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Olympus OM-D E-M10 Review

March 2014 | By Richard Butler and Allison Johnson

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 is the third camera in the company's OM-D range and represents another tier in the lineup - sitting below the E-M5 and the even more expensive E-M1. It uses the same 16 megapixel Four Thirds sensor as the E-M5, though doesn't offer that camera's weatherproofing. From the E-M1 it gets the latest TruePic VII image processor and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. Clearly, the E-M10 leans on some highly capable genetics.

The E-M10 doesn't have all the enthusiast trimmings of the E-M1, but it is targeted to a slightly more serious or developing photographer, rather than a casual snapshooter. With a built-in viewfinder, dual control wheels and number of customizable controls, it's aimed for the photographer who wants to take some control over shooting settings, though it does have an Auto mode for shooters not yet ready to take that step. It presents all of the light-and-compact benefits of Micro Four Thirds, with a few more SLR-like touches (viewfinder and direct controls) that an enthusiast will appreciate.

The first of Olympus's OM-D models, the E-M5, impressed us a great deal when it was launched, and struck a chord with our readers - comfortably winning our first annual 'camera of the year' poll. And the cause for the excitement? A combination of the best image quality we'd seen from a Four Thirds sized sensor and a well-considered set of controls that offered an enthusiast DSLR-style experience in a much smaller body, which was genuinely unprecedented. Overall it was the most complete and coherent mirrorless camera we'd seen up until that point.

The E-M10 offers almost everything the E-M5 did, plus a bit more, at a much lower starting price. Whereas the E-M5 debuted at a cost of around $999 body-only, the E-M10 hit the market at around $699 (or $799 with the collapsible 14-42mm II R lens).

The story is slightly different in the UK, where Olympus is bundling the E-M10 with the tiny 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ power zoom lens that was announced at the same time. This kit costs around £699, with a £529 price tag to buy it body-only. This means the body-only price is only around $30 more expensive than the US price, if VAT is removed to compare them on an equal footing.

OM-D E-M10 key features

16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor
Twin control dials
Built-in flash
8 fps continuous shooting
Tilting 1.04M dot LCD touchscreen
1.44m dot LCD viewfinder
Wi-Fi allowing remote control and file transfer to smartphones
Focus peaking
'3-axis' image stabilization

Looking through that list, you'll see that the E-M10 is essentially an un-weather-sealed E-M5 but with a better rear screen and the ability to easily send images off to a smart device. And, in use, that's a pretty accurate way of looking at things. But just looking at what's new or different risks downplaying how much is carried over from the E-M5.

Despite its fairly modest (mid-range DSLR level) pricing, the E-M10 retains not only a full twin dial control setup, giving you plenty of direct access to exposure settings, but also a touchscreen that helps make it quick to change secondary settings (gradation, white balance, ISO, etc.). As usual, Olympus hasn't made any moves to simplify or dumb-down its menu system, with all the advantages and disadvantages that brings.

Model	OM-D E-M10	OM-D E-M5	PEN E-P5
Sensor	16MP CMOS	16MP CMOS	16MP CMOS
Image processor	TruePic VII	TruePic VI	TruePic VI
Image stabilization	3-axis	5-axis	5-axis
Stabilization effectiveness (CIPA)	3.5 stops	~4 stops	~4 stops
Accessory Port?	No	Yes	Yes
Screen specifications	1.04m dot, WVGA LCD	614k dot, VGA equiv. OLED	1.04m dots WVGA LCD
Electronic viewfinder	1.44m dot, SVGA LCD	1.44m dot, SVGA LCD	Optional
Built-in flash?	Yes	No	Yes
Wi-Fi?	Yes	No	Yes
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec	1/4000 sec	1/8000 sec
X-Sync speed (external flash)	1/200 sec	1/200 sec	1/250 sec
Movie options	1080/30p MOV up to 24Mbps	1080/60i MOV up to 20Mbps	1080/60i MOV up to 20Mbps
Battery life (shots/charge, CIPA)	320	360	330
Environmental sealing?	No	Yes	No

In the negative column, you can see that the E-M10 misses out on the E-M5's 5-axis stabilization - which means it's not quite as effective (particularly when shooting close-ups). The shutter mechanism, meanwhile, allows a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000th of a second, in contrast to the 1/8000 sec offered by Olympus's most recent models, the E-P5 and E-M1. The good news is that we didn't find it to be prone to the image shake that can occur with the PEN E-P5.

The E-M10 also does without an AP2 accessory port, but this isn't necessarily a huge drawback - with the exception of the SEMA-1 stereo mic option, most of the available accessories aren't terribly relevant for E-M10 owners thanks to its built-in EVF and Wi-Fi.

However, the things the E-M10 adds are rather nice - the rear screen is a noticeable improvement, as is the inclusion of the 'Adaptive Brightness' viewfinder technology first introduced in the E-M1. This brightens and darkens the viewfinder panel, based on the ambient lighting conditions. As a result, the viewfinder ends up being bright in bright light without then being blinding in low light. It's a little thing (to the point that you don't necessarily notice it happening), but it helps provide a more OVF-like experience.

Although we wouldn't expect a huge number of E-M10 owners to buy lots of extra lenses, there are a healthy number of comparatively affordable (circa $300) lenses available from Olympus and Panasonic.

Electronic zoom

In the UK, the E-M10 is sold with the m.Zuiko 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ MSC power zoom. It's a very compact lens (even smaller than Panasonic's 14-42 Vario X powerzoom) but despite its size, finds room for both a zoom and focus rings. Our test unit includes a clever sprung-iris lens cap that gives a compact-camera-like experience. It's a nice touch, but unfortunately not included with the lens and is offered at an additional £40 in the UK. In the US (initially, at least), the lens will only be available separately, at a cost of around $349 (and another $40 if you want the neat lens cap).

