Last updated: May 20th 2026
This article was updated on May 20th 2026.

I had planned to go out today with my long lenses and scout a location that looks promising for photographing mad March hares. It’s not far from where I live, and on a local walk last week I spotted several hares in fairly close proximity to each other. It immediately struck me as a place worth returning to with a camera.

Today’s weather had other ideas.

This morning I woke up to a text from Sofia’s school letting parents know that the car park had flooded after heavy rain. It’s also been very windy here lately. As we sat in the car, the wind buffeting it quite strongly, I still had the urge to go and scout the location. But in weather like this I’m unlikely to get any usable photographs.

That’s when my thoughts turned to the OM System OM-1 Mark II. The OM System OM-1 Mark II carries an IP53 weather-sealing rating, meaning it’s designed to keep working in heavy rain, dust and cold conditions — exactly the kind of weather you often find here in Scotland.

I’ve been shooting with Olympus — and now OM System — cameras for years. I’ve had them out in monsoon rains and Hebridean storms, they’re about as rugged and weather sealed as cameras come.

Combined with its light weight and easy handling — even with gloves on (actually better than the original OM-1 in my opinion) — it makes for the perfect grab-and-go camera on a walk like this.

I wasn’t heading out with a bag full of gear. This was just a short local stroll in some pretty miserable weather, with the camera slung over my shoulder on a Peak Design Slide Lite strap.

I walked out of my house and headed up a small country lane towards some nearby farmland and a narrow path that winds through several wide, open fields.

I’d already put on my walking gear, waterproof jacket and boots before stepping outside, as the rain was still lashing down and the wind was ripping across the fields. This particular path has a few old trees lining it, with patches of dense bushes between the path and the surrounding farmland — exactly the kind of cover where I hoped to see the hares again.

It could be a fantastic location. The fields offer open views, while the bushes provide just enough natural camouflage to approach quietly.

By the time I reached the path my boots were already coated in mud. It had rained throughout the night and there was no sign of it easing. It seemed I was the only person out walking today. Maybe I’m a little crazy, but I love this kind of weather — as long as I’ve got the right outdoor gear on.

The trees were being pushed around by strong gusts of wind as the rain continued to lash down. I swung the camera around and unclipped it from the strap. It was already covered in rain, but as I’ve always found with OM System cameras, the OM-1 Mark II paired with the 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO II didn’t bat an eyelid.

I switched it on and took a few photos along the way.

Within ten minutes, a couple of hares in a field to my left suddenly bolted. They had spotted me before I even noticed them. I slowed my pace and continued more carefully as I neared the area where I hoped to photograph them.

As I turned the corner, a small hedgerow hiding my approach, I saw them.

Sheltering in the lee of a line of hedges were three more hares, hunkered down together trying to escape the worst of the wind and rain.

They were quite close to each other and well within range of both my OM System 100-400mm II and my Nikon Z wildlife kit. This particular spot looks really promising for dawn and dusk shoots. It’s close enough to my house that I can return several times a week, and it offers natural patches of cover from which to photograph the hares without disturbing them.

I sat and watched them quietly for five minutes before moving on, not wanting to force them out into the wind and rain.

As I continued along the track the wind increased, shaking the bushes that lined the path, sometimes violently. I struggled to handhold shots below about 1/25 second, which for the OM-1 Mark II is unusual. The wind was simply ripping across the fields and buffeting me too hard.

One thing about the OM-1 Mark II’s weather sealing is that it simply works. It’s such a rugged little camera that I had no hesitation placing it down in the soaking wet grass when I wanted to frame a shot.

By now my jacket and trousers were well covered in rain, although the water was still beading nicely off the fabric. I cinched in the hood on my Keela Munro jacket and carried on a little further, the OM-1 Mark II in hand, ready if something caught my eye.

But today wasn’t really about getting photos.

It was about having the right gear that allows me to get out into nature, whatever the weather — and that includes having a camera I can rely on when Scotland decides to throw its worst at it.

For me, this is exactly where cameras like the OM-1 Mark II — and the OM-3 — really shine. Small enough to take anywhere, rugged enough to handle the worst Scottish weather, and capable enough to capture the moment if the opportunity appears.

When I woke up this morning and saw the weather, I almost immediately knew I’d be taking the OM-1 Mark II out with me. It’s a camera whose weather sealing I trust to handle just about anything Scotland can throw at it — whether that’s rain, snow or sand.

On the walk back I was wrapped up in a hat, fleece, waterproof jacket and trousers, along with gloves. The little OM-1 Mark II was simply hanging from the camera strap or sitting in my hand ready to shoot. It never complained once. No issues, no faults, no problems.

When I got back to the house I just wiped it down and put it on the table next to me as I started writing this article. It looks exactly as it did before I left — although I really should clean the lens properly after having to wipe it with my gloves out in the rain.

As for the hares, I’ll be returning to that spot often over the coming months, following their lives and hopefully photographing and filming them along the way.

OM System OM-1 Mark II Weather Sealing FAQ

From long-exposure tricks to the best IBIS in the business, OM System cameras have delivered some incredible tools over the years — many of which users of other brands may not even be aware exist.

The latest of these computational modes include built-in software-created ND filter and ND grad filter effects that combine multiple exposures to simulate the results of physical ND and ND grad filters. These two intrigue me the most, because if they work as advertised they could allow me to leave physical filters at home — along with my tripod — while still retaining the creative ability to produce images as if I’d bothered to carry the full filter kit, adapters, and rings.

So today I took the OM-3 out on the same walk where I shot the X100VI earlier in the week, to a local park where the River Earn winds through the landscape. With the OM System 12–40mm f/2.8 II attached, I wanted to put the Live ND filter to a proper test — more thoroughly than I have before — and see whether it can genuinely replicate physical filters, or whether there are trade-offs that would rule it out for serious use.

How I tested Live ND on the River Earn

I wanted to test the OM-3’s ND filter on moving water, so I returned to my local walk along the banks of the River Earn. At this time of year the river offers plenty of fast-flowing water, with boulders scattered throughout that create eddies, ripples, and varied currents. I was hoping these conditions would let me pick out patterns and texture in the water in the same way I normally would using a traditional physical ND filter.

With the 12–40mm f/2.8 II attached — and relying on the OM-3’s excellent IBIS — I felt confident I could shoot hand-held down to around a one-second exposure while keeping the important elements sharp. My aim was to see whether I could reliably create that silky water effect without ugly artefacts appearing in the images.

As I crossed the first bridge, I fired off a couple of standard frames for reference and then switched the OM-3 into shutter priority mode, as Live ND only works in this mode or in full manual. The initial shots were wide-angle views of the river as it flowed quickly beneath the bridge.

I tried every setting from ND2 (1 stop) through to ND64 (6 stops) and found that I could comfortably hand-hold the OM-3 down to around a one-second exposure. The six-second exposure I attempted with the strongest ND64 setting was ambitious and ultimately a step too far.

One thing I really like about the OM-3 compared to my OM-1 Mark II is that OM System have given direct access to the computational modes via a dedicated button on the back of the camera. Activating — and cycling through — the different modes is quick and intuitive, which means I’m far more likely to experiment with them in the field.

I moved on, trying to keep up with Sofia who was racing ahead, as I knew there would be better opportunities further up the river. As I wandered along the sodden banks, I noticed a large rock sitting roughly in the middle of a fast-flowing section. I zoomed in to isolate it and took a test shot at 1/13 sec.

Below you can see the standard image, followed by versions using the ND4 and ND8 effects. Even at an effective exposure of 0.6 seconds, the rock remains tack sharp.

In my view the best result came from the ND8 setting combined with stopping the lens down to f/8, which produced a one-second exposure. The central rock stayed sharp, and I preferred the pattern and flow of the water at this length of exposure — much beyond one second would have created too much movement and too little detail.

More importantly, after examining the file at 100%, the silky effect and texture of the water looks — to my eye — indistinguishable from what I would expect using a physical ND filter. I can’t see random artefacts or unnatural areas in the frame, and the tangible, textured look of the water is exactly how I like it to appear, particularly for printing on fine art matte papers.

What’s the purpose of the ND filter?

So why would you actually want to use this feature? I think the images below make the case clearly.

