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.

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!