Nikon Z30 vs OM System OM-3

The Nikon Z30 and the OM System OM-3 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2022 and February 2025. Both the Z30 and the OM-3 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (Z30) and a Four Thirds (OM-3) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the OM System provides 20.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon Z30		OM System OM-3
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor		20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 80-25,600 (80 - 102,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1640k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge		590 shots per battery charge
128 x 74 x 60 mm, 405 g		139 x 89 x 46 mm, 496 g

Check Z30 price at
amazon.com
Check OM-3 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z30 and the OM System OM-3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z30 and the OM System OM-3 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The OM-3 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the Z30 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the OM System OM-3 is notably larger (31 percent) than the Nikon Z30. Moreover, the OM-3 is markedly heavier (22 percent) than the Z30. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the Z30 gets 330 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL25 battery, while the OM-3 can take 590 images on a single charge of its OM System BLX-1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z30	128 mm	74 mm	60 mm	405 g	330	Y	Jun 2022	US$ 709	amazon.com
2.		OM System OM-3	139 mm	89 mm	46 mm	496 g	590	Y	Feb 2025	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	415 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z50	127 mm	94 mm	60 mm	450 g	320	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 859	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z50 II	127 mm	97 mm	67 mm	550 g	250	Y	Nov 2024	US$ 909	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	US$ 959	amazon.com
11.		Olympus E-M1 II	134 mm	91 mm	67 mm	574 g	440	Y	Sep 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M1 III	134 mm	91 mm	69 mm	580 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
13.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		OM System OM-1 II	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	500	Y	Jan 2024	US$ 2 399	amazon.com
15.		OM System OM-5 II	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Jun 2025	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Z30 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 65 percent) than the OM-3, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon Z30 features an APS-C sensor and the OM System OM-3 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the OM-3 is 39 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.0. The sensor in the Z30 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the OM-3 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 20.7MP, the Z30 offers a slightly higher resolution than the OM-3 (20.2MP), but the Z30 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 3.34μm for the OM-3) due to its larger sensor. However, the OM-3 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 7 months) than the Z30, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

Unlike the Z30, the OM-3 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Nikon Z30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the OM System OM-3 are ISO 80 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the Z30 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the OM-3 uses a Stacked BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon Z30	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	13.9	2230	86
2.		OM System OM-3	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.7	1852	78
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.2	1649	81
4.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
5.		Nikon D3500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.4	1851	83
6.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
7.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
8.		Nikon Z50	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1963	84
9.		Nikon Z50 II	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/60p	24.3	14.1	2467	86
10.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
11.		Olympus E-M1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.7	12.8	1312	80
12.		Olympus E-M1 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1356	76
13.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
14.		OM System OM-1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.6	1749	78
15.		OM System OM-5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.4	13.7	1889	78
16.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
17.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the OM-3 provides a faster frame rate than the Z30. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the OM-3 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the Z30 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon Z30, the OM System OM-3, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon Z30	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		OM System OM-3	2360	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D3500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon Z50	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon Z50 II	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
11.		Olympus E-M1 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus E-M1 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		OM System OM-1 II	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		OM System OM-5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The Z30 has one, while the OM-3 does not. While the built-in flash of the Z30 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z30 and the OM System OM-3 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Z30 and the OM-3 write their files to SDXC cards. The OM-3 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the Z30 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z30 and OM System OM-3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon Z30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		OM System OM-3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon D3500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
6.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon Z50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z50 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Olympus E-M1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
12.		Olympus E-M1 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
14.		OM System OM-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
15.		OM System OM-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the OM-3 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The Z30 lacks such a headphone port.

Both the Z30 and the OM-3 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. Neither of the two has a direct predecessor, so perhaps they will constitute the origins of new camera lines for Nikon and OM System. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon and OM System websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon Z30 and the OM System OM-3? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Z30:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (128x74mm vs 139x89mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 91g or 18 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (65 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2022).

Arguments in favor of the OM System OM-3:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1640k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (590 versus 330) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 7 months of technical progress since the Z30 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (10 points each). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z30 and the OM System OM-3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Z30 or the OM-3 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z30	4/5	..	4/5	86/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2022	US$ 709	amazon.com
2.		OM System OM-3	..	..	..	86/100	..	..	Feb 2025	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	5/5	+	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3500	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z50	5/5	..	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 859	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z50 II	..	..	..	88/100	..	..	Nov 2024	US$ 909	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	US$ 959	amazon.com
11.		Olympus E-M1 II	5/5	+ +	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M1 III	5/5	..	5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2020	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
13.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		OM System OM-1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2024	US$ 2 399	amazon.com
15.		OM System OM-5 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2025	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check Z30 price at
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Check OM-3 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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