The first shot was taken without any ND effect at 1/40 sec. The water is flowing naturally, but to my eye it creates a slightly disorientating and nervous image. You can’t focus on anything except the rushing blur of water, and the whole scene feels un-sharp — even though the rocks are, in fact, tack sharp.

Contrast that with the next photo, shot using the ND4 effect at an effective shutter speed of 1/4 sec. You can still clearly sense the movement and energy of the river, but it’s no longer visually distracting. That uneasy, jittery feeling has gone, replaced by a calmer atmosphere that allows your eye to wander around the frame. The image feels sharper overall, yet when you examine the rocks in both photographs, they are equally sharp in each.

Again, when I examine the image made with the OM-3’s computational ND mode, I can see no problems — no strange effects or artefacts — it genuinely looks as if it had been shot with a physical ND filter.

One thing to keep in mind when chasing this kind of look, whether you’re using Live ND or physical ND filters, is that it often takes many attempts to get a truly satisfying pattern in moving water. That wasn’t really my goal today. I was more interested in whether this computational mode could deliver results I’d actually be happy with — and, crucially, results I could trust when I do decide to spend the time hunting for that perfect flow.

Based on what I saw on this walk, I’m very confident that it can.

As we neared the end of our walk — and Sofia’s patience with my photography was clearly running out — I took one final shot of a beautiful section of the river using the ND4 effect. Once again, the OM-3 didn’t let me down.

Frequently Asked Questions

This week was a wake-up call. The moment there was even the possibility of something being wrong with Isobelle, my first instinct was clear and immediate: get her back to the UK. That thought hit me harder than I expected. If that’s my natural reaction in a moment of fear, then that instinct is probably the truth I need to follow — whether there’s an issue or not.

It pushed me into the bigger questions I’ve had in the back of my mind for years. Is this really the best place for my daughters to grow up? Does it offer the same education, healthcare, social protections, and opportunities as my home country? And in the long-term, when I’m not around to protect them, am I comfortable with the idea of them being here without me?

When I finally sat with those questions, the answer was no.

But returning to England doesn’t feel right either. So my thoughts drifted north, back to Scotland — a place I know well from my years as a landscape photographer. A place of endless beauty and a lifestyle that fits us. A place I once thought I had outgrown, but that now feels like the only place I ever truly belonged.

And naturally, that line of thinking brought me back to my cameras. Back to the gear that actually works in Scotland — in the wind, the cold, the rain, the brutal winters. Which system can keep up with that? Which camera could help me return to my roots, but with new eyes after a decade on the other side of the world?

But as soon as the idea of Scotland started to feel real, all the memories from the last few weeks came rushing in. I keep thinking back to the night I was kneeling over Sofia in the dark, protecting her as the house shook from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake — just days before we were clearing the yard and bracing for a typhoon that was heading straight for us. And then, only days later, a super typhoon tore through Luzon. It missed us this time, thankfully, but what if next time it follows the same path as Odette and rips right through our house?

Huddling down in the bathroom — our designated “safe room” — is a bonding experience, but not the sort I want my kids to grow up with. The uncertainty, the fear, the what-ifs that run through your mind… all of it has added fuel to the same conclusion: it’s time to think seriously about Scotland.

But as that idea became clearer, I hit the same wall I’ve hit before — the UK immigration system. Since the last time I looked, the income requirements have increased again. Suddenly I’m questioning whether I even earn enough to bring my own wife legally into the country. And even if I do meet the threshold, what will they ask for this time? How many hoops, how much proof, how many fees? It’s emotionally draining. And financially? Even worse. Which raises its own question: can I even afford to give my family a decent standard of living in the UK anymore?

This isn’t a move you make quickly. It will take time, planning, and a level of financial stability I’m still building. So while the paperwork and numbers sit in the background, I go back to the things I can control: my work, my photography, and the gear I choose to rely on.

And if I’m genuinely preparing for a life in Scotland again — real seasons, real weather, real cold — then the camera matters more than ever. That’s where the Nikon Z8 comes in. Not as a luxury, or something to show off online, but as a tool built for the kind of life I’m moving toward. It’s one of the reasons why I said I’d pick it when I compared the Nikon Z6III against the Z8. A camera that can stand up to Scottish winters, to low light and endless rain, to long hikes and long drives. A camera I can trust if and when this next chapter becomes real — and potentially to me finally fulfilling a lifelong dream of doing more wildlife photography. I’ve already been using some of the best accessories for the Z8 and it’s made it very close to my perfect camera.

Why the Nikon Z8 Feels Right for Scotland

In my dry cabinet right now sit one Panasonic, two OM System bodies, three Ricohs, three Fujis, and two Nikons. Yes, I know — it’s a lot. But each has its place, and I’ve always believed in using the right tool for the job.

The question is: which tools make sense for Scotland? When I really sit and think about trekking and wild camping in the Highlands — the kind of subjects I’ll shoot there — the answer becomes clearer. Landscapes. Stories of the people. Wildlife. And of course, documenting my family. These are things incredibly close to my heart, but they’re also quite different from the travel photography I’ve been shooting with Fuji for more than a decade.

Having spent years in the Outer Hebrides, I know firsthand how beautiful — and how brutal — Scottish weather can be. All the seasons in one day. Sudden downpours. Biting winds. Salt spray. Low, moody winter light that can go from dull to breathtaking in seconds. That harshness is what makes the light so magical — but it demands gear that can stand up to it.

OM System definitely jumps up the list thanks to its light weight for hiking and its best-in-class weather sealing as I mentioned in my OM-3 review. But when I want full-frame for Scotland, the choice is obvious. Nikon. More specifically, the Z8.

The Z8 is built like a tank. Weather-sealed at every critical point — seams, buttons, lens mount — everywhere that actually matters. I know that when the clouds roll in and the temperature drops, the Z8 won’t flinch. When the light dips for those quiet Scottish sunsets, that full-frame sensor will pull subtlety and depth out of the scene. It’s a camera that can handle freezing cold, driving rain, and unpredictable weather without needing to be babied.

And then there are the lenses. Nikon’s zooms are among the best in any system. And yes — although I’ve been a prime shooter across Southeast Asia for years, Scotland is different. In a city, a bag of primes makes sense. But when you’re hiking up mountains, across ridgelines, through glens, a great zoom is worth its weight in gold. You want reach. Flexibility. Speed. You want to react to the land without constantly changing lenses with numb fingers.

What makes this even clearer is how these two systems — Nikon and OM — align perfectly with another direction I’ve wanted to move toward for years: wildlife photography. Both offer fast autofocus, pre-shot modes, high speed burst rates, incredible handling, and, most importantly, some of the best wildlife lens options available today. If Scotland does become home again, these are the systems that will let me finally explore that lifelong dream properly — whether it’s deer in the Cairngorms, otters on the coast, or birds in the Hebrides.

I can already see the kit that makes the most sense for the harsh and beautiful realities of the Highlands. And I know that when I eventually pack my backpack and tent and head into the glens, the Nikon Z8 and OM-1 Mark II will almost inevitably be the pairing I reach for most — the two systems that feel built for that landscape, that weather, and the kind of photography I’ll be doing.

The only question that remains is whether, at 44, I’m still built for it.

But maybe that’s exactly the point. Maybe this next chapter isn’t about being the same person I was in my twenties — racing up mountains, chasing storms, living out of a rucksack without a second thought. Maybe it’s about growing into a version of myself that’s quieter, more intentional, more grounded. A version of me that chooses Scotland not for adventure, but for stability. Not for escape, but for home.

In my twenties, I always felt there was a whole other world out there — outwith Scotland, as they say — something I needed to see, something I needed to live. Maybe it would be better, maybe it would be worse, but I needed to find out for myself. That curiosity eventually led me to the Philippines, and I’ll always have a soft spot for this country. It’s the place that gave me two beautiful daughters, that changed who I am, that made me a father and showed me that family brings a deeper joy and contentment than anything else ever could.

But it also confirmed something important: I’m an introvert at heart. Not in a reclusive way — just someone who finds that constant social noise drains me, while peace, nature, and wildlife recharge my batteries. And after a decade here that has been rewarding but also highly turbulent, I’m ready for a different kind of energy. I’m ready to have my batteries fully recharged by the Scottish wilderness again.

