check out below:
The E-M10 III gets a speed upgrade as well, with 8.6 fps continuous shooting and a sensitivity range of up to ISO 25,600. An electronic shutter function is present in the Mark III for even faster shutter speeds and silent shooting. Of course, it being a camera targeting Instagram photographers, it also features built-in Wi-Fi combined with a QR Code function for even faster setup.
The camera has a tiltable touchscreen display similar to a smartphone and easy-to-use dial wheels and metal buttons, as well as easily visible icons, ideal to be creative on the go with little effort.
As a side note, in terms of video, the 102 Mbps LongGOP codec for 4K seems a bit thin (on paper, that is), and there is no mention of more video centric flat picture profiles, so don’t expect video quality miracles for $650.
You can find the Olympus E-M10 Mark III full specs here.
The new Olympus E-M10 Mark III is scheduled to start shipping sometime later this month for $649 USD.
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