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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D Comparison

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Olympus E-M10 IV

20 MP | Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Olympus E-M10 IV
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Canon 5D

13 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon 5D
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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Olympus E-M10 IV, which was introduced in August 2020 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP Four Thirds sensor whereas Canon 5D, which was introduced in November 2005 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 13.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, 5D is 15 years older than E-M10 IV. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus E-M10 IV Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2020-08-04
  • 20MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 25600 ( expands to 100 - 25600)
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 8.7fps (15.0fps Electronic) continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 383g. 122 x 84 x 49 mm
  • Replaced Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Compare

Canon 5D Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2005-11-12
  • 13MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Canon EF Mount
  • 2.50" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 3.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 895g. 152 x 113 x 75 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Canon 5D was replaced by Canon EOS 5D Mark II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Canon EOS 5D
Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV over Canon EOS 5D
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Live Composite Mode
Yes vs No Excellent help for long-exposure photography
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 13 MP 53% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 3.200 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
121 vs 9 112 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 230k dots 352% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 96% More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting
15.0fps vs 3.0fps 12 fps faster
Weight
383 g vs 895 g 512 g lighter
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK E-M10 IV PRICE


Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D over Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.71x vs 0.62x Larger Viewfinder
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
800 shots vs 360 shots 440 more frames with a single charge
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Sensor Pixel Area
67.92µm2 vs 11.22µm2 505% larger pixel area
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
CHECK 5D PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Canon EOS 5D
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Canon EOS 5D
LCD Screen Size
2.50" vs 2.50" Small display
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus E-M10 IV has external dimensions of 122 x 84 x 49 mm (4.8 x 3.31 x 1.93″) and weighs 383 g (0.84 lb / 13.51 oz) (including batteries). Canon 5D has external dimensions of 152 x 113 x 75 mm (5.98 x 4.45 x 2.95″) and weighs 895 g (1.97 lb / 31.57 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D. Olympus E-M10 IV is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 30mm narrower, 29mm shorter and 26mm thinner than Canon 5D.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D.
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus E-M10 IV is significantly lighter (512g ) than the Canon 5D which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Canon 5D has a Full frame sensor and Olympus E-M10 IV has a smaller Four Thirds sensor, Olympus E-M10 IV's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Canon 5D lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

E-M10 IV
5D
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

E-M10 IV
5D
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of 5D, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to E-M10 IV.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus E-M10 IV's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon 5D's 2.5" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Olympus E-M10 IV LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Canon 5D has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to E-M10 IV.
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D: Sensor Comparison

Olympus E-M10 IV has a 20.0MP Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic VIII processor. On the other hand, Canon 5D has a 13.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic II processor.

Olympus E-M10 IV's sensor provides 7MP more than Canon 5D's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the E-M10 IV and 5D sensor size comparison.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D Cameras


As seen above, Canon 5D has a 3.8x Larger sensor area than Olympus E-M10 IV. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Canon 5D has an advantage over Olympus E-M10 IV There are 257 lenses for Canon 5D's Canon EF mount, on the other hand there are only 120 lenses for Olympus E-M10 IV's Micro Four Thirds lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Olympus E-M10 IV has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization (IS) which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. E-M10 IV's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 4.5-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Canon 5D doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 77 lenses for Canon EF mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Olympus E-M10 IV Lenses # of Canon 5D Lenses
Standard Zoom 18 22 (22 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 15 19 (19 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 6 20 (20 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 32 48 (48 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 19 51 (51 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 11 44 (44 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 8 9 (9 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 5 3 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 4 24 (24 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime n/a 16 (16 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 n/a
TOTAL 120 257 (256 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II Lens OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
24 - 80mm 382gr 765gr 84mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM Lens Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM
24 - 70mm 805gr 1700gr 113mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Olympus ED 35-100mm f2.0 Lens Olympus ED 35-100mm f2.0
70 - 200mm 1650gr 2033gr 214mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM Lens Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM
70 - 200mm 1440gr 2335gr 199mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Olympus M 25mm F1.8 Lens Olympus M 25mm F1.8
50mm 136gr 519gr 41mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 50mm f1.4 USM Lens Canon 50mm f1.4 USM
50mm 290gr 1185gr 51mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO Lens Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO
14 - 28mm 534gr 917gr 106mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III Lens Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III
16 - 35mm 790gr 1685gr 128mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD Lens Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD
24 - 120mm 575gr 958gr 99mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM
24 - 105mm 670gr 1565gr 107mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS Lens Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS
300 - 800mm 1850gr 2233gr 314mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 2825gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Olympus E-M10 IV for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon 5D for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.7fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
121 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Good Battery Life: 800 shots
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
383g
Body Thickness 49mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
895g
Body Thickness 75mm
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 5D for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
No Live-view
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon 5D: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon 5D scores compare:

Olympus E-M10 IV
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #77 out of 109 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #139 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Canon 5D
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #64 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #526 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Olympus E-M10 IV has a higher Overall Score than the Canon 5D. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that E-M10 IV trails behind the 5D: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Canon 5D. If not, we recommend the Olympus E-M10 IV.

Olympus E-M10 IV
Olympus E-M10 IV
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Canon 5D
Canon 5D
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Canon 5D vs Olympus E-M10 IV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV Canon EOS 5D
Brand Olympus Canon
Announced 2020-08-04 2005-11-12
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Four Thirds Full frame
Dimensions 17.4 x 13 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 226.20mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 13 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4368 x 2912
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 100 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 121 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Canon EF
Number of Available Lenses 120 257
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3.00" 2.50"
Resolution 1,040k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 96%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.62x 0.71x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.20 m (at ISO 200) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 8.7 fps 3.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 383g 895g
Dimensions 122 x 84 x 49mm 152 x 113 x 75mm
Battery Life 360 shots 800 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 71
DxO Color Depth not tested 22.9
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.1
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1368
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