And as much as this move would be about me finding a place that feels right again, it’s really about something bigger than that — what I want my daughters to grow up with.

What I Want My Daughters to Grow Up With

If I could choose their environment, it wouldn’t be shopping malls, traffic, or screens. It would be land. Nature. A life where walks, wildlife, and beauty are on their doorstep. A life away from constant phone use and social media, where they can grow a love and appreciation for the natural world simply by living in it.

More than anything, I want them to grow up in a place where safety is a given — where we’re not bracing for earthquakes, typhoons, or the next unexpected disaster. But even beyond physical safety, the absolute priority for me is opportunity. I want them to feel free to choose their own paths: to go to university if they want to, to shape their careers, to follow whatever sparks their curiosity. I want them surrounded by aspirational women — teachers, role models, leaders — who show them what’s possible and encourage them to dream without limitation.

And after a lot of reflection, I’ve realised that we’ve simply outgrown our current home. As a family, we need a new environment — one that gives the girls stability, possibility, and space to become who they’re meant to be. And honestly, I can think of no better place on Earth (and I have looked at all the options) than the home of kilts, haggis, and deep-fried Mars bars.

In the end, this isn’t really a story about cameras, or countries, or even weather. It’s about clarity — the kind that only arrives after years of turbulence, uncertainty, and being forced to confront what truly matters. This week shook something loose in me. The earthquakes, the storms, the health worries, the constant what-ifs — they all pointed in the same direction. Toward home. Toward Scotland. Toward a life that feels sustainable, intentional, and aligned with who I’ve become.

Photography has always been the way I make sense of things. It slows me down, anchors me in the moment, and reminds me why I’m doing all of this in the first place: to build a life worth documenting. And whether that’s with the Nikon Z8 slung over my shoulder in a Scottish winter, or with the OM-1 Mark II on a long hike with the girls, the camera is just the tool. The real story is the life behind it.

There’s still a long road ahead — paperwork, planning, saving, and navigating a system that doesn’t make it easy. But for the first time in years, the path feels clearer. And maybe that’s all you can ask for. Not certainty, just direction.

And if the next chapter of our lives begins somewhere between the glens, the wildlife, and the wind-carved hills of Scotland… then I think we’ll be exactly where we’re meant to be.

I was also an avid user of the Pen-F and absolutely loved that camera. In a moment of stupidity, I sold it — and I’ve been pining for a replacement ever since, though the used prices are far too steep for my taste.

When the OM-1 arrived, it felt like the first genuinely significant leap forward in years — a proper step up rather than a mild refresh. So when the OM System OM-3 was announced, it immediately caught my attention: a compact, beautifully styled body that seemed to merge the best qualities of the E-M5 II’s build, the Pen-F’s charm (even if not rangefinder-styled), and the internal power of the OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II.

That combination was enough to have me ordering it straight away, along with a few choice lenses. But after owning it for a few months now — does it really live up to that promise? The fact that it features highly in my best cameras for family photography article should be a farily big hint.

Although this camera uses a Micro Four Thirds sensor — a format I’ve shot with for many years — I’m not approaching this review from that narrow worldview. I also own and use APS-C, full-frame, and even medium-format systems, so my judgment of the OM-3 comes from experience across all of them, not just how it stacks up against its immediate peers. These days I shoot mostly travel, street, and family work, but I started out as a professional landscape photographer — and that background still shapes how I see cameras and what really matters in the field.

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Body & Handling

When I first picked up the OM-3, it immediately felt like a continuation of my old E-M5 II — solid, dense, and far more premium than the current OM-5-series bodies. The all-metal construction gives it a reassuring sense of quality in the hand, while the faux-leather wrap adds both grip and a refined look. Every button and dial offers firm, tactile feedback. Nothing on the OM-3 feels cheap.

OM System say the design draws inspiration from its classic film SLRs, and I believe them. It’s a very stylish camera — possibly even more beautiful than the Pen-F. The body feels slightly wider than expected, yet remains compact enough to be a perfect everyday-carry with the right lens attached. There’s no front grip at all, just a modest thumb rest on the back, yet the ergonomics still work thanks to the camera’s balance and well-placed controls, especially with lenses like the OM 17mm f/1.8 II.

Every button and dial feels well damped, with thoughtful detailing throughout. For instance, most buttons are slightly raised for easy access, while the Delete and Playback buttons sit recessed so you don’t accidentally hit them when shooting — a small but clever design choice. My only minor gripe is the Record button (which can be reassigned as a function key); it sits awkwardly close to the rear dial and can be tricky to reach quickly.

New on the OM-3 is a dedicated CP button on the rear, giving direct access to all the computational modes (I’ll cover those later). And, in a welcome nod to the Pen-F, the Creative Dial has returned on the front — letting you switch instantly between Color, Mono, Art Filter, and CRT (Color Creator) modes.

I wrote an eBook about using the Creative Dial on the Pen-F back in 2016, and it remains one of my favorite design ideas in any digital camera. It gives you genuine control over your color output. The OM-3 offers four Mono profiles styled after classic films (including a Tri-X-like look) and four Color profiles that mimic different film tones, plus a CRT mode for manual color tinting.

While I usually shoot RAW with most cameras — even my Fujis, despite their excellent film simulations — the OM-3’s in-camera control makes JPEG shooting far more rewarding. You can fine-tune each Mono and Color profile using the color dial and curves, then add vignetting, contrast, and sharpness. The color wheel even allows ten levels of saturation adjustment per hue, giving you a huge range of creative control directly in-camera.

The OM-3 essentially takes the internals of the OM-1 Mark II and dials them down slightly, delivering nearly all the same shooting options in a smaller, lighter, and more stylish body — one that’s better suited to street, travel, and everyday photography.

What you don’t get is the OM-1’s superb EVF. The OM-3 uses an older 2.36-million-dot panel that’s perfectly usable but certainly not class-leading. In fact, among all the cameras I own, it’s probably the weakest viewfinder — yet still clear enough for practical use. The OM-3 also drops the dual card slots, which may be a deal-breaker for some. Personally, I’ve used SanDisk Extreme and Extreme Pro cards for twenty years without a single failure, so I’m not concerned. This isn’t a workhorse camera; it’s more of a guilty-pleasure camera.

Overall, OM System has done an excellent job with the design. It feels substantially smaller than the OM-1 Mark II, and when paired with lenses like the 17 mm f/1.8 II, it belongs in an entirely different category — almost Fuji X100VI territory in size. With larger lenses like my 25 mm f/1.2 PRO, I do prefer adding an L-grip extension for balance and comfort, but that’s the trade-off for such a compact and stylish body. You can see the best accessories for the OM-3 here.

Image Quality & Sensor Performance

This is the section where a lot of people will tell you that Micro Four Thirds isn’t good enough. It’s also the section where I’ll say, good enough for what?

This is where it helps to ignore the online noise about sensor size and instead think about what you actually shoot — and what you plan to do with your images afterwards.

The OM-3 uses the same stacked 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor found in the flagship OM-1 Mark II. It offers noticeably better performance than older generation Micro Four Thirds sensors, both in high-ISO handling and in the overall “look” of the files. Yes, it’s still weaker than larger sensors in certain areas — tonality isn’t quite as natural, and once you hit ISO 3200 and above, noise becomes more visible compared to APS-C and full-frame cameras.

But the difference isn’t as dramatic as many make it out to be. We’re talking roughly two-thirds of a stop from APS-C, which in most real-world scenarios isn’t a deal-breaker. I’m happy shooting the OM-3 up to ISO 3200 and will push to 6400 if needed, as long as I’m not printing larger than A3+. And with the AI-powered noise reduction now available in Lightroom and other editors — plus the fact that I actually like adding a touch of grain these days — it’s rarely an issue unless you shoot fast-moving subjects in low light.

Olympus has long been praised for its color science, and the OM-3 keeps that tradition alive with crisp, vivid, and realistic colors that still look natural. I’ll admit that while I like the Natural color profile, the others don’t quite fit my style.

Dynamic range is more than sufficient for typical shooting scenarios, allowing you to lift shadows in post without introducing excessive noise at base ISO. I remember my original E-M5 showing faint noise in blue skies even at base ISO — those days are long gone.