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.

We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X, Y, and Z and ideally A, B, and C.

Gear in this story

Olympus OM-D E-M10

639

I own it

211

I want it

I had it

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Olympus OM-D E-M10 Compact System Camera with 14-42mm 2RK Lens (Black)	INR 58,000.00
Speedmaster Camera Olympus EM-10 black with EZ-M1442 Black EZ-M4015- R Lence	INR 80,000.00

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Comments

Total comments: 345

Will be O.I.Share app available also for Windows phone smartphones sometimes?

0 upvotes

Clearly, this camera's closest competitor is the Sony A6000.

0 upvotes

E-M10 + 20mm 1.7 or Fuji X-M1 + 35mm 1.4?

I need a smaller backup camera and deciding between this two.

0 upvotes

What lens is used in this review for the "Studio comparison"? Is it the 14-42 RII, or perhaps some 2.8 pro lens, or primes?

0 upvotes

Oly 45 1.8
If you hover over the little 'i' in the lower right corner a pop-up gives lens info.

0 upvotes

How does this E-M10 compare to a Sony RX100-2 as a light carry around camera? Yes I realize the Olympus has interchangeable lenses and the P&S doesn't. But I mean wrt being a lightwt, high quality image (JPG & raw) producing cam in roughly the same price point.... Thx to any thoughts from users of both.

1 upvote

So for me, it's come down to OM-D E-M10 vs the Fuji X-E2. The main thing I'm hung up on right now is the noise at high ISOs. I want this to be somewhat of a DSLR replacement for traveling, and I'm concerned about the camera's abilities in low light. I'm using an old D200 right now, which for me, maxes out around ISO 400.

I could get the E-M10 for $700 with the kit lens, but I'm thinking that I would want the m.Zuiko 12mm-40mm lens because it's faster. At that point though, why wouldn't I just buy a Fuji X-E2 for a bit more money, since it handles low light better and the kit lens is already pretty fast? Plus, the larger sensors allows for better out-of-focus backgrounds. Any thoughts from anyone?

I like the idea of having a tilting touch screen though, so that's something that draws me to this camera.

0 upvotes

Love the M10. Despise Adobe. Being a troglodyte (of the cave dweller, not the stupid variety), I continue to use XP on my main computer. I also use Photoshop Elements 11. Adobe now refuses to provide RAW support to either. Not even the DNG converter works in XP. Being a non-professional with merely modest photo skills, I rarely use the M10's RAW mode. Adobe's refusal to accommodate my occasional desire to utilize this feature is, at best, a mere inconvenience. Fortunately, Olympus does provide Viewer 3, and the ORF files generated by the M10 will also open in Corel's Paint Shop Photo ProX2 (despite it being several years older than Elements 11). I suppose not being as fussy as other folk does work to the advantage of my wallet.

1 upvote

This program will read your RAW files...
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

0 upvotes

Yes, the Faststone viewer program is my main software for organizing and viewing photos.

0 upvotes

I used this camera with the 25mm f/1.8 m.Zuiko (both rented) during a recent week-long trip to New Orleans. Despite never having used it before and not having an owner’s manual at my disposal, I was able to configure it to my liking and get some great shots. Its performance was, for all practical purposes, flawless. I’d be hard-pressed to think of a better value at this price, especially in a small, lightweight, yet capable camera, which is why my Nikon V1 and Canon EOS 60D will soon be for sale.

10 upvotes

Can anyone tell me if CA-correction works with all MFT lenses from Olympus, also with older types?
I'm thinking about the E-M10 in combination with the M.Zuiko Digital 9-18mm 1:4.0-5.6 which shows some serious CA, according the 2010 test here on DPR. I would like to know how this combination performs.

1 upvote

I have been using my EM-10 for about 6 months now and love it! However...
While on vacation last week, I shot with it for two days without problems. On the third day I pulled out the camera and it was dead. I tried two other freshly charged batteries and still got nothing. When I got home two days later I pulled out the camera ready to call olympus and it worked fine.
Has anyone else had or heard of this problem?

1 upvote

I bought this camera bout six months ago and I couldn't be more happy with it. It just works like a charm, always, period. Good viewfinder, fast and super accurate autofocus, decent ergonomics, tilting LCD, highly effective in body stabilization and a wealth of high quality compact and lightweight lenses to choose from. This is a mature camera system and I love it.

I'm not sure what dpreview means by "Here we're comparing the E-M10 to the Fujifilm X-M1, which bears a highly capable APS-C X-Trans chip. We'd expect it to out-resolve the Four Thirds E-M10, and it does, and the E-M10 appears to try and bridge the gap by applying slightly heavier sharpening to its JPEGs. ", I don't see it in day to day use. I shoot RAW and I see no significant difference. What I do see is that the output of the X-Trans sensor is cooked. RAW files look soft and processed. Any difference there might be, comes from in camera processing.

0 upvotes

"RAW files look soft and processed."

I wish people wouldn't use this phrasing. No one "looks" at RAW data, any comparison is simply between a jpeg image created from sensor data in camera and images created by processing the sensor data on a computer.

2 upvotes

Actually, the E-M10 does allow for limited in-camera RAW image editing. Just another feature of this nifty and versatile camera.

