Olympus E-1 vs E-M10 II
The Olympus E-1 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2003 and August 2015. The E-1 is a DSLR, while the E-M10 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-1 has a resolution of 4.9 megapixels, whereas the E-M10 II provides 15.9 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-1 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II? 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
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-M10 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-M10 II can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, brown), while the E-1 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 II is considerably smaller (32 percent) than the Olympus E-1. Moreover, the E-M10 II is substantially lighter (47 percent) than the E-1. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-1 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-M10 II does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.
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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-1) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M10 II). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-M10 II, 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 E-1 gets 750 shots out of its BLM-1 battery, while the E-M10 II can take 320 images on a single charge of its BLS-50 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-1 | 141 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 738 g | 750 | Y | Jun 2003 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M10 II | 120 mm | 83 mm | 47 mm | 390 g | 320 | n | Aug 2015 | 649 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | 144 mm | 111 mm | 75 mm | 765 g | 1200 | Y | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
4. | Canon 7D | 148 mm | 111 mm | 74 mm | 860 g | 800 | Y | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | 146 mm | 87 mm | 77 mm | 606 g | 750 | n | Sep 2006 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D500 | 147 mm | 115 mm | 81 mm | 860 g | 1240 | Y | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
7. | Nikon D610 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7000 | 132 mm | 105 mm | 77 mm | 780 g | 1050 | Y | Sep 2010 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-M10 III | 122 mm | 84 mm | 50 mm | 410 g | 330 | n | Aug 2017 | 649 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL8 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | n | Sep 2016 | 549 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-M10 | 119 mm | 82 mm | 46 mm | 396 g | 320 | n | Jan 2014 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-P5 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 37 mm | 420 g | 330 | n | May 2013 | 999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-PL5 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 | n | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-5 | 142 mm | 117 mm | 75 mm | 873 g | 750 | Y | Sep 2010 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | 142 mm | 116 mm | 75 mm | 876 g | 750 | Y | Oct 2007 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-330 | 140 mm | 87 mm | 72 mm | 637 g | 750 | n | Jan 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Olympus E-300 | 147 mm | 85 mm | 64 mm | 624 g | 750 | n | Sep 2004 | 799 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-M10 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 62 percent) than the E-1, 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.
Sensor comparison
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.
Technology-wise, the E-M10 II uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic VII) than the E-1 (TruePic), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.
While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-M10 II offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 4.9 MP of the E-1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 80 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M10 II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 6.78μm for the E-1). However, it should be noted that the E-M10 II is much more recent (by 12 years and 2 months) than the E-1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M10 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M10 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M10 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-1 are 12.8 x 9.6 inches or 32.5 x 24.4 cm for good quality, 10.2 x 7.7 inches or 26 x 19.5 cm for very good quality, and 8.5 x 6.4 inches or 21.7 x 16.3 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Olympus E-1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 800, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.
In terms of underlying technology, the E-1 is build around a CCD sensor, while the E-M10 II uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-1 | Four Thirds | 4.9 | 2560 | 1920 | none | 20.0 | 9.7 | -145 | 44 | |
2. | Olympus E-M10 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | Full Frame | 26.0 | 6240 | 4160 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 11.9 | 2862 | 85 | |
4. | Canon 7D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.0 | 11.7 | 854 | 66 | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
6. | Nikon D500 | APS-C | 20.7 | 5568 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 14.0 | 1324 | 83 | |
7. | Nikon D610 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.4 | 2925 | 94 | |
8. | Nikon D7000 | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/24p | 23.5 | 13.9 | 1167 | 80 | |
9. | Olympus E-M10 III | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1120 | 74 | |
10. | Olympus E-PL8 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.6 | 1030 | 73 | |
11. | Olympus E-M10 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 884 | 72 | |
12. | Olympus E-P5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.4 | 895 | 72 | |
13. | Olympus E-PL5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 889 | 72 | |
14. | Olympus E-5 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.6 | 10.5 | 519 | 56 | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.6 | 10.5 | 571 | 56 | |
16. | Olympus E-330 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 20.8 | 10.4 | 73 | 52 | |
17. | Olympus E-300 | Four Thirds | 8.0 | 3264 | 2448 | none | 20.4 | 10.1 | -40 | 48 | |
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 E-M10 II indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-1 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-M10 II can use is 1080/60p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M10 II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the E-1 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the E-M10 II has a higher magnification than the one of the E-1 (0.62x vs 0.48x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-1 and Olympus E-M10 II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
# | 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. | Olympus E-1 | optical | Y | 1.8 / 134 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
2. | Olympus E-M10 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.5/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 7D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D500 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
7. | Nikon D610 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D7000 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Olympus E-M10 III | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-PL8 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-M10 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Olympus E-P5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Olympus E-PL5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Olympus E-5 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Olympus E-330 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
17. | Olympus E-300 | optical | n | 1.8 / 134 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that is present on the E-1, but is missing on the E-M10 II is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.
