The catch
OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
Stacking works only with supported lenses, the final composite is a JPEG and the crop is tighter. 4K60 is its ordinary high-rate limit, below 4K120.
Side by side
OM SYSTEM OM-3 vs Sony a6700: OM-3 completes supported close-ups in camera, Sony slows action down in 4K
Quick verdict
The OM-3 builds a supported focus stack in the camera, and the Sony records 4K120 with crop and media limits. Take the OM-3 for close-up JPEGs with compatible lenses and its documented outdoor setup. Take the a6700 for 4K slow motion, or to keep compatible E-mount lenses. Both offers are body-only and have one card. The Sony’s 120p mode narrows the view and cannot record internal proxies. The OM’s Live ND is a composite still-photo effect and not an optical filter for movies.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
If close-ups are a weekend hobby, treat the editing step as part of what you are buying
With a supported lens, the OM-3 can produce a finished focus-stacked JPEG from three to fifteen exposures. Sony’s focus bracket records a sequence with selectable focus positions, meant for a stacking workflow. If you photograph craft pieces after work, you may like getting the OM composite without a separate merge, as long as the subject stays still and you can live with the tighter final crop. Sony’s potentially larger sequence can suit a more controlled workflow, but that does not prove the body gives a better finished stack on its own. Before you compare frame counts alone, check the actual lens, the focus depth you need and the software step.
Where this comes from
Covers the documented OM composite JPEG, crop and lens restrictions, and the documented Sony bracket sequence and tripod guidance. No image-quality comparison result.
The catch
Sony a6700 body
4K120 comes with a crop, card requirements that depend on the format, and no internal proxies at 120p. It still has one card slot.
OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
- Why pick it
- You want the camera to deliver a finished close-up stack as a JPEG, and you accept its crop and lens restrictions.
- A rated, compatible outdoor lens setup and computational stills match more of your outings than 4K120 does.
- The catch
- Stacking works only with supported lenses, the final composite is a JPEG and the crop is tighter. 4K60 is its ordinary high-rate limit, below 4K120.
Sony a6700 body
- Why pick it
- 4K slow motion is a need, and you have the space, a suitable lens and the correct card for the cropped 120p mode.
- Holding on to your compatible Sony E lenses spares you from rebuilding the most expensive part of the kit.
- The catch
- 4K120 comes with a crop, card requirements that depend on the format, and no internal proxies at 120p. It still has one card slot.
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What this page compares
OM-3 vs Sony a6700 for nature hobbies and family video. Weigh finished close-ups,4K slow motion, lens-filter needs and what it costs to change the whole kit.
Both compact, stabilized bodies are aimed at a buyer who wants one camera for outdoor hobbies and family video. Their weights are nearly the same, so the finished outputs and the lenses you already own are better ways to decide.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
End up with a supported close-up stack as a JPEG made in camera
The merge happens in the OM, while Sony’s documented bracket captures the sequence.
- OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
- Better fit
- Sony a6700 body
- Caution
Get quarter-speed 4K out of 120p footage in a 30p edit
Sony has the mode you need, along with crop and media limits.
- OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
- Not suitable
- Sony a6700 body
- Better fit
Keep the compatible Sony E lenses you own
The OM has a different mount.
- OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
- Not suitable
- Sony a6700 body
- Better fit
Shoot outdoors with a documented rated body and lens pair
OM’s rating comes with explicit conditions for a compatible lens and closed covers. It is not a survival test.
- OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
- Better fit
- Sony a6700 body
- Caution
In practice
Differences you will notice
If close-ups are a weekend hobby, treat the editing step as part of what you are buying
With a supported lens, the OM-3 can produce a finished focus-stacked JPEG from three to fifteen exposures. Sony’s focus bracket records a sequence with selectable focus positions, meant for a stacking workflow. If you photograph craft pieces after work, you may like getting the OM composite without a separate merge, as long as the subject stays still and you can live with the tighter final crop. Sony’s potentially larger sequence can suit a more controlled workflow, but that does not prove the body gives a better finished stack on its own. Before you compare frame counts alone, check the actual lens, the focus depth you need and the software step.
How we worked this out
Covers the documented OM composite JPEG, crop and lens restrictions, and the documented Sony bracket sequence and tripod guidance. No image-quality comparison result.