1 upvote

I have been using the camera for about 2 weeks now shooting almost every day outdoors and indoors, mostly with the honest Pana 14-45mm lens. My brain has no doubt that it is a great camera, especially for its price and size. My gut is taking its time to get used to it. It is simply hard to believe that this little thing can be so absolutely brilliant and fun to use. My main camera has been a Pentax K5 and, hey, that's a real camera, right? I have a ton of part-time pro experience and know what I want from my gear. So, as soon as I got the camera I checked out all the controls, fixed and customizable, and set them up just right. Now I can change settings without taking my eye off the more than decent EVF. I just ordered a second body, will sell my APS-C gear and buy a few of the M43 pro line lenses. Between the Sony A7 and this camera, there is no doubt in my mind that the future is mirrorless and EVF.

4 upvotes

I bought this camera with 14~42 EZ lens for my wife so she could carry it around in her purse but I like it so well that I grab it instead of the EM-1 most of the time. It focuses 4/3 lenses well enough for slow things and I can manual focus quick enough for faster things because the EVF is that good. Todays EVF are soooo much better than the pentamirror finders we have been peaking through for so long! I love the feel of this camera as I'm not a fan of large camera grips. This camera reminds me of a Pentax ME from 1980. As a matter of fact, I pulled a Minolta Hi-Matic F (a fixed lens rangefinder travel camera from the '80s) yeah I'm old)) off the shelf and they are roughly the same size with the EZ lens on the EM-10. This is a brilliant little camera.

2 upvotes

I bought this camera last week. Pictures are excellent and the auto-focus is really fast. It's super lightweight; nice to take on walks and hikes. I am a complete neophyte and I'm using the camera to learn how to use the manual settings. I'm very happy with my purchase.

My question: I bought the camera with the kit Olympus 14-42 mm lens and used it for a week without problems. I had to press the unlock button to extend the lens. I also purchased an Olympus 40-150 mm zoom lens. After mounting the 40-150 and remounting the 14-42, the 14-42 lens clicks into place but it can now be extended without the need to simultaneously press the unlock button. I searched for a similar problem on Google but found nothing. Would appreciate hearing any suggestions as to what I might try to fix this.

0 upvotes

This is as it should be so you can just turn the barrel to open the lens without having to precisely place your fingers on the release button. The release button is only needed to close the lens.

1 upvote

wtf.. ? The studio comparison shows this could be infact sharper than D7100 !
EDIT: oh nvm, that's just bad Nikon JPG. In raw d7100 better.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison/fullscreen?attr18=daylight&attr13_0=oly_em10&attr13_1=nikon_d7100&attr15_0=jpeg&attr15_1=jpeg&attr16_0=100&attr16_1=100&normalization=full&widget=66&x=-0.3252206223873665&y=0.5998816918071576

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison/fullscreen?attr18=daylight&attr13_0=oly_em10&attr13_1=nikon_d7100&attr15_0=jpeg&attr15_1=jpeg&attr16_0=100&attr16_1=100&normalization=print&widget=66&x=-0.7647402295799881&y=-0.8425317953268264

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

i'll go for this when i feel the need to have mirrorless ILC.. it has all i need: size, quality, control, speed, price. i've tested it in gear shop and it feels good in my hand. oh and it looks cool too.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I love the size and easy of "Taking it along", and the photos are excellent, but for some reason over the past few weeks I find I am longing for my D7100. Not its size as much as its "reality". My adjustment to this camera is more philosophical than technical (although the menus system as we all know is a rabbit hole), it seems real, it performs, yet I continue to give it second looks. When I grab my S110 I know what it "is". The D7100 the same. This new "feel", small, light, powerful, DSLR-ish, I am learning to take it seriously... time will tell... I wore this last night after I left it at the bar, its diminutive size, unnoticed as I exited. This could have been aided by that third glass of wine..

1 upvote

The new EZ kit lens has proved to be too soft for my taste and although it looks the part its resolution is just not good enough at this price point leaving it out classed by my fixed lens compacts....RX100 and G1X .
With smallish fingers , I find handling to be awkward with knobs turning inadvertently and finger stretching to achieve simple tasks ( even to switch off)

Fitted with a decent prime there's much to like but overall I feel that it's been over rated.
Oh, the firmware change to electronic shutter has sharpened up the images a little ....enough to notice though.

1 upvote

Is there a 37mm UV-filter available anywhere for the m.Zuiko 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ kit lens ?

0 upvotes

Yes Hoya has a 37mm UV in their Pro1 range. Others might too but I'm sure about Hoya.

0 upvotes

Olympus have now posted the much awaited anti-shock firmware 1.1 upgrade for the OM-D E-M10 here:

http://www.olympus.co.uk/site/en/c/cameras_support/downloads/e_m10_downloads.html

This implements electronic first curtain below 1/320 sec shutter speed, thus reducing vibration, in theory, from the shutter.

Perhaps comnsumer pressure does work!

0 upvotes

Does the anti-shock affect the E-M5?

0 upvotes

Yes see the news item on the software update for the E-M5

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2014/05/15/does-the-new-olympus-pen-e-p5-firmware-reduce-image-shake?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=news-list&utm_medium=text&ref=title_0_29

0 upvotes

I can't see this update. Has it been taken off?

0 upvotes

Didn't seem to be on the 'Oly' website although it's available via their updater.

0 upvotes

Its there under downloads for M10 here:

http://www.olympus.co.uk/site/en/c/cameras_support/downloads/e_m10_downloads.html

0 upvotes

I only get the option to download the instruction manual via that link.

0 upvotes

The download happens automatically once you have downloaded the Olymus updater software and connected your camera. I suggest you read the instructions carefiully. It is very straightforward. Read the instructions on updating.

