Giant OM-3 photo settings spreadsheet and best settings files across 5 genres
Following on from my earlier OM-1 settings post, here is a spreadsheet of my top OM-3 photo settings across 5 genres; landscape, birds in flight, street, macro and astro. As before, it contains a complete list of unique settings for each genre, with the logic for every non-standard setting explained. I also attach the actual photo settings files by genre so you can install them on your own OM-3.
Note: these settings are photo only. I have added columns for video custom settings (not present in the OM-1 of course), but have not populated them. I have also not yet modified the Video menu page for the OM-3. Anybody who wants to help with this, please contact me via the menu link above.<\/em>
If you would rather head straight to a concise summary, the TL;DR is at the foot of the page — or jump directly to the FAQ.<\/em>
Speed up your setup
I developed the OM-1 settings spreadsheet as part of the migration process from the OM-1 Mk I to the OM-1 Mk II. There are between 400 and 500 different settings available in these cameras. and with the four custom settings there could be up to 2000 different menu settings stored. I needed somewhere to record what the settings were, and why I had chosen them.
As the OM- 3 is functionally a full OM-1 Mk II, the task of setting it up is just as daunting. Having a complete record of OM-1 II settings made the OM-3 implementation so much easier this time. One benefit of the spreadsheet is that you can study the settings in isolation and imagine what the effect will be of making changes. This is immeasurably easier than thinking through all the changes on a tiny monitor.
The new OM-3 spreadsheet incorporates the photo changes from the OM-1 Mk II. Thankfully there are almost no structural changes in the menu (the OM1-Mk II menu is effectively a complete superset of the OM-3 menu) and the differences are mostly deletions of the custom buttons. The new spreadsheet includes these changes and reflects my experience with the OM-1 and what should be the best approach for the OM-3. Once again, thanks are due to the meticulous BobCS, who in 2022 posted this OM1 spreadsheet on DP review.
Who are these settings for?
If you are happy with running the OM1 in aperture or shutter priority without computational features, and living with the occasional blown-out image or unrecoverable shadows, this is not for you. I would argue that you are wasting the core benefits of the camera, but you are in good company – simple is often good, and semi-auto is how most photographers shoot.
These settings are for people who want to use everything the OM1 has to offer, but have struggled to make it all work, or even remember how it works.They are oriented towards getting the absolute best from the most difficult scenarios. Using the workflow to its fullest extent in landscape for example, will get you shots that have equal or better DR to a full-frame camera, and as much resolution as you need.
To help me remember these complex settings and workflow, I have written “cheat sheets” for each genre. Before I go out, I have a cup of coffee and scan the cheat sheet, to refresh my memory about what the buttons do, how the camera is set up, and how to take shots. The cheat-sheets for the OM-3 are very similar to the OM-1 except for the button settings. I have done a first draft cheat-sheet for landscape and it is attached below.
If you intend to use the settings
I am very particular about how I set up and use the OM-1 and OM- 3. It’s probably not for everyone. Have a careful look at the spreadsheet, and also at my approach to Landscape/LE and BIF for the OM-1 to make sure it will work for you.
I occasionally make minor changes to my settings if I find a better way of doing something, but it may take a while for them to filter all the way through to the data files on this site. Please make sure that all the settings work the way you want, and are consistent between cheat sheet and camera settings.
I suggest you practice the workflow and settings before you start on live shoots.
The files
The Spreadsheet
The settings files
The 5 custom settings files are presented here one by one so you can assign them to your favoured slot. At the end I have also included the full set so you can install them all in one go.
As an early taster, here is my first OM- 3 cheat sheet for landscape/LE photography.
Tips for setting up custom settings 1-5
It can be very tedious setting up every custom mode on the dial. To make it easier, choose your base settings that are likely to be common to all custom modes and copy them across to every custom mode. I only shoot in manual, so this is very straightforward for me as “M” is set for every genre.
Then, make sure that the “save setting” option for each custom mode is set to “hold”. You can now update custom settings on the fly, without having to save each time. When you have finished, change save to “reset”.
Hope this helps, and happy shooting with the world’s best urban and travel camera!
TL;DR
- This post provides a complete OM-3 settings spreadsheet covering all 400–500 menu options across five genres — landscape/LE, birds in flight, street, macro, and astro — with the logic behind every non-standard setting explained.
- Downloadable .set files are provided for each genre individually and as a complete set, so you can install them directly onto your OM-3 via OI Share or OM Workspace.
- A landscape/LE cheat sheet (Word format, A5 size) is included — the same pre-shoot refresher approach used for the OM-1 series, adapted for the OM-3’s button layout.
- The OM-3 is functionally equivalent to the OM-1 Mk II for photo work; the menu structure is almost identical, with differences mainly in the custom button assignments.
- These settings assume manual exposure with auto ISO and exposure compensation — orientated towards extracting the maximum from the camera in demanding conditions, not casual semi-auto shooting.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the OM-1 settings files on my OM-3?
Not directly — the .set files are camera-specific. However, the menu structure is almost identical between the OM-1 Mk II and the OM-3, with the main differences in the custom button assignments. The OM-3 spreadsheet provided here maps across from the OM-1 Mk II and accounts for those differences, making it straightforward to adapt settings manually if needed.
How do I install the custom settings files on my OM-3?
Download the relevant .set file, then load it via either the OI Share app on your phone or OM Workspace on a computer. Save your existing custom settings before doing this if you want to keep them. You can load each genre file individually into whichever custom slot you prefer, or use the Complete.set file to load all five at once.
Why is the OM-3 described as “functionally a full OM-1 Mk II”?
The OM-3 shares the same sensor, processor, and core feature set as the OM-1 Mk II, including bird-detect AF, pro capture, live ND, and the full computational photography suite. The main differences are physical — the OM-3 is smaller, lighter, and aimed at street and travel use. The menu is a near-complete subset of the OM-1 Mk II menu, which is why the settings translate so directly.
What is the “hold” setting for custom modes and why does it matter?
When “save setting” is set to “hold”, changes you make while in a custom mode are retained until you save or reset — you don’t have to explicitly save after every tweak. This makes it much faster to iterate during setup. Once you’re happy with a mode, switch save back to “reset” so that any accidental changes during shooting are discarded when you exit the mode.
Are video settings included in the spreadsheet?
Columns for video custom settings are present in the spreadsheet but are not populated — these are photo-only settings. The video menu page for the OM-3 has not yet been documented. Anyone who can contribute this section is welcome to get in touch via the contact link in the menu.
