Ikelite OM System OM-5, Olympus OM-D E-M5 III Underwater Housing

Ikelite housing during field testing in Maui, Hawaii

The Ikelite OM System OM-5, Olympus OM-D E-M5 III Underwater Housing is a high-quality, polycarbonate housing, made in the USA. Suitable for all water applications - such as diving, surf photography, pool photography, snorkeling, etc, this housing offers full control of the camera with ergonomic controls. The corrosion free ABS-PC blend offers lightweight durability - ideal for travel.

The housing utilizes the DLM Type A Port System which makes it easy and simple to change or install ports, just press the port on and tighten three thumb screws. The port system can accomodate various lenses even with large diameters.

We took this housing scuba diving in Maui, Hawaii and loved how it performed. The dry lock micro port system allows for a small housing and small ports. So we truly felt the size benefits of shooting a mirrorless over a DSLR. After all, when it comes to underwater photography, you're limited by the size of the housing and port system. We thought the system paired really well with Ikelite's DS-160 II strobes and Ikelite to Olympus TTL converter. Almost all of our shots had accurate exposures, certainly more than if we had to select strobe exposure manually. It enabled us to stop worrying about lighting and focus more on composition - as you can see from the shots below.

Housing Features:

Ergonomics and Handling - The housing has great ergonomics. The button location, large curved control levers, soft-touch knobs and rear control wheel makes it very easy and can easily be operated intuitively. The shutter and autofocus (via the AE-L/AF-L button) is readily available at your fingertips. This combination allows you to shoot with or without back button focus, an advanced technique that is useful for tack sharp focus of super macro and fast moving subjects. All rear camera buttons are accessible by smooth action, hard anodized aluminum push buttons for reliable performance and easy maintenance. These controls are clearly labeled by laser engraving on the back of the housing that never fades or falls off.

Set Up - The camera mount is front-loading for easy installation and removal. A small mounting plate attaches to the bottom of the camera and secures in the front of the housing.

Vacuum - A spare 1/2-20 threaded accessory port is provided on the side of the housing for easily installation of the optional Vacuum Kit. This provides peace of mind that your camera is safe and watersealed.

Lighting - This housing supports your choice of shooting strobes by electrical sync cord or fiber optic triggering. You can enjoy the fastest and most accurate TTL exposure on the market by adding the Ikelite DL3 DS Link Panasonic, Olympus TTL Converter with ICS-5 Connector and a compatible Ikelite DS strobe. Exposure compensation may be used added or subtracted in the camera. Reliable locking connectors between the hotshoe and bulkhead make it easy to install the optional TTL electronics or carry back up parts when traveling.

Port System - The housings uses Ikelite's DryLock Port System (DLM/A)

Lens Recommendations for Underwater:

Olympus 60mm Macro - fast focusing and stunning macro
Panasonic 8mm Fisheye - perfect wide angle option for reefs, wrecks, and close focus wide angle
Panasonic 7-14mm Wide Angle - Awesome for pelagics, sharks, and landscape photos. Wide angle when you do not want the wide fisheye view and zoom offers more flexibility if you can't get right up close to your subject.
Panasonic 45mm Macro- High quality macro lens
Olympus 9-18mm Wide Angle - great for pelagics, and wide angle when you do not want the wide fisheye view. Zoom offers more flexibility if you can't get right up close to your subject.
Panasonic 12-35mm - great mid range wide lens for video, fast F2.8 min aperture.
- Olympus 12-50mm - a good mid-range zoom option. Offers built in macro mode that is compatible with the Nauticam housing

Read about the best micro-four thirds lenses for underwater

Recommended Ports:

Ikelite 8" Dome Port + Ikelite Mirrorless Port Adapter for Panasonic 8mm fisheye lens and Olympus 9-18mm lens
Ikelite Mirrorless Dome Port + Ikelite Zoom Gear for Olympus 12-50mm lens
Ikelite Mirrorless Flat Port for Olympus 60mm lens

Recommended Strobes:

For other options, see our other recommended strobes see our Buyer's Guide for Best Underwater Strobes

Sample Underwater Images:

Red Pencil Urchins Maui, Hawaii. OM-D EM5 MKIII with Panasonic 8mm Fisheye Lens, Ikelite Housing with dual Ikelite Strobes

Endemic Freckled Snake Eel, Maui Hawaii. OM-D E-M5 MKIII with 60mm Macro Lens in Ikelite Housing and dual Ikelite strobes

School of Goatfish, Maui Hawaii. Panasonic Lumix G 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye Lens, Ikelite Housing with dual Ikelite Strobes

Harlequin Shrimp Maui, Hawaii. f/18, 1/200, ISO 200 Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens, Ikelite Housing with dual Ikelite Strobes

Trumpetfish Maui, Hawaii. OM-D E-M5 MKIII 8mm Fisheye Lens, Ikelite Housing with dual Ikelite Strobes

Related Underwater Gear Categories:

Depth Rating: 200 ft (60m)
Port System: DLM Type A Port Mount
Controls for all camera functions except Fn lever, preview button, and diopter adjustment dial
Two 1/4-20 threaded tray mounts with 3" (76mm) spacing
Slightly negative buoyancy in fresh water
Actual buoyancy varies depending on choice of lens and port
Weight: 2.7 lbs (1238 g)
Dimension: 7.75 x 5.75 x 5.25" (197 x 146 x 133 mm)