0 upvotes

Thanks for the update link. I do see a clear but subtle difference in the E-M10 output with anti-shock enabled.

0 upvotes

There is now a 1.2 firmware update via the updater. The updater is accessible from the Olympus Viewer 3 software available on the disk accompanying the camera, or as a separate utility download from Olympus USA. A Viewer 3 update is also available.

0 upvotes

I just got the camera, working though the menus, adjusting to the smaller size, loving it so far.. Can anyone tell me where RAW is hidden in the menu system?

0 upvotes

its in image quality settings. RAW+LF, RAW+LN, etc.

2 upvotes

thank you... got lost in menuville

0 upvotes

After using the E-M1 with it's fabulous grip and button layout, I found the E-M10's lack of a proper grip and the close layout of the top deck's F2, Movie Record button (which I reassigned to ISO), and the F1, to be too awkward to use. I don't have large hands but found that I had to twist fingers and shift my hand position in to order to activate those controls, especially in using the camera with manual focus lenses, which meant using Magnify. All in all, very disappointing handling. I found that Allison Johnson also complained about “grip” issue in the Handling section, so I see that I am not alone. I did find the image-stabilization to be very effective though. And image quality was excellent.

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Nearly always I have the 12-40 lens on the camera, a relatively heavy lens. For that reason I bought the accessory grip; it is a great help. My fingers now come to rest in exactly the right place and I can hold the cam-lens combo in a comfortable and steady grip.
- The ON/OFF switch is in an awkward place.
- I wonder why all camera's have this mode dial with so many options; for 95% of the time I use A. I guess I could do without the dial and rather have the options available in the Super Control Panel; a simple press of the OK button would make the options available when needed. It would save considerable 'space' on the top deck of camera's. - Any comments?

Comment edited 19 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

First I had the same thoughts, but then found out that you can assign custom shooting settings (MySet 1-4) to any of the options on the mode dial... which is fantastic!

0 upvotes

I am having trouble with E-M10 noise levels. Majority of the wonderful sample images in online reviews seem to be RAW based. Default JPEG noise is unacceptable above ISO800 for portraits. Both my 5 year old D300 and athe new Sony a6000 have much lower noise and significantly better dynamic range. I tried RAW and got fairly good results but do not have time for processing - this is for taking pictures of our kids to be uploaded to facebook and shared with family.
I use kit lens with 45mm 1.8 on its way. Still the lens should help with sharpness (I have problems with as well - mostly due to inaccurate focusing) but not with the noise.

I tinkered with noise reduction settings without much success. Even at ISO600 there is way more noise than one would expect. Any suggestions on settings? I know everything is relative but I am comparing it head to head with Nikon D5200 and Sony a6000 under the same settings and there is something wrong with the Olympus. Thanks.

3 upvotes

Your opinion isn't shared by the DPR review.
Are you using "noise filter" rather than "noise reduction"?

As the review noted above: The E-M10 keeps up with its APS-C and MFT peers with retention of fine detail until ISO 6400 when things take a turn for the worse. Olympus's noise reduction setting is accessed from the menu (Custom Menu E: Noise Filter), with four options available (Off, Low, Standard and High). Confusingly there's also a 'Noise Reduction' control, but this only applies to long exposures.

2 upvotes

Try turning the sharpness down as the default setting for all recent Olympus E-Px and E-Mx models accentuates any noise.

0 upvotes

I own the new EM10. So far I could not be more pleased. This is my first mirror less camera and it's more than met any expectation. But I have a question, that maybe some engineer or camera expert can explain. The in camera HDR , i was able to take a picture using the function that combines 4 shots at varying exposures hand held squaring down ( so no way steady), I say it takes a 1.5 to 2 secs to do this. And then it processes the images another 3 or 4 seconds. I was only expecting a blur, but I got a beautiful and detailed image. This is hand held. This did not work as well taking an image of a forest of trees. I am assuming some type of registration based on high contrast but not sure. Is this common to all in camera HDR. I am attaching image this is down loaded from IPad so maybe not as high definition but you get the idea.

0 upvotes

As a former Olympus OM-1/OM-4 user, I am immediately drawn to this camera. I waited a long time to get into digital. I started with an Olympus E-Volt 500 and was very disappointed. I later moved to the Canon T3i, which I have been very pleased with overall. This model has me considering going back to Olympus, however, I have a few hangups.

I love the flip out screen on the T3i, but I can live with the tilt screen on the E-M10. My hesitations are the low light performance and lack of audio input. I do a lot of low light photography of food in dark restaurants, and I am concerned with the performance of the Olympus at higher ISOs. The Canon does very well with this. I also do lots of video and use a Sennheiser wireless mic system, so the lack of audio input is a major bummer. I would have to have another camera to do video. As much as I want the cool features and compact size of the Olympus, after reading the full review, I am leaning towards upgrading to the Canon T5i. Thoughts anyone?

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Why don't you go for the em5 or em1? When you add the ema-1 external mic adapter (which doesn't work on the em10), you can add your microphone.

Btw. with the mft system you still have to invest in lenses, with the Canon, you don't have to (I assume).

Actually, I think the em# -range of camera's all have relatively good high iso and DR capabilities, so shouldn't be a concern.

0 upvotes

Alternatively look at the Panasonic GH4 or even GH3. They have world-class video (GH4 does 4k), have the flip out screen you like and use the same great m43 lenses as the E-M10.

0 upvotes

DXOMark's sensor evaluation says the e-M10 has a stronger high ISO capability compared to the Canon t5i.

