Canon R100 vs Olympus E-M10 IV

The Canon EOS R100 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2023 and August 2020. Both the R100 and the E-M10 IV are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (R100) and a Four Thirds (E-M10 IV) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 20.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R100		Olympus E-M10 IV
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
		Micro Four Thirds lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4k/24p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		15 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
400 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 356 g		122 x 84 x 49 mm, 383 g

Check R100 price at
amazon.com
Check E-M10 IV price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R100 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV? 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 R100 and the Olympus E-M10 IV are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 IV can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the R100 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 IV is somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Canon R100. Moreover, the E-M10 IV is markedly heavier (8 percent) than the R100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the R100 nor the E-M10 IV 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R100 gets 400 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the E-M10 IV can take 360 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack. The power pack in the E-M10 IV can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	EUR 579	amazon.com
2.		Olympus E-M10 IV	122 mm	84 mm	49 mm	383 g	360	n	Aug 2020	EUR 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
5.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
6.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
7.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	119 mm	68 mm	41 mm	320 g	440	n	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-P7	118 mm	69 mm	38 mm	337 g	360	n	Jun 2021	EUR 799	amazon.com
16.		Olympus E-PL10	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Oct 2019	EUR 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 R100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 31 percent) than the E-M10 IV, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R100 features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M10 IV a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M10 IV 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 R100 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M10 IV offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the R100 offers a higher resolution than the E-M10 IV (20.2MP), but the R100 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 3.34μm for the E-M10 IV) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the R100 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 9 months) than the E-M10 IV, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R100 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 IV are 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The R100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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 R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
2.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.2	1402	76
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
6.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
7.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
8.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
9.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
10.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1955	84
12.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
14.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1120	74
15.		Olympus E-P7	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.4	13.3	1494	77
16.		Olympus E-PL10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
17.		Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the E-M10 IV provides a faster frame rate than the R100. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The R100 and the E-M10 IV are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2360k dots. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon R100, the Olympus E-M10 IV, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus E-M10 IV	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	15.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	none	n	3.5 / 2760	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
15.		Olympus E-P7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.7/s	Y	Y
16.		Olympus E-PL10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-M10 IV has a touchscreen, while the R100 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R100 and the Olympus E-M10 IV both have 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 R100 and the E-M10 IV write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M10 IV supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the R100 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 R100 and Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV 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 Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Olympus E-P7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Olympus E-PL10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the R100 has a microphone port, which is missing on the E-M10 IV. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the R100 and the E-M10 IV are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The E-M10 IV replaced the earlier Olympus E-M10 III, while the R100 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the R100 and E-M10 IV can be found, respectively, in the Canon R100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M10 IV Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon R100 better than the Olympus E-M10 IV or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R100:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20.2MP) with a 11% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (400 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (31 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 9 months of technical progress since the E-M10 IV launch.

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4k/24p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.62x vs 0.58x).
• 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.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 6.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2020).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (10 points each). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 R100 and the Olympus E-M10 IV place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R100 or the E-M10 IV perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], 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	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	EUR 579	amazon.com
2.		Olympus E-M10 IV	4.5/5	..	5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2020	EUR 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
5.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
6.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
7.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	3/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	3.5/5	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-P7	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Jun 2021	EUR 799	amazon.com
16.		Olympus E-PL10	..	..	4/5	77/100	..	4/5	Oct 2019	EUR 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check R100 price at
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Check E-M10 IV price at
amazon.com

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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. 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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