Olympus E-M10 III vs Panasonic G80

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G80 (labelled Panasonic G85 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2017 and September 2016. Both the E-M10 III and the G80 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 15.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-M10 III		Panasonic G80
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
8.6 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
122 x 84 x 50 mm, 410 g		128 x 89 x 74 mm, 505 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G80? 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

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M10 III and the Panasonic G80 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the G80 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 Panasonic G80 is notably larger (11 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 III. Moreover, the G80 is markedly heavier (23 percent) than the E-M10 III. It is noteworthy in this context that the G80 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-M10 III does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic G80	128 mm	89 mm	74 mm	505 g	330	Y	Sep 2016	EUR 899	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M10 IV	122 mm	84 mm	49 mm	383 g	360	n	Aug 2020	EUR 699	amazon.com
7.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	EUR 999	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	EUR 549	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL10	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Oct 2019	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G90	130 mm	94 mm	77 mm	536 g	290	Y	Apr 2019	EUR 999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX80	122 mm	71 mm	44 mm	426 g	290	n	Apr 2016	EUR 799	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-M10 III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 28 percent) than the G80, 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.

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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-M10 III offers a slightly higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 15.8 MP of the G80. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M10 III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.77μm for the G80). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-M10 III is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the G80, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. 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.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G80 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1120	74
2.		Panasonic G80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	656	71
3.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
4.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
5.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
6.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.2	1402	76
7.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
8.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
9.		Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.6	1030	73
10.		Olympus E-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1162	74
11.		Olympus E-PL10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
12.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
13.		Panasonic G90	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.2	13.0	1273	75
14.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
15.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
16.		Panasonic GX80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.9	12.6	662	71
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-M10 III and the G80 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2360k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-M10 III and Panasonic G80 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic G80	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
4.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Olympus E-M10 IV	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	15.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
9.		Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-PL9	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic G90	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic GX80	2765	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 Olympus E-M10 III and the Panasonic G80 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 E-M10 III and the G80 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 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 Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G80 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.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Panasonic G80	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus E-PL9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic G90	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic GX80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the G80 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The E-M10 III does not feature such a mic input.

Both the E-M10 III and the G80 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The G80 was replaced by the Panasonic G90, while the E-M10 III was followed by the Olympus E-M10 IV. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 III and G80 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M10 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic G80 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-M10 III and the Panasonic G80? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 95g or 19 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (28 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 11 months after the G80).

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G80:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.62x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2016).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the G80 emerges as the winner of the match-up (6 : 3 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Olympus E-M10 III and the Panasonic G80 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-M10 III and the G80 in practical situations. 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.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic G80	..	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	EUR 899	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M5 II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M10 IV	4.5/5	..	5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2020	EUR 699	amazon.com
7.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	EUR 999	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL8	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	EUR 549	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL9	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL10	..	..	4/5	77/100	..	4/5	Oct 2019	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G90	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2019	EUR 999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX80	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	EUR 799	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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