0 upvotes

I bought one to upgrade my m4/3 kit.
With the EZ 14-42 lens IQ is just good not great and needs a lot of PP.
I enjoy the compact size and build quality but sensor noise is way above my expectations.

1 upvote

Bought it and love it but I have a problem. I can download RAW from my EPL-2 to i-photo but i-photo won't accept RAW from the E-M10. Olympus tells me use Olympus Viewer 3 but that is a nuisance to have to go to another photo editing and storage program. i-photo will accept JPEGs from the EM-10 however.
I wonder why this situation has arisen.

0 upvotes

RAW support for the E-M10 will require an update from Apple. Each new camera requires an update, and Apple, Adobe, and other vendors release new updates periodically to support new cameras. The wait time is usually a month or two.

0 upvotes

Adobe has released an update to support the E-M10 --provided you have Windows 7 or later installed on your computer. The update will not work in Windows XP.

0 upvotes

My EM 10 will arrive by Monday . I did a lot of research and comparison. I knew that I wanted in camera stabilization and I had a price point that I had to stay within. My photo mentor urged me to move to Olympus too. From all the comments from other real owners on this blog and others I know I made a very good choice. But what I really want to say is how much I value and appreciate the hard work you folks do at DPR. I can not say how much it has helped me over the years. Keep up the GREAT work!

8 upvotes

Check out some Image samples of this sensor
Olympus Inspired!
http://robertevangelista.blogspot.com/

1 upvote

For the purpose of buying a closely fitting case, is the OM-D E M10 the same size as others in the OM-D range ?

1 upvote

Would like to know too - I have an E-M10 (love it!) but there is a distinct lack of cases - I would really like a two part-close fitting case with enough space to accommodate the F2.0 12mm lens (which I also have and love!!!)

0 upvotes

Have a look at the Lowpro 'Apex' range.
I bought the '100 AW' and my EM10 fits in perfectly. I was after something snug for just camera (with prime lens on) and a couple of other smaller bits and bobs (lens cloth, spare battery etc.)
You can't go wrong with Lowpro. They have a huge range of options to suit most needs. They're inexpensive, and good quality. The best of both worlds.

1 upvote

I've got a question about wifi: can it connect to an existing LAN, and then to a smartphone? From the description it seems it's just a rather limited peer-to-peer connection with one tablet or smartphone.

1 upvote

Good question - I have an Eye-fi card which does a much better job of going peer-to-peer when on the go and joining the lan when at home (automatically and seamlessly). Would be great if the Oly did the same... maybe with software/firmware updates? At the moment it's very clunky in comparison.

0 upvotes

markalroberts, perhaps off-topic here but which Eye-fi card do you have and how did you get it to seemlessly switch between direct-mode when away from home and home LAN when at home? feel free to PM me. thanks!

0 upvotes

Great camera for the price! Is a great complement for my E-M1 and to wonder around different cities doing street shooting is awesome. Light, fast and great image quality! I'm done carrying heavy camera and lenses for me this is the way to go!

2 upvotes

Hi guys i have seen today this offer http://www.foto-erhardt.de/product/6008588/olympus-om-d-e-m10-silber-+-14-42mm-rii+-40-150mm.html can you tell me is it worth,is this lens crappy?

0 upvotes

I would prefer 25mm 1.8 rather than these two casual lenses.

0 upvotes

As a Panasonic GH2 owner, I bought the E-M10 because I wanted to see for myself what all the fuss is about. The E-M10 stills image quality is definitely a step up from the GH2. It's a keeper!
I find autofocus more accurate on the GH2 with the same Olympus lenses.
The viewfinder on the GH2 is still - after all these years bigger, brighter and clearer.
I miss the C1,C2 and C3 dials that the Panasonic cameras offer and the extra external controls. On the E-M10, I waste too much time scrolling through the Super control panel and miss shots even after assigning all Fn buttons. The GH2 is operationally faster. I know Olympus offer the Myset feature but only one Myset can be programmed to an Fn button.
The GH2 can easily be used one-handed. Great for parents! The E-M10 requires two hands.
The Olympus software better than Panasonic but unbearably slow.
The Olympus has auto ISO in manual mode!
Overall the E-M10 is fantastic but I'll keep the GH2 for video.

1 upvote

Wanted to update my impressions of the E-M10 after 3 weeks of use.
I've now discovered the target auto focus mode and find it to be superior to my GH2 for nailing focus on a moving subject.
To use- press left arrow next to OK, then INFO and then scroll to the focus mode with tiny stand alone boxes.
This little wonder really can keep a sharp focus on subjects moving towards the camera at 3.5 f/s.
I still miss the C1-C3 dials on the GH2 but have found a work around on the E-M10 by assigning Myset1 and Myset2 to the ART and SCN mode positions.
Olympus software is very slow with Raw files but okay with Jpegs.
My files look like film - I'm very impressed. Lovely film like grain and beautiful rich colours without adding saturation to skin tones.
My focus accuracy is 90% better than my 5DMK2 and the file quality is very similar.

2 upvotes

You will be amazed on the lens line up too
Olympus Inspired!
http://robertevangelista.blogspot.com/

0 upvotes

Just a question, why isn't the Lumix G6 not on the list of camera's to compere with the E-M10?

