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Olympus E-M10 vs E-M10 II

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2014 and August 2015. Both the E-M10 and the E-M10 II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M10
versus
Olympus E-M10 II
Olympus E-M10   Olympus E-M10 II
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/30p Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots) Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second 8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
320 shots per battery charge320 shots per battery charge
119 x 82 x 46 mm, 396 g 120 x 83 x 47 mm, 390 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M10 and the Olympus E-M10 II are illustrated 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 width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the E-M10 II is available in three color-versions (black, silver, brown).

Size Olympus E-M10 vs Olympus E-M10 II
Compare E-M10 versus E-M10 II top
Comparison E-M10 or E-M10 II rear

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 somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Olympus E-M10. However, the E-M10 II is slightly lighter (2 percent) than the E-M10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-M10 nor the E-M10 II 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

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.

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Body Specifications
# image 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 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL10 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Oct 2019 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III 122 mm 84 mm 50 mm 410 g 330 n Aug 2017 649ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX85 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 599ebay.com
13.
 
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 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 somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the E-M10 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 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. 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.

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.

Olympus E-M10 and Olympus E-M10 II sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the E-M10 and the E-M10 II have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the E-M10 II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 6 months) than the E-M10, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. 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 Olympus OM-D E-M10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

E-M10 versus E-M10 II MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image 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 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
3.
 
Olympus E-PL10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.313.1132476
4.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8112074
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
7.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
8.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
11.
 
Panasonic GX85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
12.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
13.
 
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the E-M10 II provides a faster frame rate than the E-M10. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the E-M10 is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the E-M10 II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the E-M10 (2360k vs 1440k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-M10, the Olympus E-M10 II, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
11.
 
Panasonic GX852765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
13.
 
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 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 and the Olympus E-M10 II 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 E-M10 and the E-M10 II 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.

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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 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.

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Input-Output Connections
# image 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 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Olympus E-PL10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic GX85Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
13.
 
Panasonic GX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
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Both the E-M10 and the E-M10 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-M10 was replaced by the Olympus E-M10 II, while the E-M10 II was followed by the Olympus E-M10 III. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 and E-M10 II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M10 II Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-M10 and the Olympus E-M10 II? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


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

  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2014).


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

  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
  • More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 1440k dots).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.62x vs 0.58x).
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 6 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M10 II is the clear winner of the contest (5 : 1 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.

E-M10 01:05 E-M10 II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M10 and the Olympus E-M10 II 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-M10 or the E-M10 II perform in practice. 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 why hands-on reviews by experts 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  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 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL10....4/577/100..4/5 Oct 2019 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III..+5/580/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2017 649ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX854.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GX74/5+..79/1005/55/5 Aug 2013 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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. 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: Olympus E-M10 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 Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-M10 Olympus E-M10 II
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date January 2014 August 2015
    Launch Price USD 699 USD 649
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M10 Olympus E-M10 II
    Sensor Technology CMOS 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 15.9 Megapixels 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 4608 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 200 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VII TruePic VII
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 72 73
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.8 23.1
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.3 12.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 884 842
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M10 Olympus E-M10 II
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.58x 0.62x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1440k dots 2360k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-M10 Olympus E-M10 II
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s 8 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M10 Olympus E-M10 II
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-M10 Olympus E-M10 II
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-5 Olympus BLS-50
    Battery Life (CIPA)320 shots per charge320 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 119 x 82 x 46 mm
    (4.7 x 3.2 x 1.8 in)
    120 x 83 x 47 mm
    (4.7 x 3.3 x 1.9 in)
    Camera Weight 396 g (14.0 oz) 390 g (13.8 oz)
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