Yesterday, I was sitting in my living room looking after my youngest daughter, Isobelle, with the OM-3 and 25mm f/1.2 PRO in hand. I fired off a few quick shots of her in her stroller at f/1.2. When I looked at them later, there was a painterly quality to the images — especially around her eyes. The fine noise almost resembled brush strokes, and as long as I didn’t zoom in too far in the viewfinder, the photos looked stunning. Not the compositions — these were just casual shots — but the rendering, tonality, and color had a certain magic to them that really caught me off guard.

Bottom line: unless you’re shooting extremely high-contrast landscapes or movement in dark night scenes, the OM-3 performs admirably. For street and travel photography, I have no hesitation using it exactly as I would any of my other systems. The images may look different — but all sensor sizes do, the question is really about whether the camera does what you want it to do and whether you will be happy with the output for your actual needs. Yes, my Fujifilm GFX100S is better, of course it is, it’s $10,000 worth of camera and lens, if it wasn’t better I’d be pretty upset, but that doesn’t mean anything less is useless. The OM-3 is more than capable of producing beautiful, professional-quality results in most scenarios.

Autofocus Performance

As has been the case for a long time, OM’s Single AF mode is fast, snappy, and accurate. When paired with lenses like the 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO, 17mm f/1.8 II, or my 25mm f/1.2 PRO, it’s silent and as quick as you’ll ever need for everyday photography.

Switch over to Continuous AF, and that’s where you really see the benefit of the stacked sensor. Since the original OM-1, C-AF performance on OM System bodies has improved dramatically — and the OM-3 continues that trend. I tested it tracking Sofia as she ran down the beach in Moalboal and was genuinely impressed: every frame was sharp, and it held focus on her effortlessly. That’s something the X100VI would have struggled with.

I’ve also shot the kingfishers that live in our garden using both the OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II, and they’ve been fantastic for that kind of fast, unpredictable movement — darting off a wall to snatch insects and returning to feed their young. The OM-3 essentially offers that same level of autofocus performance, and when combined with Pro Capture, it makes photographing fast-moving subjects remarkably easy — even for someone like me, a wannabe wildlife photographer without the patience to sit in a hide for hours.

If I had to place the OM-3’s AF performance in context with my other cameras, I’d say it sits comfortably above the Fuji X100VI, above the X-T5, and possibly even ahead of my Nikon Z6 III for human face and eye detect AF — though the Nikon still wins for pure subject-tracking accuracy.

In short, it’s very good. Unless you absolutely need that last 10 percent of tracking performance (and are willing to pay 100 percent more for it), the OM-3 will serve you extremely well.

Computational Features

This is where the OM-3 — and OM System cameras in general — really shine. No other system offers such a wealth of computational features that are genuinely useful in the real world.

The OM-3 continues this tradition with Handheld High-Res Shot, producing 50MP files that not only offer more detail but also noticeably cleaner color and lower noise. What many people overlook about this mode is exactly that — it’s not just about resolution; it’s also about improved image quality. It’s not perfect, of course. Any movement in the scene can trip it up, and while the files are larger, the extra detail isn’t always obvious. Still, when you want to squeeze every bit of quality out of a scene, it’s a genuinely worthwhile feature. There’s also a tripod mode that delivers 80MP images, but as I didn’t buy the compact OM-3 to start lugging a tripod around again, I’ve left that one alone. It worked well enough on my older Olympus cameras years ago.

One of the most exciting features that first drew me to the OM-1 — and remains a highlight here — is the in-camera ND filter mode. It combines multiple frames to simulate between one and six stops of neutral-density filtration. When I first tried it, I hoped it would mean I could leave my ND filters at home and still get long-exposure shots at waterfalls or by the ocean. It does exactly that. The results look natural, and yes — I genuinely no longer carry ND filters when I’m shooting OM System cameras.

The OM-3 also adds ND Grad simulation, which works in a similar way. You can choose up to a 3-stop ND grad, and select between soft, medium, or hard transitions. The front dial rotates the angle of the filter in larger increments, while the rear dial handles fine adjustments. The up and down pad buttons move the transition point. It’s an incredibly well-implemented system — fast, intuitive, and genuinely useful. Thanks to the OM-3’s processing speed, setting up and capturing a long-exposure shot like this takes seconds rather than minutes, so you actually use it instead of ignoring it.

For anyone new to OM System, the OM-3 includes all the classic computational tools too: Live View, Live Bulb, and Live Composite — long-exposure aids that show you a preview of the image as it’s being exposed, helping you nail the shot without trial and error. There’s also in-camera HDR (which I avoid, as the results are pretty awful), Focus Stacking with compatible lenses, and Focus Bracketing that works with any lens if you prefer to merge in post.

Combine these modes with what is still the best in-body image stabilization on the market, and the OM-3 becomes far more than just a compact camera with good image quality and autofocus. It’s a complete, self-contained photographic system.

You no longer need a tripod, ND filters, graduated filters, long-exposure apps, or remote shutters. Just grab a spare battery, head out, and shoot whatever subject you want — in any light and in any weather. Thanks to its IP-rated sealing, the OM-3, like the OM-1 Mark II, is a camera that truly lets you travel light and still do everything. It’s reached the point where these OM bodies are fully self-sufficient camera systems.

Everything Else That Actually Matters

The OM-3 uses the larger BLX-1 battery from the OM-1 Mark II, rather than the smaller pack used in the OM-5 series. Battery life is solid and about what I’d expect — I can comfortably shoot an entire day on a single charge. That includes an hour either side of sunrise and sunset, plus casual shooting throughout the day.

It also supports USB-C charging, which for me is non-negotiable now. I won’t buy a camera without it.

One of the things I’ve always respected about OM System is that they’re the only manufacturer to actually give their cameras an official IP rating. The OM-3, like the OM-1 Mark II, is IP53-rated, meaning it’s more robust than anything else in its class. I’ve trusted OM System cameras in everything from Scottish blizzards to Philippine monsoons, and they’ve never let me down.

The OM-3 also uses the same newer-style menu system that OM says is exclusive to their stacked-sensor models. It’s far easier for newcomers to navigate, logically laid out, and crucially, it actually tells you what each option does — and why certain ones are unavailable. It’s one of the better menu systems out there, though like any, it just takes a little time to get familiar with.

As for the touchscreen, I never use them. I think I swiped an image in playback once — it worked.

Conclusion

The OM-3 is a camera that will suit travel and general photographers who want a compact system and don’t feel the need to bring along the kitchen sink in accessories. Its small, well-balanced form factor, combined with the enormous range of Micro Four Thirds lenses, means you can confidently tackle just about any subject without feeling weighed down.

It’s a beautiful camera — one that’s a genuine pleasure to pick up and shoot with. The computational modes make it easy to experiment, whether you’re exploring macro work, long exposures, or creative color profiles, all without needing to buy specialist gear.

Yes, there are cameras that will give you technically better image quality, more subject isolation, or more prestige with the “cool kids.” But there are very few cameras today that are as enjoyable to use as the OM-3 — and that matters just as much as sensor size. Because ultimately, this is the kind of camera you’ll actually pick up, take with you, and use. And that, more than anything else, is what makes it great.

I’ve owned and shot with a huge variety of Micro Four Thirds lenses over the years — everything from the tiny Olympus 9–18mm (which I used while shooting for travel companies up in the Outer Hebrides over a decade ago) to most of the modern PRO lenses.

Jump to the Lenses

When I came back to Micro Four Thirds recently with the OM-3, I did so for a couple of reasons. First, I simply enjoy using Micro Four Thirds cameras for travel. The OM-3 is also among the best cameras for taking photos of family.

The computational features, size, and weight mean I can leave the tripod and filters at home and just enjoy making photos. These cameras are rugged, weather-sealed, and the lens lineup is fantastic — from tiny pancake primes to super-telephoto zooms. Modern Micro Four Thirds image quality is excellent, easily good enough for 30×20″ prints, and with the right lenses, even low light performance is more than acceptable for most situations. The OM-3 is part of a new wave of system cameras that make more sense for travel than compacts, and I’ve compared it alongside other interchangeable-lens travel cameras in my dedicated 2025 guide. Click here for my full OM System OM-3 review.

Because of that philosophy, I deliberately kept my OM-3 kit small and only picked up three lenses to start with — enough to cover 90% of my needs without weighing me down. If you prefer to keep things even simpler then my best compact cameras article will be of interest.