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, the E-M10 II is one of those camera that have an additional 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 Olympus E-M10 II 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.
The E-1 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the E-M10 II uses SDXC cards. The E-1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-M10 II only has one slot.
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 Olympus E-1 and Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-1 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Olympus E-M10 II | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon 7D | Y | mono / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
7. | Nikon D610 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D7000 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-M10 III | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-PL8 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-M10 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-P5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-PL5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Olympus E-5 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Olympus E-330 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Olympus E-300 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the E-M10 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-1 does not provide wifi capability.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-1 (unlike the E-M10 II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the E-1 and the E-M10 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-1 was replaced by the Olympus E-3, while the E-M10 II was followed by the Olympus E-M10 III. Further information on the features and operation of the E-1 and E-M10 II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M10 II Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-1 better than the Olympus E-M10 II or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Arguments in favor of the Olympus E-1:
- 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.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 320) on a single battery charge.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2003).
Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 4.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 80%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic VII vs TruePic).
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.62x vs 0.48x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 134k 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.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (120x83mm vs 141x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 348g or 47 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.
- Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (62 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 12 years and 2 months of technical progress since the E-1 launch.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M10 II is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 8 points). 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 Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-M10 II 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-1 or the E-M10 II perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-1 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | .. | Jun 2003 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M10 II | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2015 | 649 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
4. | Canon 7D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Sep 2006 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D500 | 5/5 | + + | 4.7/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
7. | Nikon D610 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7000 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2010 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-M10 III | .. | + | 5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2017 | 649 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL8 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2016 | 549 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-M10 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2014 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-P5 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2013 | 999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-PL5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-5 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2010 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | .. | 88/100 | .. | + + | o | 4/5 | Oct 2007 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-330 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | .. | Jan 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Olympus E-300 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | 4.5/5 | Sep 2004 | 799 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
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- Olympus E-1 vs OM System OM-1 II
- Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-PL10
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- Olympus E-1 vs Sigma fp
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- Olympus E-M10 II vs Samsung NX30
- Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony RX100 III
Specifications: Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-M10 II
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.
Camera Model | Olympus E-1 | Olympus E-M10 II |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | June 2003 | August 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 1,699 | USD 649 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-1 | Olympus E-M10 II |
Sensor Technology | CCD | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 4.9 Megapixels | 15.9 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 2560 x 1920 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 6.78 μm | 3.76 μm |
Pixel Density | 2.19 MP/cm2 | 7.08 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 800 ISO | 200 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | TruePic | TruePic VII |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 73 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 23.1 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 12.5 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 842 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-1 | Olympus E-M10 II |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.48x | 0.62x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 1.8inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 134k dots | 1040k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-1 | Olympus E-M10 II |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 8 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/16000s |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-1 | Olympus E-M10 II |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
Body Specs | Olympus E-1 | Olympus E-M10 II |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | BLM-1 | BLS-50 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 320 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
141 x 104 x 81 mm (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.2 in) |
120 x 83 x 47 mm (4.7 x 3.3 x 1.9 in) |
Camera Weight | 738 g (26.0 oz) | 390 g (13.8 oz) |
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