XE5 or OM3: Best Father’s Day Gift for Photographers?
The best Father’s Day Gift for photographers is a camera for someone else.
To get us in the frame for our own family photos.
A small camera to share with my wife is the goal, but unlike my other cameras this is a one and done. A tool the whole family can use for years to come - the moments with my daughter are fleeting - and for this the OM3’s perfect. At least it is on paper - my copy’s still in the box, and tonight the latest fuji goes live. By the end of this X-Summit I’ll need to decide:
OM3 or XE5?
I bought the OM3 and 1 micro four thirds lens with my own money, this review is not sponsored. If you’d like to support my work please consider using my affiliate links:
Favourite M43 lens: https://geni.us/Tn8DD
Wotancraft straps: https://bit.ly/3uIBZ94
Wotancraft Pilot Sling bags: https://bit.ly/3XsV2yx
Family cameras are judged by different criteria - for my use case there are 10 of them.
On my family cam score-card the OM3 hit 9 out of 10, the XE5 still has a shot, but why these 2 cameras?
Neither can beat a full-frame kit in IQ, both are quite expensive (about $2000 US dollars!), but to convince my wife to carry a dedicated photo device on top of her phone, a family camera needs to meet:
Criteria 1: Crop Sensor
It’s not just because of weight, although size is a factor.
The Zf is too heavy for my wife, the OM3 is lighter, XE5 lighter again, but more importantly both micro four thirds and APS-C have larger depth of field.
Less background separation sounds like a con, but for family shots these lemons become lemonade.
I can shoot at brighter apertures - say f2 on a crop sensor and still keep everyone in focus, whereas on full frame I’d have to stop down to f4 or f5.6. In indoor settings - where most family shots are taken I’d have to crank the ISO up then that full frame advantage is gone.
On both the XE5 and OM3 it’s easier to get everyone in focus shooting close to wide open and they’re light enough for me and my wife’s everyday carry.
OM3 + Mystery Lens. SOOC JPEG (Color Mode 2)
OM3: 1
XE5: 1
But what’s lightweight in the field can become heavyweight in post, hence:
Criteria 2: Low Resolution
My wife won’t be editing these photos - actually neither will I, (more on this later) so the ability to crop too much in post will just be a hassle.
Ideally no more than 24 megapixels - better low light performance, smaller file sizes to store as many photos as possible. A faster sensor is a nice to have, not a must have, I do shoot a lot of video.
The OM3’s 20 megapixel stacked chip is perfect for this use case, and to me it’s worth the premium over older Micro four thirds cameras like the OM5.
There’s no way Fuji will reuse the stacked XH2S sensor, but what about the smaller XS20 sensor in the XE5?
Nope - they went with the 40 megapixel X100VI sensor, way too much resolution for me as a family cam.
This would be fine if Fuji offered Small, Medium and Large RAW files, like the Sony A7RV or Leica M11? I could shoot small, medium, or large sized JPEGs, but I’d be paying for resolution I don’t need, when I’d rather pay for speed.
OM3: 2
XE5: 1
OM3 + Mystery Lens
SOOC JPEG (Color Mode 2)
Criteria 3: Small, Fast, Wide
The rumour of a fast new Fuji 23mm lens was more exciting than the XE5 to me, because a family cam needs a pancake lens.
Anything front heavy will stop my wife lugging it around, or my daughter will drop it, but for me? f2 or brighter, and wide enough for 4-5 people without much distortion around 28-40mm full frame equivalent. On OM3 with its 2 times crop factor, there’s the Panasonic Leica 15mm 1.7, two versions of the Olympus/OM systems 17mm 1.8, the legendary Panasonic 20mm 1.7 pancake - and that’s just first party.
If we stay first party for Fuji there’s surprisingly slim pickings. 18mm f2 is perfect in size, but it’s not weather sealed and could do with an update. The 27mm was updated but it’s only f2.8. The f1.4 versions of 18 and 23mm R WR lenses with linear motors are just too big. The 23mm f2 is weather resistant, has fast and silent autofocus, but a little soft up close compared the X100VI, and a bit big.
Will Fuji give us a brand new f2 pancake?
So close but not quite!
The form factor of the new 23mm looks fantastic but it’s f2.8.
OM3: 3
XE5: 1.
Although for street work 2.8 is great, family shots tend to be indoors. Kids are moving so you can’t get away with slower shutter speeds as often, even if the camera fulfills:
Criteria 4: IBIS.
OM3 + Mystery Lens. Handheld at 0.6s shutter speed with IBIS enabled.
SOOC JPEG (Color Mode 2)
I can’t expect my wife, new to the hobby, to have stable shooting technique.
IBIS will smooth out that handshake for those who don’t shoot that much, and OM systems with its smaller micro four thirds sensor has amazing industry-leading IBIS. How about the XE5?
Thankfully yes, both cameras have IBIS.
OM3: 4
XE5: 2
It would have been a bad look if the X100VI had IBIS and a brighter lens, but XE5 kit had neither at launch. An X100VI with interchangeable lenses will be how the XE5 is marketed, but for me this was never an option.