3 upvotes

I sold OM-10s (and manual adapters) :)
The "big 5" Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Pentax, Minolta and a few 'blads. Pentax 6x7s and Mamiya RB-67s on the side.
.
This body looks just like the OM-10 revisited,the best semi-auto camera of the day. If you make photocopiers, shavers, cookers, etc., you MUST make a better camera, right? WROMNG.
.
I shot a nice D800 and SONY with some fancy lenses at a 21st on the weekend, swapped EM1 with owners.
MORE maneuverability, 1/2 the weight, 1/3 the volume. BOTH owners remarked on EM-1's size, weight, and its VERY similar output quality.
.
One almost spat his Croissant and coffee when I said that I had 8 lenses ON my person!
.
The BIG guns gave nothing extra.
.
Like horses? Happy for some Crit ..
http://photohounds.smugmug.com/Equestrian/NCHTA-Canberra-Horse-Trials-2a/
.
... and
.
http://photohounds.smugmug.com/Equestrian/NCHTA-Canberra-Horse-Trials-20/
.
Be kind, it was an event shoot as well :)
.
Cheers from Downunda .

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

The new Olympus E-M10 as well as E-M5 and E-M1 are nice cameras. The classic vintage look, the small size, the picture quality, the in-body stabilizer. I write this as a long-time OM-4 User (still have it).

Of course, Olympus is not Panasonic and an E-M10 or E-M1 is no a GH4.

However, if Olympus decides to include basic video features, this is more than welcome - for example if you like to travel light with basically one piece of gear.

BUT:
Why not include the 25 fps for us 50-Hz-people in Europe?
Should be a simple firmware upgrade, doesn't it?

Of course, we're in digital times and these 25 frames per second become more and more irrelevant.
But for compatibility's sake (with other equipment) they're still very useful.

Frankly: This ignorance from Olympus' side is felt more and more like arrogance (sorry!) and for me a reason to stay away: "Who cares for the other part of the world, WE are 60 Hz and 30p (e.g. in Japan and US) - be it all the others too!"

2 upvotes

"Of course, we're in digital times and these 25 frames per second become more and more irrelevant."

No this is not the case.
In Europe all our indoor lighting is also 50hz instead of 60hz.
Therefore filming at 60fps will lead to serious flickering in video. Making indoor footage pretty much useless.

Panasonic also has better bitrate compression which allows more grading in post and less artifacts. This is just a selling point for video enthusiasts though.

7 upvotes

There are occasional hints, that filming with 30p (or 60i) and shutter speed 1/50 sec instead of 1/60 might help preventing flicker from artificial light in PAL countries.

I wasn't able to test this so far.

0 upvotes

It's funny because I live in Europe and I only see the flicker mentionned before in the very first second I turn on an Olympus camera, even one as old as the E-PL1. Then, something happens within the camera and I never see the flicker again when the camera is on, whether framing my shots or recording and viewing videos.

So the whole issue of frame rates appears irrelevant to me when just making casual videos.

0 upvotes

Good camera. color rendition and noise low levels, and compact size is what makes me a OM-D E-M10 future user. ))) still will keep my baby D600.

Comment edited 5 minutes after posting

1 upvote

This new Olympus OM-D E-M10 has got me excited about micro four thirds again! Why? Because it doesn't seem to suffer from shutter vibrations, shutter shock or whatever you want call it. Many micro four thirds cameras suffer from it (i.e. Panasonic GX7, Olympus E-M5, E-M1, Sony A7R). It seriously degrades image quality at normal (and most used) shutter speeds.

The E-M10 is an awesome little camera that offers the same image quality as the E-M1, but in a much smaller (but high quality) and more affordable package. And without the shutter shock problem! What more do you need? If you don't specifically need the extra features (like shutter shock) of the E-M1 or the E-M5, I'd go for this excellent E-M10.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 1 minute after posting

3 upvotes

Hmmm, I've taken several thousand photos with my GX7 and haven't noticed any shutter shock...?

10 upvotes

I think "Shutter shock" is a misnomer since it isn't about a shutter shaking the camera around to cause a blurry picture.

From everything I've read on this, it rather seems to be the IBIS overcompensating for movement (regardless if said movement is from a camera's shutter, your shaky hands, or something completely different).

The GX7 has no 5-axis IBIS. The E-M10 has no 5-axis IBIS. Both of these have in-body stabilization, sure, but it isn't of the 5-axis kind. I think this is a key difference. (I have heard very little if anything as for "shutter shock" from GX7 owners)

The E-M5 do have it reported though, and the E-P5. Both have identical IBIS mechanism.

This is actually not news. Overcompensation is a known problem with some stabilization algorithms, showing its ugly head in various ways. My Nikon D90 has the option to turn off stabilization since it'll otherwise overcompensate when already stable, like on a tripod.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Everyone have their own priorities and expectations on their camera.

0 upvotes

There is no Ibis issues on GX7 of any kind as far as my testing goes!!

1 upvote

IMO, this "shutter shake" is a reflection of users abilities and not at all camera related.I borrowed a family members E-P5 for a day trip to the area mountains. Shot 10 gigs of raw and never experienced any shutter shake.Nada , zip, none.

0 upvotes

Shutter shock most certainly is not a 'reflection of my abilities as a photographer'. I have a steady hand and a lot of experience with many types of cameras (35mm, 6x6, 6x7, compact, MFT, APSC, full frame, you name it). I know what a lens hood is and I am familiar with the tool called tripod. Shutter shock is not made up by some photography noobs who don't know a thing about getting the best results from a camera. It's a very real problem and it becomes more apparent if you are critical and technically skilled.

I'm thrilled about the fact that I havent seen any evidence of shutter shock with the Olympus E-M10. I love this little camera.

1 upvote

Before anyone renders an uninformed, negative verdict, go try the camera. It feels good, it looks good and it shoots well. Well worth the money they ask for it.

9 upvotes

Where do we see which lens/ f-stop/iso is used for these studio comparisons, has as much influence as the bodies they portend to compare.

