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...

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

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;

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.

Olympus's new OM-D E-M5 Mark III is Olympus' long-awaited update to the E-M5 II , which was released all the way back in 2015. Four years later, what is Olympus offering with the new update

Excellent colour reproduction; 20mp sensor; Fast focus system; 4K CINE / UHD video; Weather-sealed camera; Lightweight body; In-camera raw editing

MicroUSB connection; No Joystick control; Plastic construction; The menus

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III strikes a fantastic balance between features, performance, size and price. It is the most lightest and most compact weatherproof mirrorless camera ever made and still manages to include an EVF and builtin image-stabilization.

Very low image-noise; Effective stabilization; Well-balanced metering system; Quick and accurate autofocus system; Instant shutter-lag; Virtually no black-out; Fast continuous drive speed with deep buffer; Highly efficient interface; Huge feature-set; Exceptionally compact; Good build quality

Strong anti-alias filter; Poor color accuracy; AWB struggles with artificial light; Not always Exposure-Priority; Partially modal EC; Flex in LCD hinge; Noticeable delay to record video; Uncomfortable eyelets; Very short battery-life

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is an excellent all-rounder that crams a load of smart skills into a tiny package

Brilliant in-body stabilisation; Compact size; Excellent stills performance; Very good 4K video

Plasticky feel; Average battery life; Slightly under-par continuous autofocus

The OM-D E-M5 III is the classic all-rounder: it excels across the board without ever quite being top dog at anything. It doesn’t quite beat the best for image quality, for instance, but it’s not far behind, thanks to the combination of the latest Micro Four Thirds sensor and its superb in-body image stabilisation. Video is generally very good, autofocus is excellent in most situations and it has plenty of neat little tricks that you’ll actually use. Despite its small stature, it’s also a really nice camera to shoot with – well laid out, nice in the hand and easy to use. Well, so long as you don’t have to delve into the menus. If you’re already invested in MFT as a system then the E-M5 Mark III would make a lovely upgrade. If you’re not, then there are probably slightly better cameras out there for around the same price – but there’s not much in it either way. While not exactly cheap at just over £1000 body-only, you’re getting a lot for your money here – and all crammed into an impressively compact package. So, if you’re looking for a small system camera that doesn’t skimp on the smarts, the OM-D E-M5 III is a fine choice.

Brilliant in-body stabilisation; Compact size; Excellent stills performance; Very good 4K video;

Plasticky feel; Average battery life; Slightly under-par continuous autofocus;

Brilliant in-body stabilisation; Compact size; Excellent stills performance; Very good 4K video;

Plasticky feel; Average battery life; Slightly under-par continuous autofocus;

Brilliant in-body stabilisation; Compact size; Excellent stills performance; Very good 4K video;

Plasticky feel; Average battery life; Slightly under-par continuous autofocus;