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When I heard rumors down the grapevine of OM System releasing a new retro camera I was naturally excited.
Many questions came to mind; will it be a successor to the cult-classicPEN-F?
Will it be the upgrade that finally lays my decade-old Olympus EM-5 Mark II to rest?
On the surface, the OM System OM-3 is tailor-made for my uses.
Finally, the brand is producing small lightweight cameras with an all-metal casing again.
I’ve tried to love the recent plastic-bodiedEM-5 Mark IIIand theOM-5and I just can’t.
All of the above is why I’m a huge fan of the older EM-5 Mark II.
You know, somethinga lotlike the OM System OM-3.
It’s all about economics
So, why am I not rushing to buy the OM-3?
It’s simple - this camera just costs way too much.
On paper, I can definitely see why OM System decided to price the OM-3 accordingly.
Where that argument falls down, however, is when you compare the OM-3 to offerings from other brands.
Both of these feature a 40MP APS-C sensor, decent autofocus, and the much-hyped Fujifilm X-Processor 5 engine.
Even theNikon Zf, massive lenses and all, comes in at $1,999 for a viable full-frame alternative.
But at $2,000?
That is a very big ask in such a competitive field.
Did it have to have a stacked sensor?
I know what you’re going to say - “but it has a stacked sensor!”.
That’s what’s enabling the incredible 50fps Continuous-AF burst mode.
The issue, of course, is that stacked sensors arereallypricey.
Given the intended market, did the OM-3 even need that stacked sensor?
The stacked sensor here is obviously a ‘nice to have’ - but at $2,000?
Again, that’s a lot for a camera that’s going to sit in my bag every day.
The OM-3 is obviously a camera with a ton of promise, too.
It’s a direct answer to the myriad calls over the past few years for a PEN-F successor.
Perhaps, like the PEN-F, this one is destined to become another cult classic.
If I recall correctly, however, thePEN-F was also steeply priced at launch.
