OM-3 Assessment : Person Expertise + Artistic Prospects
Properly, hey there OM-3. Simply introduced by OM SYSTEM, this new digicam is a sport changer for creatives and I’m going to share my latest expertise working with it to {photograph} landscapes and lupins in New Zealand. There are pattern pictures plus a complete bunch of behind-the-scenes visuals to indicate you what the artwork instruments and digicam capabilities appear to be.
In the event you get pleasure from experimenting, taking part in with color, seeing the world with a artistic eye and producing pictures with a constant tone, you’ll need to preserve studying. There’s a lot inside this compact (and cute) digicam!
Only a fast word, I’m an OM SYSTEM ambassador, nevertheless that is an expertise and consumer evaluate. I knew there could be numerous concentrate on the technical specs in different critiques of the OM-3, in order you’ll see all through the phrases beneath, I’ve taken the artistic strategy, sharing what I discovered progressive and enjoyable to include as I photographed.
In December I took a secret squirrel journey with the OM-3 to New Zealand. On social media I discussed it was my solo/self-employed Christmas celebration (which was additionally the case), nevertheless, I needed to take the chance to make use of the OM-3 someplace I felt impressed to create. Someplace I knew I may stare at mountains, alpine lakes and wander within the vibrant fields to discover the digicam and all that it gives creatively.
After I discovered the OM-3 had a color wheel and progressive choices to regulate and contort color palettes, I couldn’t get the visible of pink and purple lupin fields out of my thoughts. Certain, it was lupin season and my Instagram feed was crammed with the colourful shores of Lake Tekapo, but it surely felt like the best topic that might permit me to immerse myself in nature and use the digicam to its full potential.
First Impressions of the OM-3
Whereas I’ve been taking pictures with Olympus/OM SYSTEM since 2017 and have used numerous digicam fashions on this time, I’ve by no means truly used the PEN-F, so upon opening the field and seeing the retro look of the OM-3, thought it was the cutest digicam I’ve ever seen. Now, you’re possible not right here for that groundbreaking perception that it’s cute, however after all, one fast distinction is the return of the ART dial, with the Mono| Color | ART | CRT choices.
As somebody who isn’t significantly technical, this dial was so intriguing, and I knew it might possible improve how I strategy taking photographs. The very first thing I did was cost the digicam, pop a reminiscence card in and begin urgent buttons, I needed to see all the chances inside!
Exploring the menu I used to be completely satisfied to see numerous the capabilities I take advantage of for panorama pictures can be found, with the Reside ND and GND filters there, plus the Excessive-Res Mode, enabling 50 megapixels when taking pictures handheld. These are all necessities for the kind of pictures I do, and I like that it now gives the prospect to mix these with the artistic color profiling.
The Tech Specs of the OM-3
The OM-3 is slightly magnificence, mixing artistic instruments with progressive capabilities, and as famous above options many devices and goodies inside that exist within the OM-1 and OM-1 MKII. In the event you’ve been studying The Wandering Lens or following my work for some time, you’ll know I’m much less concerning the technical specs and extra concerning the artistic potentialities. I can reply something you have to know concerning the artistic course of and your strategy, however ask me a tech query on the spot and I’ll possible want a second to suppose it via – however that’s the great thing about pictures and artwork, all of us work in a different way and our strategy is exclusive! Anyway, that was simply to say, I’ll word the spectacular tech specs of the OM-3 beneath after which proceed on with my consumer expertise beneath.
- 20.4MP Decision
- TruePic™ X Processor
- 4K 60fps Video – With an ‘S&Q’ choice on the dial for fast entry to Gradual + Fast recording instances…so helpful!
- Artistic dial with the Color, Artwork + Mono Profiles
- ISO as much as 102400
- Inner Stabilisation – Up 7.5 stops EV with Sync IS lenses and 6.5 stops EV internally.
- OM-3 delivers unimaginable speeds, with 120 fps sequential taking pictures in S-AF mode
- IP53 Climate sealing
- Splashproof | Freezeproof | Dustproof
- Tremendous Sonic Wave Filter to guard the inner parts
- Computational Pictures button
- Reside ND | GND | Excessive-Res Mode making it doable to shoot both 80MP with a tripod or 50MP handheld
You’ll discover the complete record of particulars obtainable on the OM SYSTEM web site right here.
Color Palettes + Artistic Prospects
By turning the dial to entry the Color modes, you’re introduced with 4 preset choices that may then be tweaked. What I discover so extremely progressive is that it’s all occurring stay, precisely just like the Reside ND permits you to see the motion flowing via the body, colors are adjusted in real-time so you possibly can see the affect instantly earlier than urgent the shutter.
As an perception into my workflow, sometimes I’ll shoot with a hotter, brighter tone after which make minor changes in submit processing on Adobe Photoshop. I get pleasure from producing heat pastels, someday on the extra vibrant facet, however by no means too darkish or contrasted, I like working with softer palettes. One of many first issues I needed to trial was whether or not or not I may produce an consequence much like what I sometimes edit, inside the digicam itself. An instance beneath of golden hour with the lupins…zero modifying on these pictures, solely the changes in digicam, the left facet is utilizing the softer extra muted profile, the precise is the extra vibrant, heat tones.