Having used most of the Panasonic and Olympus/OM System lineup at some point, this article will break down what I think are the best lenses for travel photography with the OM-3. Everyone’s style is different, so feel free to swap things out — but one of the joys of Micro Four Thirds is that you can pack a complete kit for landscapes, street, portraits, and telephoto without breaking your back or your budget.

I’ve included affiliate links to all the lenses and have also put together the kits for you on Amazon to make it easy to find all the items in one place. If you click through those links and buy any items then I will earn a small commission for which I am very grateful. So thank you to everyone who uses them. It is literally the only way that I can afford to keep this site going.

Don’t want another pair of novelty socks this Christmas? Share my Best Gifts for Photographers guide with friends and family — it’s full of gear photographers actually love.

Olympus 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO II – The Ultimate Travel Zoom

I’ve used a lot of standard zoom lenses over the years — from basic kit zooms to Panasonic’s 12–60mm Leica and the 12–35mm f/2.8 — but the one I always come back to is the OM System 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO II.

It offers excellent image quality, staying sharp from wide open across the entire zoom range. The 24–80mm equivalent range covers almost everything I shoot while traveling — landscapes, portraits, and plenty in between. While many photographers like going ultra-wide for landscapes, I’ve found 24mm equivalent wide enough to capture the scene without introducing too much distortion.

The constant f/2.8 aperture is a big advantage, letting me shoot longer in low light before switching to a prime, and it offers just enough subject separation at the long end to handle portrait duty. It also focuses really close, so gives the ability to play with macro shots. The build quality is superb, with a solid feel, smooth focus ring, focus clutch, and reliable weather sealing. It’s a little bigger than the 12–45mm f/4 PRO, but still balances beautifully on the OM-3 and OM-1 Mark II and is far smaller and lighter than equivalent full-frame lenses.

Why I Choose It Over Other Options

Some people prefer the OM System 12–100mm f/4 PRO as an all-in-one travel zoom — and it’s excellent — but I find it just a little too large to carry all day on the OM-3. The 12–45mm f/4 PRO is another great alternative if f/2.8 isn’t important to you — it’s lighter and cheaper while still delivering most of the same optical quality.

For me, the 12–40mm f/2.8 II strikes the best balance: compact enough for travel, fast enough for low light, and optically excellent. If I could only have one lens for Micro Four Thirds, this one would be at the top of my list.

OM System 17mm f/1.8 II – The Perfect Everyday Travel Prime

I picked up the OM System 17mm f/1.8 II not because it’s the absolute best lens in the lineup, but because it feels like the perfect match for the OM-3. It’s incredibly small and light, making the camera feel almost pocketable — ideal for travel or days when I want a simple, no-fuss setup. The Mark II version adds weather sealing, which is a big deal for me since I often shoot outdoors in unpredictable conditions.

Optically, it’s sharp wide open, with decent (if not spectacular) bokeh. The 35mm equivalent field of view is one of the most versatile focal lengths you can have — wide enough for street photography and landscapes, but not so wide that it distorts portraits or environmental scenes. Autofocus is fast and confident, and the f/1.8 aperture is bright enough for street shooting well into the evening without needing to raise ISO too far.

If I’m being honest, I don’t love this lens the way I love some of my others — but it’s the one that makes the most sense if you want a small, light, high-quality travel kit. I have also owned the 25mm f/1.8, which I think is optically a little better, but for general travel and everyday use the 17mm’s versatility wins out.

Alternatives to Consider

If you prefer a slightly wider view, the Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7 is another excellent option, and if you want better bokeh and optical performance, the OM System 17mm f/1.2 PRO is available — but it’s bigger, heavier and more expensive. For most travelers, the 17mm f/1.8 II strikes the right balance of size, performance, and weather sealing.

OM System 25mm f/1.2 PRO – A System-Defining Lens

If there’s one lens that would keep me shooting Micro Four Thirds, it’s the OM System 25mm f/1.2 PRO. I’ve actually owned this lens twice — once when it was first released, and it was right at the top of my list when I bought the OM-3.

The reason is simple: image quality. It’s sharp wide open at f/1.2, which means you can use it in almost any lighting conditions, and the feathered bokeh is gorgeous — giving images a polished, high-end look. At 50mm equivalent, it’s incredibly versatile, covering everything from contextual storytelling shots to more intimate portraits.

Autofocus is quick and confident, and the build quality is as good as it gets — fully weather-sealed, professional-level construction, and a smooth focus ring with manual clutch. The rendering is among my absolute favourites of any lens I own — and that includes my Fuji GFX kit, which says a lot.

Yes, it’s larger than the f/1.8 primes, but paired with a grip on the OM-3 it handles beautifully and I can carry it all day. This is the lens I mount when I want the best, with zero compromises. It’s a system-defining lens and one of the best I’ve ever used on any system — yes, I rate it that highly.

If you want a smaller alternative, the Panasonic/Leica 25mm 1.4 lens offers a great compromise between the OM System versions and is excellent optically. However, mine broke for no reason whatsoever years ago and it put me off the lens. I doubt it’s a common issue (the lens just wouldnt communicate with the camera one day) but I prefer to go with the OM System lenses now as I’ve never had a problem with them even with much heavier use than my 25mm 1.4 ever had.

What If You’re a Zoom Shooter?

One of the great things about OM System — and Micro Four Thirds in general — is that high-quality zoom lenses are significantly smaller than on full-frame systems. I used to shoot with a full kit of zooms plus a few primes, and I could fit them all comfortably into a Lowepro Flipside 400 AW II backpack. In my kit were the 8–25mm f/4 PRO, 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO II, 40–150mm f/2.8 PRO, 300mm f/4 PRO, 25mm f/1.2 PRO, plus the 1.4x teleconverter — along with both the OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II bodies (with grips).

That was an incredibly versatile kit, and I could still take it as carry-on luggage on every flight. In my opinion, if you want the most versatile zoom setup for travel, you have two main approaches:

• Small and Light: Go for the 9–18mm, 12–45mm f/4 PRO, and 40–150mm f/4 PRO.
• Fast and Flexible: Choose the f/2.8 versions (8–25mm f/4 PRO pairs well here too) as I did, which gives you more light-gathering ability and subject separation.

It really comes down to your priorities — portability vs maximum performance — but either approach works beautifully with the OM-3. If you’re planning to use the larger f/2.8 zooms, I’d recommend adding a grip to the OM-3 for better balance and comfort on long shooting days.

Recommended Zooms

• OM System 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO II – My go-to standard zoom and the most versatile option for most travelers.
• OM System 12–100mm f/4 IS PRO – The ultimate one-lens solution if you want to pack just a single zoom. Incredible range, excellent optics, and Sync IS for rock-solid stabilization.
• OM System 8–25mm f/4 PRO – Perfect for wide-angle travel shooters who focus on landscapes, interiors, or tight spaces.

For many travelers, a kit consisting of two zoom lenses and a small prime like the following 8–25mm f/4 PRO + 40–150mm f/4 PRO + 17mm f/1.8 II provides complete coverage with surprisingly little weight — perfect for those who want to keep their kit minimal while staying ready for anything.

Final Thoughts

The OM-3 is one of the best travel cameras you can buy, and pairing it with the right lenses makes it even more capable. Whether you prefer the simplicity of a single zoom, the versatility of a two-zoom kit, or the image quality and character of primes like the 17mm f/1.8 and 25mm f/1.2 PRO, there’s an option to suit your style. The beauty of Micro Four Thirds is that you can build a complete travel kit that covers everything from wide landscapes to portraits — and still keep it light enough to carry all day. It’s one of the reasons why Micro Four Thirds still matters in 2025.

Once you’ve chosen your lenses, make sure you check out my Best Accessories for the OM-3 guide to get set up with spare batteries, memory cards, and other essentials before your next trip.

The OM System OM-3 is one of the most fun and capable cameras I’ve shot with in recent years — and it looks gorgeous too. It’s a fantastic travel and everyday camera, combining classic design with modern computational features and a huge range of lenses.

I’ve written about the best lenses for travel photography with the OM-3 here.

