Canon 2000D vs Olympus E-M10

The Canon EOS 2000D (called Canon T7 in some regions) and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2018 and January 2014. The 2000D is a DSLR, while the E-M10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (2000D) and a Four Thirds (E-M10) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 2000D		Olympus E-M10
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor		15.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 200-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0 LCD, 920k dots		3.0 LCD, 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
500 shots per battery charge		320 shots per battery charge
129 x 101 x 78 mm, 475 g		119 x 82 x 46 mm, 396 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 2000D and the Olympus OM-D E-M10? 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 Canon 2000D and the Olympus E-M10 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 2000D 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 Olympus E-M10 is notably smaller (25 percent) than the Canon 2000D. Moreover, the E-M10 is markedly lighter (17 percent) than the 2000D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 2000D nor the E-M10 are weather-sealed.

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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (2000D) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M10). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-M10, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 2000D gets 500 shots out of its LP-E10 battery, while the E-M10 can take 320 images on a single charge of its BLS-5 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)		Street Price
1.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449
2.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	699
3.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399
4.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899
5.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549
6.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749
7.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529
8.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499
9.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449
10.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749
11.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649
12.		Canon 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	649
14.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	599
15.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	999
16.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	599
17.		Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	999
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 2000D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 36 percent) than the E-M10, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 2000D features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M10 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M10 is 32 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the 2000D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M10 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the 2000D offers a higher resolution than the E-M10 (15.9MP), but the 2000D has marginally smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10). However, the 2000D is a much more recent model (by 4 years) than the E-M10, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M10 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 2000D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 2000D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M10 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 2000D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports		DXO Overall
1.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009		71
2.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884		72
3.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695		63
4.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971		78
5.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041		79
6.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..		..
7.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522		65
8.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272		78
9.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	..	..	..		..
10.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919		71
11.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915		70
12.		Canon 1200D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724		63
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842		73
14.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873		72
15.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895		72
16.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639		61
17.		Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718		70

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M10 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the 2000D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-M10 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 2000D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-M10 has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.50x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 2000D, the Olympus E-M10, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0	920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	Y	n
2.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	Y
3.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7	230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	Y	n
4.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0	Y	n
5.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
6.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0	Y	n
7.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0	1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2	Y	Y
8.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1	Y	n
9.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0	920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	Y	n
10.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
11.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
12.		Canon 1200D	optical	n	3.0	460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	Y	n
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	Y
14.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	n	Y
15.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0	1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0	Y	n
17.		Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0	Y	Y

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-M10 has a touchscreen, while the 2000D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Olympus E-M10 has 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 2000D and the E-M10 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 2000D cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 Canon EOS 2000D and Olympus OM-D E-M10 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M100	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon 1200D	Y	mono	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

The 2000D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the E-M10 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-M10 was succeeded by the Olympus E-M10 II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Olympus websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 2000D or the Olympus E-M10 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 2000D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 15.9MP) with a 25% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 320) on a single battery charge.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (36 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years of technical progress since the E-M10 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M10:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.50x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (119x82mm vs 129x101mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 79g or 17 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M10 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Canon 2000D and the Olympus E-M10 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 2000D or the E-M10. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], 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	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)			Street Price
1.		Canon 2000D	..	o	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449
2.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699
3.		Canon 4000D	..	o	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399
4.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899
5.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549
6.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749
7.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529
8.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499
9.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449
10.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749
11.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649
12.		Canon 1200D	3/5	+	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649
14.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	599
15.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	999
16.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	599
17.		Panasonic GX7	4/5	+	79/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	999
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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Specifications: Canon 2000D vs Olympus E-M10

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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