A) The X100 is made of “unobtainium” and
B) I need…
Criteria 5: Interchangeable Lenses
The odds of two photographers preferring the same default focal length is almost 0, and interchangeable lenses solve this problem. Crop sensor lenses whether they be micro four thirds or APS-C are easy enough to lug around. Medium to wide focal lengths are best for group shots but for street these days I prefer longer focal lengths. Both of these cameras have a tiny footprint yet still have the option of interchangeable lenses:
OM3: 5
XE5: 3
Even though it’s close I’m calling the race early.
As much as I like the look of the XE5, I choose the OM3 for my family cam. The only question left?
The lens I decided to go with.
OM3 + Mystery Lens. All SOOC JPEG (Color Mode 2)
Criteria 6: JPEG-only
The deal I made with my wife is she doesn’t have to edit.
I get to be in more family photos, so she gets all the fun. No after hours post processing to worry about. I don’t want to worry about it either, so the family cam will be a JPEG-only workflow.
All these years later it’s still hard to beat Fuji’s classic chrome, but OM3 has their creative look dial with a lot of control. On this first night out with the camera I started out basic. Color mode 2, bit of an S curve, lowered sharpness and contrast - no other tweaking in post.
I am shooting in manual mode wide open so the sensor gets as much light as possible, and I’m very pleased with the results? Even though Fuji gets the most acclaim for in camera color, the OM-3’s JPEG only workflow is a real option.
OM3: 6
XE5: 4
OM3 + Mystery Lens. SOOC JPEG (Color Mode 2)
Criteria 7: Battery life.
I don’t want to carry another charger.
This OM3 will be my B-cam, I already have extra batteries to worry about on my A-cam. Ideally the battery should be the brand’s latest and greatest, but there was never any chance of that on the XE5.
Fuji uses the smaller older X100VI battery, not the bigger newer one in the XT5 - the XE5 is just too small. Fuji will claim their latest X processors are more energy efficient, but with two of us sharing this family cam one of us will definitely forget to turn it off (me of course).
The OM3 on the other hand uses the same battery as the much bigger and beefier OM1 Mark ii, another point for the OM3.
OM3: 7
XE5: 4
But neither camera meets the next criteria:
Criteria 8: EVF + Screen
I like how bright the viewfinder is on the OM3, but what I don’t like is the size?
I get that it’s proportional to the camera, but 2.36 million dots, 0.68x magnification isn’t the best. For my wife though this tradeoff is worth it, there’s no way she’d consider the bigger OM1 mark ii. For the XE5 a lot of Fuji users were hoping for the same 5.7 million dot EVF in the GFX100RF or are willing to “settle” for the 3.69 million dot EVF in the XT5.
Of course this was going to be a letdown, the XE5 has the same resolution but lower magnification (0.62x) EVF compared to the OM3. No way Fuji will jam a higher-res EVF into a tiny camera to suck up more juice from the smaller battery.
I do like the XE5's offset viewfinder, and the new“Surround view modes” to mimic an optical viewfinder experience. I’d love to try it out, but neither viewfinder is well-specced enough for me.
Screenwise I don’t really mind, I’d even be OK if it was fixed in place, but if i could choose a flip-up screen like the one in the XE5 would be my pick. But my wife prefers the tilt-flip OM3 screen. It makes handheld family selfies quick and easy. No points for either camera on this one.
OM3: 7
XE5: 4
OM3 + Mystery Lens. SOOC JPEG (Color Mode 2)
Criteria 9: Custom Dials.
Not just the PASM dial, but custom settings on that dial. As my wife and I hand the camera back and forth, we need to tell at a glance if we should change back the settings. The OM3 doesn’t just look the part, it comes with so much customizability.
You can even change which side the on switch is on the camera. With the flagship sensor and full suite of manual controls, have OM systems grown into the brand enthusiasts have always wanted them and Fuji to be?
The XE lineup has always had a minimal set of dials, but Fuji chose to add a film simulation dial. Thankfully they seem to have heard the complaints, it now comes with three custom modes to save JPEG recipes (although how customisable it is will need some testing)
Based on this, both cameras get a point, the lack of a dedicated ISO dial for me isn’t a dealbreaker.
OM3: 8
XE5: 5
What is a dealbreaker for a one and done family camera is…
Criteria 10: Weather Sealing.
This camera should be out of the bag at all times to catch those fading childhood moments.
Exposed to the elements way more than usual, weather sealing matters. The XE5 isn’t weather sealed, supposedly due to overheating concerns from its small size. So how did OM systems do it? The OM3 is tiny - its metal build quality looks and feels premium, yet has absolutely amazing weather sealing.
The final score in this highly specific family camera showdown:
OM3: 9
XE5: 5.
The XE5 still delivers on the advanced features Fuji fans have been asking for in a mid-range body, just not the one-and-done small camera for my wife in this specific family use case.
But I have to confess:
The first and only lens I’ve bought for the OM3 isn’t for her.
OM3 - SOOC JPEG (Color Mode 2)
It’s the OM 20mm f1.4 Pro.
While this 20mm gives me an equivalent focal length on micro four thirds it’s too big and heavy. I’ll find a smaller lens for the system in the coming weeks - I promise this won’t turn into a “Homer buys a bowling ball for Marge” type situation.
An early Happy Father’s day to all the dads out there - hope we all make it into this year’s family album.
Happy shooting everyone, talk soon.
Jack.
Want to support the channel? Affiliate links for my photography and videography gear can be found here.
