The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III gets a lot of things right. It produces great images, is packed with fun and genuinely useful features, is well-built and beautifully designed, and above all, fun to use and take control over.

General and travel photography; landscape shooters wanting a compact kit and existing Micro Four Thirds users looking for some of the best image quality they can get.

Those that photograph demanding sports and peak action and those that need a more full-featured video experience.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III gets a lot of things right. It produces great images, is packed with fun and genuinely useful features, is well-built and beautifully designed, and above all, fun to use and take control over. Unfortunately, its autofocus just can't keep up with the competition and the overly complex user interface could use updating. But for many types of photography, the E-M5 Mark III will be a rewarding and capable choice.

General and travel photography, landscape shooters wanting a compact kit and existing Micro Four Thirds users looking for some of the best image quality they can get.;

Those that photograph demanding sports and peak action and those that need a more full-featured video experience;

Stylish, lighter than ever, and crammed with shooting modes for users of all skill levels, power under the hood and improvements across the board, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a sensible upgrade. It may not quite match the overall image quality potential of its larger-sensor rivals, but the E-M5 Mk III hits the sweet spot for size, weight, handling and features.

Powerful image processor; Much improved video spec; Insanely good image stabilization; Tiny body, excellent handling; A plethora of shooting modes; Stylish looks;

Smaller sensor than rivals; No longer has metal shell; Larger handgrip would be welcome; A little expensive

Andy Westlake examines whether Olympus’s updated compact, lightweight but fully-featured Micro Four Thirds model can hold its own against strong APS-C competition

Small size and light weight make it easy to carry everywhere; Superbly designed control layout is a pleasure to use; Incredibly effective in-body stabilisation gives sharper images hand-held; Effective weather-sealing; Excellent JPEG output; Small size and light weight make it easy to carry...

No AF-point joystick; Raw image quality lags behind its peers; Many advanced features are buried in menus; Users with large hands may find the grip too cramped; No AF-point joystick; Raw image quality lags behind its peers; Many advanced features are buried in menus; Users with large hands may find...

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is Olympus's most accessible hobbyist camera – and an upgrade that feels long ov...

Small size; Latest 20MP MFT sensor; Excellent in-body stabilization; Weatherproofing; Clever Live Composite mode and more

Lightweight feel; Battery doesn't seem to last long

Of the three main types of mirrorless camera – full-frame, APS-C and Micro Four Thirds – it's the latter that has been somewhat left behind in 2019. But now its sole champion, Olympus, has released a reminder that the format is still very much relevant in the smartphone age.

Stylish, lighter than ever, and crammed with shooting modes for users of all skill levels, power under the hood and improvements across the board, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a sensible upgrade.

Powerful image processor; Much improved video spec; Insanely good image stabilization; Tiny body; excellent handling; A plethora of shooting modes; Stylish looks

Smaller sensor than rivals; No longer has metal shell; Larger handgrip would be welcome; A little expensive

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is available in both black and silver colorways and will begin shipping in late November of this year – just in time for the holidays. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III (camera body only) retails for $1,199.99 USD ($1,499.99 CAD).

Of late, all of the attention has been on APS-C and full-frame cameras. It can be easy to forget the benefits of a smaller sensor – namely a smaller body and, importantly, a smaller overall system. The OM-D E-M5 Mark III is an attractive little camera, with a lightweight, travel-friendly body that's brimming with extras.

Small and light body; Lots of direct-access controls; Vari-angle, touch-sensitive screen;

Four Thirds sensor smaller than rivals; Not the best for low-light shooting; Single card slot;