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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520 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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Olympus E-520

10 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Olympus E-520
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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Olympus cameras 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 Olympus E-520, which was introduced in August 2008 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 10.0MP Four Thirds sensor. As you can see, E-520 is 12 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 Olympus E-520 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

Olympus E-520 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2008-08-20
  • 10MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 4.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 552g. 136 x 92 x 68 mm
  • Replaced Olympus E-510 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV over Olympus E-520
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Live Composite Mode
Yes vs No Excellent help for long-exposure photography
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.62x vs 0.46x Larger Viewfinder
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 10 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 1.600 1500% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
121 vs 3 118 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 230k dots 352% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting
15.0fps vs 4.0fps 11 fps faster
Weight
383 g vs 552 g 169 g lighter
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and 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 Olympus E-520 over Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV
Battery Life
650 shots vs 360 shots 290 more frames with a single charge
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 7.2m 4.8m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
22.54µm2 vs 11.22µm2 100% larger pixel area
CHECK E-520 PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
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
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Common Weaknesses of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520
LCD Screen Size
2.70" vs 2.70" Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520: 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 Olympus E-520 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). Olympus E-520 has external dimensions of 136 x 92 x 68 mm (5.35 x 3.62 x 2.68″) and weighs 552 g (1.22 lb / 19.47 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520. Olympus E-M10 IV is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 14mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 19mm thinner than Olympus E-520.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

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 (169g ) than the Olympus E-520 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 both Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 have the same Four Thirds sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

E-M10 IV
E-520
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

E-M10 IV
E-520
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV nor Olympus E-520 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus E-M10 IV's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Olympus E-520's 2.7" 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, Olympus E-520 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to E-M10 IV.
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520: 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, Olympus E-520 has a 10.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Olympus E-M10 IV's sensor provides 10MP more than Olympus E-520'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 E-520 sensor size comparison.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 Cameras


Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520 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 Olympus E-M10 IV has an advantage over Olympus E-520 There are 120 lenses for Olympus E-M10 IV's Micro Four Thirds mount, on the other hand there are only 47 lenses for Olympus E-520's Four Thirds lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies. E-M10 IV's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 4.5-stops according to CIPA standards.

Lens Type # of Olympus E-M10 IV Lenses # of Olympus E-520 Lenses
Standard Zoom 18 8
Standard Prime 15 5
Wideangle Zoom 6 4
Wideangle Prime 32 9
Telephoto Zoom 19 6
Telephoto Prime 11 5
SuperZoom 8 2
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 5 3
Macro Prime 4 4
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 1
TOTAL 120 47

What types of Photography are Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-520 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

Olympus E-520 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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 Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus E-520 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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 Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Large Body
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Sports Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-520 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
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Good Battery Life: 650 shots
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
Environmental Sealings
3 Focus Points
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-520 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
383g
Body Thickness 49mm
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Large Body
552g
Body Thickness 68mm
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-520 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 Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-520: 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 Olympus E-520, 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 Olympus E-520 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
Olympus E-520
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #54 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #439 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Olympus E-M10 IV is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus E-520 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Olympus E-M10 IV
Olympus E-M10 IV
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Olympus E-520
Olympus E-520
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-M10 IV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV Olympus E-520
Brand Olympus Olympus
Announced 2020-08-04 2008-08-20
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Compact SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Four Thirds Four Thirds
Dimensions 17.4 x 13 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 226.20mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 1,600 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 3
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 120 47
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3.00" 2.70"
Resolution 1,040k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.62x 0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.20 m (at ISO 200) 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 8.7 fps 4.0 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 552g
Dimensions 122 x 84 x 49mm 136 x 92 x 68mm
Battery Life 360 shots 650 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 55
DxO Color Depth not tested 21.4
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 10.4
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 548
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