Slow-motion sport affects lens and laptop requirements at the same time
In a 30p edit, Sony’s 4K120 plays back at one quarter speed, and the OM-3’s 4K60 gives one half speed on the same basis. Sony’s extra crop makes the action fill more of the frame. That helps with a distant subject but can get awkward in a small room. The 120p mode also drops internal proxy recording, so a laptop that depends on lightweight copies may have to make them afterward. Match the card to the exact codec and to normal versus S&Q mode. Go with Sony if this slow-motion output is something you need again and again, not because 120 is automatically better for every family recording.
How we worked this out
Playback factors are 120/30=4 and 60/30=2. Also covered: Sony’s extra crop, the proxy restrictions and the mode-specific V60/V90 requirements. No laptop speed or focus success is predicted.
Live ND won’t let you leave the movie filter out of the bag
On a nature walk you might shoot a blurred-water still and then a short film of the same stream. The OM-3’s Live ND can help produce the slow-shutter still by combining exposures, but it does not cut the light that reaches the sensor. That means it cannot stand in for a physical lens filter when the movie needs less light at a chosen shutter speed and aperture. Sony can use an appropriate physical filter too. If you are thinking of switching systems to carry fewer accessories, first check the filter thread on the actual lens and which kind of output you make most. The bodies differ by only 3g, so the lens and filter choices do far more to shape the bag.
How we worked this out
The Live ND manual draws an explicit line between simulated exposures and reduced incoming light. 496-493=3g. Whether a filter is needed depends on the exposure and the lens, and no included filter is claimed.
Option A
OM SYSTEM, V210050SW000
OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
You want the camera to deliver a finished close-up stack as a JPEG, and you accept its crop and lens restrictions.
- Best for
- You want the camera to deliver a finished close-up stack as a JPEG, and you accept its crop and lens restrictions.
Facts we checked
- Body with battery/card: 496g
- Close-up sequence: Three to fifteen, finished cropped JPEG
- High-rate4K: Up to 60p
- Sound monitoring: Separate mic and headphones
Option B
Sony, ILCE6700/B
Sony a6700 body
4K slow motion is a need, and you have the space, a suitable lens and the correct card for the cropped 120p mode.
- Best for
- 4K slow motion is a need, and you have the space, a suitable lens and the correct card for the cropped 120p mode.
Facts we checked
- Body with battery/card: 493g
- Close-up sequence: Two to 299 bracketed positions
- High-rate4K: Up to 119.88p with extra crop
- Sound monitoring: Separate mic and headphones
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | OM SYSTEM OM-3 body | Sony a6700 body | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body with battery/card | 496g | 493g | The complete kit cannot be decided on a three-gram difference. |
| Close-up sequence | Three to fifteen, finished cropped JPEG | Two to 299 bracketed positions | Part of the difference is the work you have to do once the sequence is shot. |
| High-rate4K | Up to 60p | Up to 119.88p with extra crop | Ordinary 120p recording on Sony gives you a slower 4K edit. |
| Sound monitoring | Separate mic and headphones | Separate mic and headphones | Each has a documented route for direct monitoring. |
| Lens mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E | When comparing total kits, start from the lenses you own and the framing you use. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
- Neither offer includes lenses. Look into the lens’s stacking and weather support, and if you film, keep a physical ND option available when needed.
With Sony a6700 body
- Plan for the V60 or V90 card the exact mode requires, and for a lens that is still wide enough after the crop. Try out the editing workflow.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Finished close-ups and the rated outdoor setup come first
Go with OM SYSTEM OM-3 body. Those jobs are what OM’s supported in-camera workflow is built for.
4K slow motion or E lenses you own come first
Go with Sony a6700 body. Sony supplies 120p and preserves the compatible lens kit.
Decision guide
Before you buy
You want to spend less time editing close-up photos, and you also want slow-motion clips of children or sport that stay in 4K.
What this page can’t tell you
- Autofocus, weather survival and stacking quality have not been measured or compared.
- A difference of three grams does not make a full system lighter.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the mirrorless cameras we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| OM SYSTEM OM-3 body |
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| Sony a6700 body |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
OM SYSTEM OM-3 body
You want the camera to deliver a finished close-up stack as a JPEG, and you accept its crop and lens restrictions.
A rated, compatible outdoor lens setup and computational stills match more of your outings than 4K120 does.
See price & reviews on AmazonSony a6700 body
4K slow motion is a need, and you have the space, a suitable lens and the correct card for the cropped 120p mode.
Holding on to your compatible Sony E lenses spares you from rebuilding the most expensive part of the kit.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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