That said, it’s not the most comfortable camera to carry for long periods. To help you get the most out of this little pocket powerhouse, I’ve put together the essential accessories I use with my OM-3. Every item on this list has been personally tested and compared against alternatives — these are the ones that earned a permanent place in my kit.

Field-tested in September 2025: These recommendations come from real-world use with the OM-3 here in the Philippines.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I’ve personally tested and genuinely find useful.

Haoge OM-3 Handgrip – Comfort & Control

Haoge OM-3 Handgrip – The Om-3 is a lightweight and compact camera which is perfect for when you want your kit to be minimal while travelling. However, there isn’t any grip on the front of the camera so when I’m shooting all day or with zoom lenses I attach this Haoge L grip. It doesn’t add much weight but makes a World of difference to the comfort of carrying the camera with pro lenses. It still allows access to all ports and both the battery and memory card compartments so doesn’t interfere with quick operation of the OM-3. The base is made from metal with solid build quality while the siliconised grip is comfortable and gives just the right amount of purchase to confidently hold the camera one handed. The only downside is that it comes with an allen key to attach the plate to the camera rather than an integrated key like on Smallrig grips but I simply slip it in my bag and haven’t lost it yet.

Spare BLX-1 Batteries & Charger

The OM-3 uses the same BLX-1 battery found in the OM-1 series so it has decent battery performance. I’ve found it to last most of a days shooting. However I never want to be caught short and miss a good shot so I do still carry multiple spare batteries with me. I have a mix of original Om System BLX1 batteries which offer the best performance. But I also carry some third party batteries as they are so much cheaper and I’ve found them to offer around 75% of the performance of the originals for way less money. I use a mixture of third party batteries but the best ones that I’ve used so far is this Wasabi kit. It comes with two batteries and a USB-C compatible charger for roughly the same price as one original battery.

Memory Cards – Reliable, Fast, Affordable

One of the only compromises with the OM-3 is that it comes with just a single SD card slot. This isnt a deal breaker for me becasue I always use Sandisk Extreme Pro SD cards and in all the years I’ve been shooting, I’ve never had one fail me, unlike cards from other brands. The best compromise between speed, capacity and price in my opinion are the 256gb cards which fit over 5000 images on when shooting Raw + Jpeg.

Peak Design Everyday Sling Bag

The best camera bag that I’ve ever used is the Peak Design Every day Sling bag. I use the 10L version as it fits all my gear in perfectly when I’m travelling. For reference it will fit my OM-3 with a pro lens such as the 12-40mm f/2.8II attached along with the OM-1 Mark II and 25mm 1.2 pro attached plus the 17mm f/1.8 II lens and there is still room for chargers, wires, cleaning kit and my Ipad Pro 13″ with magic keyboard and Magic Pen. It’s comfortable to carry all day, is highly weather resistant so keeps off the rain while you find cover and has flexible compartments including a separate internal zippered section which holds batteries and memory cards. I’ve tried a lot of bags over the years, in fact I have a pile of different bags sat next to me as I write this, inlcuding ones from Lowepro, Manfrotto, ThinkTank and other no name brands and the Peak design is still my favourite. If you want to keep your kit even lighter then the Peak Design Everyday Sling 6L version offers the same quality in a smaller package.

Peak Design Camera Leash

Although I carry my kit in the Peak Design bag, I often leave that in the hotel and head out with just the OM-3 attached to a camera strap and an extra lens in my pocket. I’ve tested mulitple straps including the OEM one, multiple Peak Design straps as well as ones from BlackRapid and no name third party brands. The reason I don’t use the OEM strap is because it takes far too long to attach and detach from the camera and I often want to quickly remove the camera from the strap for shots at various angles and I find having a strap attached restrictive. After lots of testing, I have found the Peak Design Camera Leash to be the best fit for the OM-3 as it is still lightweight and flexible, similar to the OEM strap yet made from stronger materials. Unlike my Peak Design Slide Lite strap it isn’t stiff and so doesnt bunch up near the camera and the one handed adjustment on the Leash does actually work one handed. The key factor though is that it is so quick and easy to take on and off your camera thanks to the Peak Design Anchor attachment system which allows you to quickly clip the anchors into the camera strap. It’s such a good fit to the OM-3 that I’ve settled on it and have stopped looking for anything else now. In fact I also recently bought a bunch more anchors and now have them fitted on every single one of my cameras so I can just quickly attach either of my Peak Design camera straps to the body I’m using that day.

Peak Design Capture Clip

Since arriving in Scotland, I’ve been getting out much more on long walks through the glens and hills. The OM-3 is perfect for this kind of outing because it’s light but capable of handling virtually any scenario — from shots of the family to landscapes.

On these kinds of walks I always carry a rucksack. Sometimes it’s a hiking backpack, and sometimes a dedicated camera backpack, but I rarely want to leave the OM-3 inside the bag. I much prefer having it ready to shoot if an opportunity arises.

At the same time, I don’t want to hold the camera in my hand the entire time. Sometimes I need my hands free to scramble across rivers and streams, climb the edge of a hill, or simply stop for a snack.

The best solution I’ve found for carrying the OM-3 in these situations is the Peak Design Capture Clip. It mounts onto any backpack strap, and you attach the camera using a plate (similar to how you mount a camera to a tripod).

It’s extremely well made, very secure, and most importantly quick to slot the camera into while on the move. It’s also comfortable to use and conveniently uses the same mounting plate as Peak Design’s tripods, so if you already use one of those there’s no need to swap plates.

For anyone who hikes or does landscape photography, the Capture Clip is easily the best way to carry the OM-3 over longer distances while keeping it instantly accessible for shooting.

Conclusion

Each of these accessories has been tested in the field and earned its place. If you’ve found something that works brilliantly with the OM-3, let me know — I’m always open to trying gear.

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.

I used to own the original Olympus 17mm f/1.8 back when I shot with the Pen-F. The 35mm equivalent field of view has always been one of my favourite everyday walk-around focal lengths, so that lens spent a lot of time on my camera. It was decent but not great — small and lightweight, with good-enough image quality, but it came with some compromises. One of the biggest drawbacks was the lack of weather sealing, which meant that paired with the Pen-F, it wasn’t the most reliable setup for unpredictable conditions. I now shoot this lens on the OM System OM-3. You can see my full OM-3 review here.

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Fast forward to today, and OM System has refreshed the lens as the 17mm f/1.8 Mark II. On paper, the big change is weather resistance — and paired with the OM-3, I finally have a small, sealed package that’s perfect for travel, family, and everyday photography. See my favourite travel photography lenses on the OM-3 for more about that.

The OM System 17mm f/1.8 Mark II isn’t trying to be the sharpest or most impressive lens in the system — it’s designed to be small, reliable, and always with you.

But is this just a rebadge with a tougher shell, or did OM System improve the optics too?

In this review, I’ll go through the new lens, highlight what’s changed, and help you decide whether the 17mm f/1.8 Mark II is worth adding to your kit. If you prefer the 25mm focal length, I reviewed the original Olympus 25mm 1.8 lens.

What’s Changed From the Original 17mm f/1.8?

One of my biggest gripes with the original Olympus 17mm f/1.8 was the lack of weather sealing. When I paired it with my old E-M5 Mark II, I never truly had a sealed system. While I’ve often risked using non-sealed lenses in light rain, the wet season here in the Philippines can drench you in minutes. Add in the constant humidity and dusty environments, and weather sealing becomes less of a luxury and more of a necessity.

The 17mm f/1.8 Mark II finally adds IPX1 weather resistance. It’s rated as splash- and dust-proof and will handle vertical rain without issue, though sideways monsoon downpours are technically beyond its guarantee. In reality, I’ve already had the OM-3 with the 17mm II slung over my shoulder in heavy showers, attached to my Peak Design camera leash, and it performed flawlessly. I’m confident it can handle most conditions I face here.

Another change is the removal of the manual focus clutch, which helped trim a few grams and make the lens a little shorter than the original. Personally, I’m fine with this trade-off — I never used the clutch much, and the gain of weather sealing is worth it.

The lens also receives OM System’s ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating, which should improve flare resistance. In truth, I never found flare to be a serious issue on either version, so this feels more like an incremental upgrade than a game-changer.

Otherwise, the lens is the same. The optical formula is unchanged: it’s still sharp, still focuses quickly, but still suffers from a little purple and green fringing in very high-contrast scenes.

