What I Like and Don’t Like About the OM System OM-3

It took me a long time to decide to buy the OM System OM-3. I already owned the OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II, and I didn’t see much reason to add another camera with so many of the same features. A really good price on a refurbished OM-3 and 12–45mm f/4 from OM System finally convinced me to buy one.

During my recent trip to Colorado, I used the OM-3 quite a bit in both Great Sand Dunes National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. I took it on multiple hikes and left the OM-1 behind. That gave me time to get beyond the camera’s specifications and see what I liked—and what I didn’t like—while actually using it.

There is a lot to like. The OM-3 brings many of the features I appreciate in the OM-1 cameras into a retro-style body. But that body also comes with compromises, particularly when using larger lenses.

What I Like About the OM System OM-3

Retro Look and Style

I like the look of the OM System OM-3. The retro styling was part of its appeal, even though appearance alone wasn’t originally enough to convince me to buy it.

Having used it more, I still appreciate the design. My reservations are mostly about how that design affects handling, which I’ll get to below.

The CP Button

The CP (Computational Photography) button is one of my favorite features. It makes the computational photography functions easy to access and change without assigning a separate custom button to each one I use.

Holding the CP button and turning a dial lets me choose among functions such as High Res Shot, Live ND, Live GND, focus stacking, HDR, and multiple exposure. Having those options together is convenient when changing subjects or deciding to try a different approach to a photograph.

At Horseshoe Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, I used Live ND handheld to blur the moving water. That is the kind of feature I want to reach quickly while I’m out photographing.

I’d like OM System to add the ability to assign this combined CP function to a button on the OM-1 Mark II through a firmware update. As of this writing, that has not been added. The OM-1 Mark II lets you assign individual computational functions to buttons, but it does not offer the same combined access as the OM-3’s CP button.

Computational Photography Features

The OM System OM-3 includes many of the computational features I already appreciate on the OM-1 Mark II, including Live ND, Live GND, High Res Shot, Pro Capture, Live Composite, and Focus Stacking.

These features give me in-camera options for blurring movement, balancing a bright sky, or extending depth of field when a scene calls for it.

Live ND was useful on this trip, but the broader appeal is having several ways to work with a scene built into the camera. I don’t use every feature on every outing, but I like having them available.

Five Custom Modes on the Dial

The five custom positions on the mode dial are another feature I like. They provide a way to save different camera setups and return to them without working through the menus each time.

On the OM-3, those custom modes are particularly useful because there are fewer customizable buttons. I appreciate having five positions, although part of their importance comes from needing another way to reach settings that I might assign to buttons on an OM-1.

The Creative Dial

The Creative Dial provides direct access to color and monochrome profiles, Art Filters, and Color Creator. There are four customizable color profiles and four monochrome profiles.

The color profiles let you adjust the saturation of individual colors, while the monochrome profiles include color-filter effects and grain settings. You can also adjust highlights and shadows to develop a look you like.

In my opinion, it’s not quite there with Fujifilm’s Film Simulations or Panasonic’s Real-time LUTs, but it’s a move in the right direction. I like having a physical control that makes these options easy to explore.

Image Stabilization

The OM-3 has the kind of image stabilization I’ve come to appreciate in the OM-1 cameras. That matters to me when hiking and working handheld.

At Horseshoe Falls, I used the OM-3’s stabilization along with Live ND to photograph the cascades without setting up a tripod. With people moving around the rocks and falls, working handheld made it easier to find a position and compose. I also used exposure bracketing handheld throughout the trip.

Although the OM-3’s image stabilization is rated slightly below both OM-1 models, it still worked well for the handheld photography I did on my Colorado trip.

Weatherproofing

Weatherproofing is one of the reasons I have continued to use OM System cameras for outdoor photography. The OM System OM-3 has an IP53 rating when paired with an appropriately rated lens.

I had it out in steady rain in Rocky Mountain National Park, and it performed without a problem. Weather doesn’t always cooperate on a photo outing, so this matters more to me than it might if I used the camera mainly indoors or in good weather.

Wildlife While Hiking

The OM System OM-3 worked well for wildlife encounters on my hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Paired with the Olympus 40–150mm f/4, I photographed moose, elk, squirrels, and chipmunks.

At Sprague Lake, the 40-150mm f/4 lens was enough for my wildlife photographs. Its full-frame equivalent range of 80–300mm gave me useful reach in a lens that was easier to carry and handle than my larger telephoto.

I still prefer the OM-1 bodies for dedicated wildlife photography, but I was pleased with what I could photograph with the OM-3 while out hiking. I didn’t have to pass up wildlife photography opportunities simply because I had left the OM-1 behind.

