I picked up the OM-3 as I like to carry small and light cameras with me on my travels and as an everyday carry. The OM-3 is one of the best travel cameras available today. I’ll be honest, I’m also partial to a beautifully designed camera — and the OM-3 ticks all those boxes. But after a month of use, five things in particular really stand out to me. I’ve now published my full OM-3 review here.
1. Computational Features That Go Beyond Anything Else
The computational features this camera offers are beyond anything else out there. From Live View and Live Bulb through to Handheld Hi-Res, ND filter and ND Grad filter modes, there is very little this camera can’t shoot.
- I can shoot water with slow shutter speeds and get silky long exposure effects with the built-in ND filter.
- At the coast, I can shoot sunsets without adding physical ND filters thanks to the ND Grad feature.
- When I want more resolution and better tonality, I can use handheld hi-res to create 50MP files with noticeably better noise and color performance.
- For astro photographers, the Starry Sky AF mode is a game-changer for precise focusing on stars.
- And with Live Time and Live Bulb, I can literally watch my long exposures build on the screen in real time, knowing I’ve nailed the shot.
Pair that with OM System’s best-in-class in-body image stabilization, which lets me shoot handheld for a second or more, and the OM-3’s flexibility is incredible. It enables creative photography in a way few other cameras can — only the OM-1 Mark II really matches it and my old OM-1 comes close. I’ve put together a list of the best accessories for the OM System OM-3 to get the most out of the camera.
2. Weather Sealing I Trust Anywhere
From experience, I know Olympus and OM System cameras offer a level of weather sealing better than any other brand I’ve used.
Living in the tropics, a single day can bring dust, ocean spray, and monsoon rains. That makes weather sealing essential, because I don’t want to constantly put the camera away. I’ve shot with the E-M1 and OM-1 line for around a decade — in both Scottish winters and tropical storms — and they’ve never let me down.
To have this same confidence in a smaller, lighter body like the OM-3 is incredibly reassuring.
3. Pure, Unadulterated Fun
This camera is pure fun. Not only can it shoot almost any style of photography I want on a given day, but thanks to the size, weight, features, and design, it feels fun to shoot with.
There are no restrictions on creativity, and the design itself often sparks conversations with people. That in turn helps break the ice and leads to more interesting photos. For me, that makes the OM-3 more than just a tool — it makes it enjoyable in a similar way to the Fuji X100VI.
4. Image Quality That Holds Its Own
I shoot Nikon Z, Fuji GFX, and Fuji X as well as OM Systems, and the difference in image quality for day-to-day shots is not nearly as large as people make out.
Yes, technically larger sensors are better, but they don’t make or break a photo. In nearly two decades of shooting, I can count on one hand the times where a smaller sensor meant I couldn’t get the shot.
And in fact, the OM-3’s Micro Four Thirds sensor has an advantage: for a given field of view and aperture, you get deeper depth of field. That makes landscapes and street work easier, because more of the scene is in focus.
With the f/1.2 PRO lenses — and even the compact f/1.8 primes — I can still achieve shallow depth of field when I want subject separation. Better yet, the f/1.8 primes are so small and light that I can carry a whole set in a jacket pocket. See the best lenses for travel photograpahy with the OM-3.
5. The Joy of Using a “Not Good Enough” Camera
There’s also something I enjoy about using a camera that some people dismiss as “not good enough.” Full-frame aficionados may scoff at Micro Four Thirds, but the OM-3’s sensor is perfectly capable of producing professional-quality images that can be printed or published.
I find that challenge motivating. When I nail a shot I love, it feels even more satisfying knowing I made it with a compact, underdog camera that some would dismiss without ever giving it a chance. Don’t get me wrong, I own full frame cameras and appreciate them for their strengths but that doesn’t mean I can’t see and appreciate the benefits of other systems too.
Closing Thoughts
The OM-3 might not be perfect, but after a month of use, it has genuinely impressed me. It’s small, weather-sealed, packed with features, and above all, fun. It proves that a compact Micro Four Thirds camera can still be a serious tool for creative photography — and that’s why I’ve come to love it.