Olympus E-M10 II vs Canon M

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and the Canon EOS M are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2015 and July 2012. Both the E-M10 II and the Canon M are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-M10 II) and an APS-C (Canon M) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-M10 II		Canon M
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		4.3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
320 shots per battery charge		230 shots per battery charge
120 x 83 x 47 mm, 390 g		109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g

Check E-M10 II offers at
ebay.com
Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and the Canon EOS M? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M10 II and the Canon M. 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 Canon M is available in two color-versions (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M is notably smaller (28 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 II. Moreover, the Canon M is markedly lighter (24 percent) than the E-M10 II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-M10 II nor the Canon M 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 E-M10 II gets 320 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the Canon M can take 230 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
2.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	US$ 549	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic GX80	122 mm	71 mm	44 mm	426 g	290	n	Apr 2016	US$ 799	amazon.com
Note: 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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The Canon M was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the E-M10 II at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 Olympus E-M10 II features a Four Thirds sensor and the Canon M an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the Canon M is 48 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.6. The sensor in the E-M10 II has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the Canon M offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 17.9MP, the Canon M offers a higher resolution than the E-M10 II (15.9MP), but the Canon M nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10 II) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-M10 II is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 1 month) than the Canon M, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. 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 Canon M implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Canon M for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M10 II 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 M has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

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

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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"). Of the two cameras under review, the E-M10 II has a notably higher overall DXO score than the Canon M (overall score 8 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 1 bits higher color depth, 1.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
2.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
5.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
6.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
7.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
8.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1120	74
10.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
11.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
12.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
13.		Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.6	1030	73
14.		Olympus E-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1162	74
15.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
16.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
17.		Panasonic GX80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.9	12.6	662	71
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-M10 II provides a higher frame rate than the Canon M. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from 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), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the Canon M relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-M10 II and Canon M along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
13.		Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
14.		Olympus E-PL9	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
15.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic GX80	2765	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-M10 II has one, while the Canon M does not. While the built-in flash of the E-M10 II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-M10 II and the Canon M write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of 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 Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and Canon EOS M 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.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Olympus E-PL9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic GX80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the E-M10 II offers wifi support, while the Canon M does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the E-M10 II and the Canon M have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Canon M was replaced by the Canon EOS M3, while the E-M10 II was followed by the Olympus E-M10 III. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 II and Canon M can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M10 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-M10 II or the Canon M – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (8 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.3 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 4.3 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.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (320 versus 230) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 1 month of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 8%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• 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.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x66mm vs 120x83mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 92g or 24 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in July 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M10 II is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 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 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-M10 II and the Canon M 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-M10 II and the Canon M in practical situations. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
2.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M5 II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL8	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 549	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL9	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic GX80	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	US$ 799	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check E-M10 II offers at
ebay.com
Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check E-M10 II offers at
ebay.com
Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.