1 upvote

Click on the little 'gear' icon at the bottom right of each image - you should find the information you need there.

1 upvote

Can you please stop with the lower marks for bloody poor video!!! this site is called Digital Photography review, it you insist on scoring cameras down because of video make it a totally different section or start a Digital Video Review Site, i'm bored about the lengthy failings a camera has in its lack of video......

24 upvotes

believe it or not most people don't buy video cameras anymore. So still and video are in one package. video rating is very much relevant.

4 upvotes

I come from a different camp of user and have different expectations. I want excellent still and excellent video and don't want to carry separate specialized devices in order to do both well. It's very relevant for me to know how well a device can do both tasks.

So I'd say to you (politely), please ignore the video section if it's irrelevant to you. It's certainly useful and relevant to me and, quite likely, many others as well.

2 upvotes

I do appreciate the need for video but i feel that a camera should have two different scores one still and one video to make comparison easier for the consumer. But i will try and ignore the video scores :)

3 upvotes

Fair enough! Actually that might help me out, too, come to think of it. Happy shooting.

1 upvote

This is also Awesome buddy.

0 upvotes

very nice colour rendition ang good detail definition in jpeg mode. nice work, olympus, wish canon could handle colours like that..

12 upvotes

I bought recently bought a Canon DSLR because of the Canon colour rendition!!!

5 upvotes

Colors in jpg images are the things people talk about when they have run out other things to say. It is SO subjective, that it really has no place in a dialog open to the world.

2 upvotes

For the subject matter that I plan to photograph, it's not worth it to do PP and work on the raw files, I just want easy photos out of the camera. So for that reason I listen to the comments on jpeg colors, although it is of course subjective. Beats hearing nothing about jpeg color.

0 upvotes

I spent some time comparing the images and I do not find any superiority of the Fuji... On the contrary! I can still read the words on the red brush in the lower right corner even at very high sensitivity... Just try and see...

2 upvotes

Oly left, X-T1 right, raw, then go up to 1600 and 3200 ISO and move the rectangle over darker areas. Chroma noise in Oly wants to scratch your eyes out.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

XT-1 and EM-10 are very close. The colors are pretty close and but the EM-10 is sharper at all ISO's. X-T1 images look like Fuji processed them to remove noise and maybe added fine grain that is why they look so soft and require lots of work to get right.

3 upvotes

"X-T1 images look like Fuji processed them to remove noise and maybe added fine grain that is why they look so soft and require lots of work to get right."

This might explain it:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53311246

0 upvotes

@rmxa: Yes, I read that thread, excellent. However, graphs indicate Fuji cooks raws at ISO 3200 and above. The disparity (aggressive Oly chroma noise) starts earlier. I think (not an expert in that area, so take it as a guess) that it might have to do with demosaicing from X-Trans. Some detail is lost (not very much), but chroma noise is very well controlled. Perhaps they're doing some clever averaging, don't know.

If you look at moire, it also seems to support it. This is from the DPR studio scene at ISO 400, so well below the cooking levels: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison?attr18=daylight&attr13_0=oly_em10&attr13_1=sony_a3000&attr13_2=fujifilm_xt1&attr13_3=sony_nex6&attr15_0=raw&attr15_1=raw&attr15_2=raw&attr15_3=raw&attr16_0=400&attr16_1=400&attr16_2=400&attr16_3=400&normalization=full&widget=1&x=0.6384483929702549&y=0.08475566050933485

Comment edited 13 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

@onlooker: If the observed NR applied to the RAW files is due to the X-trans demosaicing process, then isn't it more likely that it's applied at all ISOs? And maybe the fact that there's minimal noise at those lower ISOs makes it appear that NR isn't being applied although it is? But I'm just guessing as well.

But we should also consider that X System cameras seem to overstate their ISOs by around 1/2 - 2/3EV as indicated here:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilm-x-e2/13

For the studio scene at ISO 800, the XT-1 shutter speed was 1/250, the E-M10's was 1/320.

If the studio shots for both cameras were exposed similarly, I would assume that the noise disparity between them wouldn't be as pronounced?

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 7 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

@rmxa: It is visible at all ISOs. If you compare low iso images, you'll see that fuji X is more soft. Also while at all camera there is visible chroma noise even at low ISOs (400-800), in Fuji you don't see it ever.
This is one reason that Fuji's image quality is a bit overrated, and also the reason that is more dificult to compare head by head...
I use Fuji, and i love it, but the fact is better or worse with a whooping 1/10 stop just doesn't matter to me.

0 upvotes

I've never been a MFT fan - I believe size matters in sensors - but at under 800 ISO, this is impressive. For those who shoot in high light levels and post only on the web, this camera will do very well - impressively,

It was interesting to see how much better the lowly A3000 is than this camera over IS0 800. One poster who claims to have sent back his A7r and bought this for the IBIS must have been shooting under high light levels, because there's no comparison. If the A3000 sensor i what is in the A6000, I'd think that's a better machine for those who don't need IBIS to take slow shutter speed shots.

I guess if Olympus could pack this performance in a package as small as my old Olympus XA, just about any photographer could rationalize buying it as a true pocket rocket. But in a size and price competitive with small APS-C DSLRs, it will remain a niche product appealing mostly to MFT fans who can't afford or justify the top-of-the-line model.

1 upvote

That same poster was talking about shooting 1/3 second shutter speeds. Tell me why you'd need to go above ISO 800 again?

4 upvotes

> That same poster was talking about shooting 1/3 second shutter speeds. Tell me why you'd need to go above ISO 800 again?