These are some screenshots taken at residence whereas specializing in a print to spotlight the options…there have been no icebergs or boats with purple sails in Lake Pukaki that day 🙂
Only a fast word – The OM-3 additionally has common modes like aperture, handbook, auto and unimaginable video capabilities. You may choose to make use of the color and artwork options, or not. I needed to notice this incase I received overexcited relating to the color profiles and it got here off as the one chance, it does all of it AND has the bonus artistic instruments 🙂
Under you’ll see some examples of the assorted color potentialities. Entry to color changes are by way of the color wheel and tone curve, plus you possibly can enhance or lower distinction, sharpness and shading.
Whereas I get pleasure from taking pictures vibrant scenes, taking part in with the Monochrome profiles produced some attractive outcomes. I’ve at all times liked the black and white artwork filters within the different fashions, and these are a group of 4 superbly crafted outcomes that allow a film-like tone, softer tone, and basic monochrome. The darker ‘MONO 2’ profile is my favorite, significantly when paired with an alpine panorama, or rugged textures, even once I was taking pictures contained in the automobile utilizing the mirrors, the outcome had such depth.
Utilizing the OM-3 Within the Area
To make sure sooner transition between the color profiles whereas I used to be out exploring, I opted to set the 5 x customized positions within the mode dial with 5 color profiles, C1-C5. I additionally needed to make use of these as clear examples of the variability that may be achieved in only a few clicks. These are the 5 profiles I set.
- C1 Customised to match the smooth, heat tones within the model I sometimes produce with post-processing.
- C2 The Color 2 Profile (preset)
- C3 A profile with barely muted saturation and vibrancy
- C4 Robust, vibrant tones to experiment on the depth of color obtainable
- C5 Cooler tones with an consequence that felt like movie.
To create these I firstly photographed a couple of scenes to evaluate how the filters, tone curve and numerous artistic controls labored. When modifying, the tone curve is definitely the instrument I take advantage of most, it’s turn into a behavior to tweak this and produce the brightness, or total changes utilizing RGB channels. It felt so thrilling to see the color changes obtainable by merely taking part in round in actual time with the scene earlier than me.
I hung out at Kea Level lookout which is considered one of my favorite viewpoints of Aoraki/Mount Prepare dinner, someplace I knew would have entry to open sky and an attention-grabbing foreground and panorama to work with. One factor I didn’t count on was a bluebird day with nearly no element within the sky. Plus, it was about 28 levels and I used to be roasting as soon as I reached the highest, offering a great cause to sit down and experiment with the GND filter and color settings.
For sundown, I needed to see if the nice and cozy tones could be doable with none further modifying. Fortunately, the climate caught round with clear skies and golden tones. Ducking out to shoot the lupins at Lake Pukaki, I shortly realised the temperature had dropped considerably, which was additionally as a result of reality I made a decision to have a swim within the chilly lake, so was nonetheless in my swimmers because the gusty winds hit. Brrr.
All that to say, the wind compelled me into my rent automobile earlier than sundown hit; this supplied the prospect to get slightly arty and use the windscreen and rear-vision mirror as my topics to assist body the panorama creatively. These pictures labored very well with the cooler tones and mono profiles.
Photographing Lupins in New Zealand
Color has at all times been such an enormous a part of my work, so to see the outcomes occurring as I adjusted the artistic instruments was such an sudden supply of motivation. When photographing I’m at all times placing myself in odd positions attempting to scout frames inside the scene via branches, bushes, throughout water and many others. I’ve to say the alternatives had been flowing as a result of it felt interactive, each adjustment was an encouragement to hunt new angles or incorporate the colors inside the body with a distinct strategy.
You’ll discover numerous the pictures I captured are shot with a large aperture, and that is how I like to {photograph}, boosting the bokeh by integrating foreground topics. Nevertheless, with the customized color profiles, it felt like I may mess around with the outcomes, getting near the pink and purple lupins then transfer round to see how the splash of color labored finest inside the composition.
Last Notes on the OM-3
In the event you’re available in the market for a digicam that does all the things, and supplies the prospect to get artistic and actively concerned within the consequence of every picture, this could completely be thought of and if you happen to’ve received any questions in any respect, you’re welcome to go away a remark or DM by way of Instagram @the_wanderinglens.
The OM-3 isn’t just for nature and outside pictures, it’s truly a super digicam for metropolis wanders and concrete environments, suited to purses and digicam backpacks alike. I feel the artwork filters and color choices would work superbly if you happen to’re enthusiastic about portrait pictures too!
Being able to customize color palettes while nonetheless getting access to the progressive Reside ND and GND filters is sort of merely a sport changer. Releases like this are one of many many causes I like being an OM SYSTEM ambassador. They’re on the forefront of innovation and produce gear that’s not solely profiting from leaps in know-how, however they’re placing that data into instruments and capabilities which are extraordinarily helpful for the photographers behind the lens. OM SYSTEM are crafting cameras that allow us to discover our creativity, which is what I think about to be the entire objective of pictures, capturing moments, and recollections, having significant experiences, all blended with the great thing about creating.
Take a peek on the official OM-3 Particulars right here.
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Journey and panorama photographer from Australia who is much extra snug in a pair of flippers than heels! Having labored for publications comparable to Lonely Planet, Wanderlust and the Sunday Instances, Lisa based The Wandering Lens to share vacation spot guides to the worlds most photogenic locations and outside experiences.