Overall, the refresh makes the lens a far more versatile everyday option. Its combination of small size, light weight, and new sealing makes it an excellent match for the OM-3. Is it worth upgrading if you already own the original? Honestly, not unless you really value the weather sealing. But I’m pleased to see OM System refreshing their popular f/1.8 primes with these updates, bringing them closer in spirit to Fujifilm’s compact “Fujicron” lenses. I’d love to see the 25mm f/1.8 II in my kit soon, and I hope the 45mm f/1.8 gets the same treatment. While these 1.8 series of lenses don’t quite offer the same image and build quality as lenses like the 25mm 1.2 pro they do highlight one of the best characteristics of Micro Four Thirds cameras, offering small, lightweight optics with good image quality.

Sample Images below:

This article is based on real-world testing. I’ve used the Fujifilm X100VI since its release, and the OM System OM-3 was tested extensively throughout August — including on my latest trip to Moalboal in the Philippines.

I know some people will say “why compare a fixed-lens camera to an interchangeable-lens body?” I heard the same thing years ago when I compared the Olympus Pen F with the Fujifilm X100T. And yes, on paper they’re not direct competitors.

But in practice, they share a lot: both are beautifully designed, retro-styled cameras. Both are small, lightweight, and perfect for anyone who wants something better than a phone without carrying a full-frame kit. For travel, family, or everyday shooting, that makes them natural alternatives. If you want my thoughts after shooting another year with the Fuji X100VI I wrote an article on my experience.

I use my Fujifilm X100VI constantly — it’s one of my most-used cameras. But when I saw the OM System OM-3 with its compact design and the option to pair it with the updated 17mm f/1.8 II, my curiosity got the better of me. Could the OM-3 replicate the way I use the X100VI when paired with the OM Systems 17mm f/1. II lens — while also offering the flexibility of a fully featured interchangeable-lens system when I needed it and, is Micro Four Thirds still a viable system in 2025. I added a few essential accessories to the OM-3 just as I did to my X100VI.

I’ve been shooting with both Fujifilm and Olympus/OM System cameras for over a decade, dating back to the original OM-D E-M5 and Fuji X-Pro1. I know both systems inside out, and I genuinely like them for different reasons. In this article, I’ll walk you through how each performs as a travel, family, and everyday camera — and ultimately, help you decide which one fits your style best.

Design & Styling

Seeing as both of these cameras are — in the camera world at least, and in my eyes too — beautiful designs, which one do I actually prefer? Bear in mind this is, of course, subjective.

There’s no doubt that if you sit the X100VI and OM-3 next to each other, the OM-3 stands out as the more beautiful camera, with its silver finish (I have the black X100VI). I asked my family and a few strangers, and every single one picked the OM-3 as the better-looking model.

However, I don’t think it’s that simple. For me, both are elegant designs. The OM-3 is more overtly pretty, with its retro styling, silver finish, and color wheel reminiscent of old Olympus film cameras. The finish is absolutely first-rate. It has its SLR-style EVF in the middle of the camera, complete with the traditional viewfinder hump.

The Fujifilm X100VI is also a very nice-looking camera but goes with the rangefinder styling, with the viewfinder sitting inside the main camera body, off to the left. Some may prefer one over the other. For me, being left-eye dominant but able to shoot with either eye, it makes little difference. However, the viewfinder on the X100VI is 3.69 million dots versus 2.36 million on the OM-3. In reality, switching back and forth between the two, there are differences, but they’re marginal and not a deal breaker either way. What may be a deal breaker for some is that the X100VI also offers an optical viewfinder thanks to its hybrid design. I use the EVF 99% of the time so it’s not a deciding factor for me.

I definitely appreciate the beauty of the OM-3, but I’m quite drawn to the more subtle design of the X100VI. I guess as a slightly introverted person, the X100VI in black suits me well. I can’t call a winner here, as both look incredible.

If you’re already considering picking one up, here are the latest prices:

The thing that struck me with the OM-3 is the quality of the controls and dials. Every dial turns with exactly the right amount of resistance to feel solid and purposeful, yet not so much so that it’s difficult to operate. All the buttons are raised just enough to find them when operating the camera without having to look. The shutter button feels perfect, with just the right amount of pressure needed for a half-press to focus and then a full press to take the photo.

The only minor negatives for me would be the on/off switch being on the left-hand side of the body (Olympus and OM Systems have always done this, and I still don’t know why), and the record button on top of the camera being tiny and awkward to find. No problem for us stills shooters, except I’ve re-programmed mine to turn eye AF on and off. The front color wheel dial is also a little stiff to turn, which means that for me, it’s a two-finger job. Rather than being able to quickly change it with my right hand while holding the camera, I have to do so with my left hand reaching around the body.

I also noticed that the camera strap attachment point is slightly in the way when I’m gripping the camera, although after a bit of messing around I found a position where it now sits comfortably between my index and middle fingers. There is a small thumb rest at the back of the body which helps with grip during longer shooting sessions, and the front is covered in a faux-leatherette material that gives a little purchase. Overall, considering there is very little to grip on to with the OM-3, it is surprisingly decent to hold — though it definitely benefits from an L-Grip being added.

Build quality, as I mentioned, looks to be top notch, with weather sealing that I would — and have — trusted in the worst the monsoon season can throw at me here in the Philippines. I’ve shot the EM1 Mark II and others from Olympus/OM in torrential rain here with them slung over my shoulder, and they haven’t so much as blinked. The OM-3, with its IPX53 rating, is better sealed than earlier Olympus models, so I have no worries in this regard.

Overall, I’m really pleased with the build quality of the OM-3. It feels like a tool, not a toy, and that’s important to me. In the hand it feels wider and slimmer than my X100VI, and very similar in weight when the 17mm f/1.8 II lens is attached.

The X100VI feels equally well built but takes a more minimalist approach. The rear of the camera looks more sparsely populated with buttons, even though it offers a joystick (not found on the OM-3). It also, of course, offers real dials for shutter speed and ISO, as well as an aperture ring on its lens, whereas the OM-3 uses the standard PASM dials for dialling in exposure settings. PASM is quicker in use, but Fuji’s dials offer a more fun experience.

The OM-3 offers a decent rear LCD screen which is fully articulating. One of the benefits of this is that it’s fully protected when closed. The X100VI’s screen is beautifully designed and sits flush with the body, yet offers a simple tilt up/down mechanism. The Fuji’s is better for shooting discreetly, the OM-3’s is more flexible.

Overall, design and handling is quite different between the two. Although the OM-3 looks just as retro as the Fuji, it is suited to faster-paced shooting — as we’ll also see later on. When I first picked up the OM-3, my initial instinct was that the X100VI is more comfortable and felt more natural in my hand. However, as I shot the OM-3 more and more in Moalboal, here in Cebu, I really started to like it. It’s still not quite as comfortable as the X100VI, which feels softer and more rounded. However, add an L-grip to them both and they start to feel very similar. I wrote a detailed article on the best accessories to add to your Fuji X100VI here.

Overall, I’d say the Fuji gives the experience of a retro camera with its looks and physical control dials, whereas the OM-3 simply gives the appearance of one.

Features & Image Quality

In my opinion, both Fujifilm and OM System have always produced some of the best SOOC JPEGs in the industry — but they go about it in very different ways.

Fujifilm leans into its film simulations, which offer a fantastic array of looks, many of them with a nostalgic vibe. There’s likely a film simulation to suit all tastes. Personally, I shoot in Classic Chrome most of the time. If you want to get your X100VI quickly set up for shooting then download my free setup guide as well as downloadable settings file to load straight on to your camera. It includes AF setup as well as custom functions and Fuji film recipes already added.

The OM-3 also produces great JPEGs, but they’re less about nostalgia and muted tones and more about vibrant, realistic colors. If you want things right in-camera and want lots of immediate choices, normally I’d say go Fuji. However, the OM-3’s color wheel gives you a huge amount of freedom to create your own looks if you’re willing to put in the time. It has a novel way of allowing you to do this through its color wheel for both color and monochrome profiles.