Tell me again, how do you shoot moving objects at 1/3 of a second?

5 upvotes

Mel, the problem with that logic is that even though your shooting with a small APS-C body, your still very limited in lend choice. Neither Canon or Nikon has a very rounded out lens selection for them which forces you to go to their FF selection. Not very ideal. Both P and O have excellent lenses for the m43 sensor.
And if you believe that this is a sensor only for showing images on the web, sorry but you really have no clue.

21 upvotes

All other things were they equal could make sensor size the only thing that mattered. More techinical than Nikon-ese admitted, it is also not true that pixel size is the number that matters when it comes to deep ISO. The precision of the manufacturing process matters a great deal more. Yesteryear's Panasonic sensors were crap and their pixels were pretty big. Miraculous Sony sensors made Nikon big, and they are saving Olympus' bacon. If you are going to take pictures in the dark, the trick is a bright lens and a tripod, not a great sensor behind a crummy lens. Let's be honest, that one in 2000 shots taken by the "entusiast" in poor light does not say anything against the 1999 that are awesome and perhaps superior in other ways.

0 upvotes

The Sony A3000 is better at ISOs above 800? Are you looking at the RAW comparison?

The EM-10 has noticeably less noise than the A3000 RAWs starting at ISO 800 onwards. It's most visible if you look at the Jackson Triggs wine bottle at the bottom part of the low light studio scene.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison?attr18=lowlight&attr13_0=oly_em10&attr13_1=sony_a3000&attr13_2=sony_a7r&attr13_3=sony_nex6&attr15_0=raw&attr15_1=raw&attr15_2=raw&attr15_3=raw&attr16_0=3200&attr16_1=3200&attr16_2=3200&attr16_3=3200&normalization=full&widget=1&x=-0.10682398444332082&y=-1.007087512864699

Comment edited 6 minutes after posting

4 upvotes

A camera that only does well under ISO 800 is useless. To me.

0 upvotes

"A camera that only does well under ISO 800 is useless. To me."

And that has what exactly to do with the EM-10 review?

10 upvotes

X-sync (external flash) for E-M5 should be 1/250s in your comparison table.

0 upvotes

Not according to Olympus's specifications:

Synchronization speed: 1/250sec. or less* (using the bundled flash) * It depends on flash models or flash mode FL-50R: 1/180 sec. Exept FL-50R: 1/200 sec. Super FP: 1/125-1/4000 sec.

0 upvotes

The Conclusion - Cons list was pretty short. DPR needs to work harder, to find more Cons. :-)

0 upvotes

- built-in flash can not tilt (Some Pen cameras can do it)
- battery life kind of short (but common problem for mirrorless cameras)
- no significant IQ improvements since E-M5
- no PDAF means limited functionality with 43 DSLR lenses

I tried but it's hard. :)

4 upvotes

So.... this is kinda like a GX7, but it trades a slightly better EVF for the GX7's awesome video capabilities...

0 upvotes

Better IBIS too. 200 bucks cheaper.

Probably why it earned the gold while the GX7 got the silver.

Comment edited 8 minutes after posting

10 upvotes

And better ergonomics, I know it's subjective, but that rear dial on the GX7: not in the right place, highly recessed and with a rubber grip behind it, not good, for me. And the front grip, poor button layout..

4 upvotes

Plus there's no auto-ISO in Manual mode on GX7, so the twin control dials aren't as useful.

1 upvote

Better colors, too.

2 upvotes

Given that the E-M10 outdoes the E-M5 in many respects, should we assume an E-M5 replacement is in the works? Would love to see the PDAF/wifi (and possibly EVF if that's possible) from the E-M1 in the smaller/lighter/cheaper E-M5 body.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I have an E-M5 and love it, and I'm unlikely to upgrade until I can buy a replacement in the used market. Just speculating here.

Comment edited 7 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Yep, it's heavily rumored for this year, probably after the Pen line is refreshed in the Spring.

0 upvotes

At this price point, with a fairly good EVF built in, and the incredible feature set.... we can pretty much assume that the Pen series is dead.

Perhaps not officially, but defacto.

Would anyone buy an EPL5 for around the same price?
Does the EP5 make any sense now?

The Pen Mini might be the only survivor, for those who must have the absolute smallest and cheapest.

2 upvotes

Well... maybe.
In this interview, one of the Oly marketing guys talks about the positioning of the PEN vs. the OM-D.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M7voKGHKDs

0 upvotes

The Pen is a different camera concept and a different target group. Probably more the female or hipster market? In any case, I don't think Olympus would give it up.
Perhaps there will be no more 'top of the line' Pen like the E-P5 but only more entry level featured Pens to not compete too much with the OMD. I love my Pen and like the option to take off the VF ;)

2 upvotes

I prefer the smaller rangefinder bodies. EVF can be useful, but I'll take the optional route. The camera just needs a hotshoe for it.

The EPM2 and EP5 are already discontinued. The new Pen line is expected to be revealed in May. There could be a few surprises (although no built-in EVF, that much is clear from interviews with Olympus executives). My bet is the EPM line will continue, perhaps marged with the EPL line, it's lower cost after all. The EP line is more in doubt.

2 upvotes

Actually I went to an Olympus release presentation for the EM10 last week (yes we're behind here) asked that exact question.
Surprisingly the Aussie product manager said no the PEN series is still seen to have life within Oly amongst.
He said it was thought people who don't use viewfinders were the target as well as the fact it can be priced lower.

0 upvotes

Olympus OM?

Auto-GOLD

9 upvotes

Easy gold

2 upvotes

Total comments: 345

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