OM System Announces February Launch of OM-3 Retro M43 Camera

The OM System OM-3 has recently been revealed as a retro-themed Micro Four Thirds camera expected to release sometime in 2025. Initial rumors suggested a launch around the end of February, but the official teaser from OM Systems on YouTube indicates that the OM-3 will actually be unveiled on February 6.

Teaser Details

Although this release date comes sooner than anticipated, it remains uncertain what the teaser event will fully involve—whether it will solely be a reveal or a complete launch. However, the new teaser video does provide some insightful information. Notably, the OM System OM-3, which is not its confirmed name but a designation from leaks, will bring back the color dial seen in the Olympus Pen F from 2016.

Features and Pricing

The inclusion of this color dial seems to be OM System’s way of appealing to beginners, similar to the film simulation dial found on cameras like the Fujifilm X-T50 and X-M5. The leaked price of about $1,500 hints that, even with the same internal components as the flagship OM-1 II (priced at $2,399.99 on Amazon), the OM-3 will directly compete with Fujifilm’s mid-range models.

From other shots of the camera body, we can observe that it offers a variety of analog controls, which is a nice feature, especially for a retro-designed camera, and it has what looks like a hot shoe for flashes or other accessories. This is what users would expect from a premium camera body, but it’s reassuring for those who wish to do more than just casual street photography.

Size and Competition

The final shot of the teaser video also provides insight into the size of the OM-3, confirming that it will maintain a compact design. This will likely be a refreshing change compared to other recent Micro Four Thirds releases, like the Panasonic Lumix GH7, which is almost the same size as several full-frame and APS-C cameras, undermining the advantages of the smaller sensor and lens system.

Given the reasonable pricing of small, lightweight Micro Four Thirds lenses and the impressive image quality offered by the current OM-1 II, the OM-3 might even challenge the compact Fujifilm X100VI in the street photography market.

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