Easy Access to Video

Video isn’t my main reason for owning the OM-3, but I was able to easily capture nature and wildlife clips with the 40–150mm f/4. The camera’s image stabilization helped keep the footage steady even at longer focal lengths.

The dedicated still, video, and slow-and-quick-motion dial makes switching to video easy. The OM-3 can also record 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, giving me the option to capture smoother motion or slow footage down when needed.

With a smaller lens, I could see the OM-3 being even better suited to quick handheld video for street photography. Sometimes a short clip adds something a still photograph doesn’t show, particularly with an animal moving or feeding. I appreciate being able to record those moments with the camera I already have in my hands.

What I Don’t Like About the OM System OM-3

No Built-In Grip

The lack of a substantial grip is my biggest handling complaint.

The flat front contributes to the retro appearance, but I miss having something more secure to wrap my fingers around. That becomes more noticeable as the lens gets larger or I spend more time holding the camera ready to photograph.

I purchased a SmallRig grip, which helped, but it didn’t make the OM-3 handle like an OM-1. Even with the added grip, I don’t find it as easy to hold and operate with longer lenses.

I’m covering the grip options in a separate comparison, but an accessory grip is something I would factor into the purchase. 

Limited Customizable Buttons

I like to have frequently used settings available without going into menus. The OM-1 Mark II has eight customizable buttons on the camera body, while the OM-3 has five. That difference is noticeable when I switch between cameras.

The CP button helps by bringing several functions together, and the five custom modes provide another way to change setups. Still, neither entirely replaces having more controls available under my fingers.

This is one of the compromises I notice when switching between the OM-1 Mark II and the OM-3.

No Joystick

I also miss the joystick, particularly when photographing birds and wildlife.

There are other ways to move the autofocus target, but I prefer the joystick on the OM-1. Its absence is another handling difference that becomes more apparent when the subject is moving and I want to make an adjustment quickly.

The lack of a joystick is one of the main reasons I still prefer the OM-1 bodies for wildlife photography.

Balance With Larger Lenses

The OM-3 feels better balanced to me with lenses such as the OM System 12–45mm f/4 or even the 12–40mm f/2.8.

With the Olympus 12–100mm f/4, the camera feels front-heavy. I like that lens’s versatility, but on the OM-3 I’m more aware of the weight in front of the body.

The OM System 40–150mm f/4 worked well for wildlife while hiking, but moving to larger lenses makes the grip and handling limitations more noticeable. Adding the SmallRig grip helps, yet I still prefer the OM-1 body when using longer, heavier lenses.

A Single SD Card Slot

The single SD card slot isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but at this price I would expect two slots.

A second slot gives you options for backup or continuing onto another card when the first one fills. For wildlife and sports photography, that additional capacity can be useful when photographing extended action.

Combined with the lack of a built-in grip, absence of a joystick, and handling with larger lenses, the single slot reinforces where the OM-3 fits for me. I can photograph wildlife with it, but it would not be my first choice for a camera bought primarily for wildlife or sports.

Strap Eyelets and Shutter Button Placement

One smaller issue became surprisingly noticeable: the position of the neck strap eyelets in relation to the shutter button.

I use Peak Design neck straps, and on the OM-3 the strap seems to get in the way of my finger when I press the shutter button. I don’t have this problem with my other cameras.

I found that placing the strap between my index and middle fingers keeps it out of the way. That works, but it is something I have to accommodate when holding the camera.

It’s a small detail that doesn’t show up on a specifications sheet, but it affects how comfortable the camera is to use.

Where the OM-3 Fits Alongside My OM-1 Cameras

The Colorado trip gave me a better sense of where I would use the OM System OM-3. I carried it on hikes without the OM-1 and photographed landscapes, moving water, and wildlife along the way.

The CP button, image stabilization, weatherproofing, and computational features are all things I value. With smaller lenses, it makes a useful camera for the kind of photography I do while exploring a location.

For dedicated wildlife and bird photography with larger lenses, I still prefer the OM-1 bodies. The grip, joystick, additional controls, and dual card slots make them a better fit for that work.

I bought the OM System OM-3 because the refurbished price made it easier to justify trying one. After using it extensively on this trip, I have more reasons to carry it than just its appearance. I also have a clearer idea of when I would leave it behind and take an OM-1.

Want to Learn More

• OM System PEN vs. OM-3 vs. OM-5 Mark II: Which Camera Is Right for You?
• Beginner’s Guide to Computational Photography with OM System Cameras
• Nature Photography with the OM System 40–150mm f/4 PRO Lens: Field Test Results