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Olympus E-M10 Comparison Review

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in January 2014 and is equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. It offers a resolution of 15.9 megapixel.

camera

Is the Olympus E-M10 a good camera? The E-M10 has a Camera Elo of 1907. This rating puts the E-M10 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (Four Thirds cameras), the E-M10 ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M10
Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
1080/30p Video
ISO 200 - 25 600
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
320 shots per battery charge
119 x 82 x 46 mm, 396 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Olympus E-M10 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Olympus E-M10 vs credit card front
E-M10 versus credit card top view
E-M10 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Olympus E-M10 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M10 III 122 mm 84 mm 50 mm 410 g 330 n Aug 2017 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GX80 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
10.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX7 123 mm 71 mm 55 mm 402 g 350 n Aug 2013 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Olympus E-M10 was launched in the US market at a price of $699. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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.

The Olympus E-M10 features a Four Thirds sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Olympus E-M10 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Olympus E-M10 sensor measures

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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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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 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
2.
 
Olympus E-M10 III Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8112074
3.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
6.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
9.
 
Panasonic GX80 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
10.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
11.
 
Panasonic GX7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.612.271870
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The E-M10 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the E-M10 can use is 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 with a resolution of 1440k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.58x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-M10 and comparable cameras.

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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-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-M10 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
9.
 
Panasonic GX802765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic GX72760 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The LCD screen on the Olympus OM-D E-M10 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the E-M10

One convenient feature of the E-M10 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection 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 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
2.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Panasonic GX80Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Panasonic GX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
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It is notable that the E-M10 offers wifi support. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 can be found in the free online Olympus E-M10 Manual or on the Olympus support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the E-M10 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. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings 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]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M10 III..+5/580/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2017 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GX804.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
10.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX74/5+..79/1005/55/5 Aug 2013 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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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.

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Olympus E-M10 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the E-M10.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Olympus E-M10?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Olympus E-M10 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Olympus equipped the E-M10 with the TruePic VII image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Olympus E-M10?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Olympus OM-D E-M10?

Olympus does not publish a shutter rating for the E-M10. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Olympus E-M10?

Olympus embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your E-M10 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Olympus E-M10 shutter count page.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Olympus E-M10?

No, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Olympus E-M10?

The E-M10 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Olympus E-M10 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Olympus E-M10 for flash photography?

The E-M10's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Does the Olympus E-M10 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Olympus E-M10 use?

The camera gets its power from the BLS-5 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Olympus E-M10
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date January 2014
    Launch Price USD 699
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 225 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 608 x 3 456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VII
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 72
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 884
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.58x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1440k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen
    V-logging Friendliness No front-flip
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Body Specs
    Battery Type BLS-5 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)320 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 119 x 82 x 46 mm
    (4.7 x 3.2 x 1.8 in)
    Camera Weight 396 g (14.0 oz)

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