It’s the old Pen F vs X100 argument again: do you want Fujifilm’s immediately accessible film simulations (plus custom recipes widely shared online), or do you prefer the freedom of OM System’s more intuitive, Lightroom-style color wheel where you can see adjustments live in the viewfinder as you shoot?

High ISO Performance

APS-C vs Micro Four Thirds isn’t a huge gap these days, but yes — the X100VI performs slightly better once you get up to ISO 6400. It’s not just that there’s less noise; the Fuji’s noise pattern is more uniform and therefore more pleasing to the eye. The difference is small, around 1/3 to 1/2 a stop.

Personally, I like having Fujifilm film simulations available as Lightroom profiles for RAW files, but at the end of the day, they’re just color profiles. I can get results I like out of both cameras.

Lenses and Rendering

Comparing the Fuji’s fixed 23mm f/2 to the OM System 17mm f/1.8 II, both are sharp, but the Fuji is better corrected for chromatic aberrations. I’ve noticed more purple and green fringing with the 17mm f/1.8 II. That said, the OM-3 lets you switch lenses — and when I paired it with the 25mm f/1.2 Pro, the results surpassed the Fuji lens, though at the cost of size and weight.

Black & White Profiles

Fujifilm is rightly known for its beautiful Acros profile, one of my favorites for rich black and white with excellent tonality. The OM-3 also has fantastic black and white options via the color wheel, with three profiles as standard. Profile 2 is meant to replicate Tri-X, but I find it a bit too contrasty, so I’ve tweaked it and am still settling on my preferred look.

Computational Features vs Classic Tools

Where the OM-3 really shines compared to the X100VI is in features. It offers Live View, Live Bulb, and Live Composite, which make long exposure photography incredibly easy by giving you live feedback as the exposure builds. It also offers both tripod-based (80MP) and handheld (50MP) high-resolution modes. These not only increase detail but also reduce noise at higher ISOs while improving color fidelity. They don’t come without some issues though, for instance I have found that handheld high-res mode’s benefits in terms of detail are inconsistent.

On top of that, the OM-3 includes software-based ND and graduated ND filters. In my testing, they often do a great job of replicating long exposures and balancing high dynamic range scenes without bracketing. There are caveats (which I’ll cover in my full review), but overall, they’re impressive.

The Fujifilm X100VI doesn’t have these computational features, but it does have tricks the OM-3 can’t match. Its leaf shutter allows for extremely fast flash sync speeds, and when combined with the built-in flash, it makes fill flash in bright daylight easy. It also has a built-in four-stop physical ND filter that lets you shoot shallow depth-of-field portraits in bright light — something the OM-3’s software-based ND can’t replicate.

Autofocus

Now let me start this section by saying that, while the X100VI is not the fastest focusing camera in the world, for single shot, everyday photography I have found it to be perfectly fine. It’s way faster than the Ricoh GRIII for example. However, the difference between it and the OM-3 when trying to capture faster action is pretty significant. I attempted shots of Sofia running towards me on the beach that I honestly wouldn’t even attempt (and didn’t) with the X100VI. Out of several series of over 50 shots that I took, only a couple were out of focus. I repeated this test twice and the results were always the same. So if capturing your children speeding around while on vacation is important to you, then there is only one option here that I could hand on heart say will do the job. The OM-3 is significantly better in these kinds of scenarios.

Overall

Both cameras are fantastic tools. The OM-3 is more flexible, not just because of interchangeable lenses, but because its features let you leave your tripod and filters at home while still being able to shoot handheld 50MP high-resolution images. I’d trust its weather sealing above the X100VI’s, too. If you want flexibility, adaptability, and a camera that can cover an incredible range of shooting scenarios, the OM-3 is a superb choice — especially for Micro Four Thirds shooters who want a compact but versatile system.

The Fujifilm X100VI doesn’t have as many bells and whistles, and its AF performance isn’t as quick, but what it offers can’t quite be replicated by the OM-3. That’s the genuinely immersive shooting experience: the leaf shutter, built-in ND filter, rangefinder styling, simplicity, discretion (especially in black), and those superb film simulations. If you want beautiful results straight out of camera without having to tweak much, the X100VI delivers.

Frequently Asked Questions

When I first saw the OM System OM-3, my immediate thoughts were of nostalgia for the Olympus Pen-F that I owned and shot all those years ago. The Pen-F, while it had some serious flaws, was one of the most enjoyable cameras I’ve ever used. Beautifully designed — possibly the best-looking camera of the modern era — with good image quality, competitive autofocus, and a brilliant implementation of Olympus’ color engine through the color wheel. It was small, light, and allowed the use of Olympus’ excellent lens lineup. If you’re wondering if Micro Four Thirds still makes sense in 2025 then I wrote this article.

The OM-3 seemed to promise all of those things, but updated: a beautiful design (this time SLR-style rather than rangefinder), access to the same deep lens lineup, and crucially, proper weather sealing when paired with lenses like the OM Systems 17mm 1.8II lens which I review here — one of the Pen-F’s most obvious omissions.

If that’s all it had been — essentially a rebadged E-M5 with new styling — I probably wouldn’t have bought it. But what tipped me over the edge was the fact that the OM-3 seems to contain the guts of the OM-1 series inside. Having used both the OM-1 and the OM-1 Mark II, I know just how powerful those cameras are. Packing that level of performance into such a compact, lightweight body made me sit up and pay attention. The OM-3 still needs some essential accessories to get the best out of it so I put together what I use in the article linked.

First Impressions

A camera that looks good isn’t enough on its own — it has to make you want to shoot and it has to perform. But boy does it look good.

There are some compromises, and the ones that stand out immediately are the lower-resolution EVF at 2.36 million dots and single SD card slot. I can live with these if the rest of the camera lives up to expectations although I think at the price point, OM Systems really should have given the camera the viewfinder from the OM-1 series.

What I was really after was the most compact interchangeable lens system possible without stripping away performance. And that’s what the OM-3 feels like. The latest OM System bodies are effectively entire shooting systems in their own right. Computational features like handheld hi-res, Live ND, and in-camera graduated ND modes remove the need for tripods, ND filters, and other accessories — hugely powerful for travel photography, which is where I’ll use the OM-3 most.

Out of the box, my first impressions of the build are excellent. The metal construction, solid dense feel, well-damped dials and buttons all inspire confidence. The screen doesn’t feel flimsy, and you can tell the IPX rating is the real deal.

In terms of handling, it feels familiar — I’ve been an OM/Olympus user since the original E-M5 in 2012/13. The ergonomics are generally good, though I’d say that having shot the Fuji X100VI and X-T5 a lot lately, the O-M3 doesn’t feel as natural yet. The OM-3 feels short but wide, somewhere between the Nikon Zf and Fuji’s X-T line in terms of comfort. To help, I’ve added a small Haoge grip extension, which improves handling, though I’m also shooting it barebones to see if it’s simply a matter of getting used to the design.

My Travel Kit with the OM-3

I plan to shoot the O-M3 mainly with the following lenses:

• M.Zuiko 12–40mm f/2.8 PRO II
• M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II
• M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.2 PRO

That combination will let me see how the OM-3 balances everything from tiny primes to pro lenses. My goal is for the OM-3 to be a travel-focused camera that can handle everything from landscapes to portraits, while staying light and portable. It won’t replace my Fuji kit, but it will complement it — just as Nikon does in its own way..

A Spiritual Successor to the Pen-F

Photographers have been calling for a true Pen-F successor for years, and while the OM-3 isn’t that directly, I think it’s the closest thing yet. It feels like the spiritual successor: updated, modernized, and improved enough to give the concept a chance at commercial viability.

Yes, the price is a little high. But factor in what you save by not needing tripods or filters — or compare it to the cost of a full system switch — and the OM-3 starts to look more reasonable.

Is it good value? That’s something I’ll only know after more time: shooting in varied scenarios, testing the results, and making large prints. Once I’ve done that, I’ll share a no-nonsense review, alongside comparisons with the OM-1 Mark II which I also have with me now.

Final Thoughts

For me, the OM-3 isn’t just about specs. It’s about having a compact, weather-sealed, professional-level tool that still makes me want to pick it up and shoot. It feels like the Pen-F spirit lives on here — only this time with the power of the OM-1 series behind it. And that combination was too tempting to resist. After a month of solid use I wrote about the things I already love about the OM Systems OM-3.