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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1

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

Olympus E-PM1
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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing E-M10 IV and E-PM1, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by Olympus. Olympus E-M10 IV was introduced to market in August 2020 and Olympus E-PM1 was launched in November 2011. As you can see, E-PM1 is 9 years older than E-M10 IV. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-11-23
  • 12MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 6.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 265g. 110 x 64 x 34 mm

Olympus E-PM1 was replaced by Olympus PEN E-PM2. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus PEN E-PM2 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1
Olympus PEN E-PM2 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 Olympus E-PM1 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 PEN E-PM1
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
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 12 MP 66% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
121 vs 35 86 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 460k dots 126% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
15.0fps vs 6.0fps 9 fps faster
Battery Life
360 shots vs 330 shots 30 more frames with a single charge
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
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 PEN E-PM1 over Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV
Weight
265 g vs 383 g 118 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
18.45µm2 vs 11.22µm2 64% larger pixel area
CHECK E-PM1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Olympus PEN E-PM1
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Continuous Shooting
15.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Olympus PEN E-PM1
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1: 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-PM1 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-PM1 has external dimensions of 110 x 64 x 34 mm (4.33 x 2.52 x 1.34″) and weighs 265 g (0.58 lb / 9.35 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1. Olympus E-PM1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 20mm shorter and 15mm thinner than Olympus E-M10 IV.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1.
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus E-PM1 is significantly lighter (118g ) than the Olympus E-M10 IV 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-PM1 have the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount and Four Thirds sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

E-M10 IV
E-PM1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

E-M10 IV
E-PM1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV nor Olympus PEN E-PM1 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

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

On the other hand, Olympus E-M10 IV features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Olympus E-PM1 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to E-M10 IV.
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1: 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-PM1 has a 12.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic VI processor.

Olympus E-M10 IV's sensor provides 8MP more than Olympus E-PM1'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-PM1 sensor size comparison.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 Cameras


Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 have the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount and currently there are 120 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1 Lenses
Standard Zoom 18 18
Standard Prime 15 15
Wideangle Zoom 6 6
Wideangle Prime 32 32
Telephoto Zoom 19 19
Telephoto Prime 11 11
SuperZoom 8 8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 5 5
Macro Prime 4 4
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 1
TOTAL 120 120

Here are some of the most popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for E-M10 IV and E-PM1
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO Lens OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
FourThirds 382gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 ASPH Lens Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 ASPH
FourThirds 125gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS
FourThirds 210gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS
FourThirds 1120gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS
FourThirds 655gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS
FourThirds 320gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS
FourThirds 985gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ
FourThirds 91gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Olympus E-M10 IV and Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1 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 Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus E-PM1 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
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Sports Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-PM1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
35 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-PM1 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
265g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-PM1 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Olympus E-PM1: 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-PM1, 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-PM1 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-PM1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #91 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #408 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Olympus E-M10 IV is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus E-PM1 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Olympus E-M10 IV.

Olympus E-M10 IV
Olympus E-M10 IV
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Olympus E-PM1
Olympus E-PM1
CHECK PRICE

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Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus E-M10 IV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV Olympus PEN E-PM1
Brand Olympus Olympus
Announced 2020-08-04 2011-11-23
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
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 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4032 x 3024
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 12,800 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 35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 120 120
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.62x n/a
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) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 8.7 fps 6.0 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 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 AVCHD, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 383g 265g
Dimensions 122 x 84 x 49mm 110 x 64 x 34mm
Battery Life 360 shots 330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 52
DxO Color Depth not tested 21.0
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 10.3
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 499
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