Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III: First thoughts
Clearly subscribing to the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ Olympus has unveiled a Mark III version of its popular OM-D E-M10. Existing users are likely to welcome the familiarity, while new users will no doubt be drawn to its useful mix of features along with travel-friendly dimensions. It’s no coincidence that the press invite last week took me to a travel inspired gin parlour near Leicester Square.
Before the gin cocktails started to take affect, I grabbed a few minutes with the new model to get acquainted with the key changes. Externally, there aren’t too many. The top-plate dials are now slightly more prominent and the main mode dial now has an AP (Advanced Photo) setting, which affords easier access to the Mark III’s more creative features such as Live Composite and Multiple Exposure modes. The rear LCD also has a more friendly, smartphone-style interface for setting features that’s really easy to get along with.
Internally, the sensor is the same as before but it’s now coupled to a new processing engine – TruePicVIII – which is claimed to offer improved low light performance, adds a 15th Art Filter in the form of Bleach Bypass and provides 4K video shooting at up to 30p. Contrast AF points also take a jump from 81 on the Mark II to 121 on the Mark III while the maximum frames-per-second rate sees a more modest change from 8.5 to 8.6 frames-per-second, although you’ll only see this benefit if you shoot JPEGs.
In truth, I find the upgrades a little too modest and, unless you’re particularly craving 4K video, I can’t see the benefit of existing users upgrading, particularly if you’re a Mark II owner. But if you’re fresh to the mirrorless market, the E-M10 Mark III remains a good option, combining smart looks with a great range of features.
