The fourth version of the Olympus OM-D E-M10, the Mark IV, is Olympus's latest Micro Four-Thirds camera, and is the "entry-level" OM-D in the range, with an electronic viewfinder, however, in terms of features and specifications, as well as design, it's not really an entry-level product. It offers a host of features that should satisfy the majority of photographers, including a 20mp sensor, 15fps continuous shooting, 4K video recording, in-body image stabilisation, full manual controls and more.

One image can change us.

A picture, a moment can change the way we feel. Change how we see ourselves. Change our understanding and change the rules. Provoke and change history.

MPB puts photo and video kit into more hands, more sustainably. Every month, visual storytellers sell more than 20,000 cameras and lenses to MPB. Choose used and get affordable access to kit that doesn’t cost the earth. Sell the kit you’re not using to MPB. Trade in for the kit you need to create. Buy used, spend less and get more. Buy. Sell. Trade. Create.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Features

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is Olympus' "entry-level" 20mp Micro Four Thirds camera with a built-in electronic viewfinder. Lower down the Olympus M43 range, you'll find the 16mp Olympus PEN E-PL10, without an electronic viewfinder. Further up the OM-D range, there's the E-M5 Mark III, the E-M1 Mark III, and the E-M1X aimed at sports and wildlife photographers. With the introduction of the E-M10 IV, all current OM-D models now feature a 20mp sensor.

As part of the Micro Four Thirds system, it has a "Four Thirds" sensor, that is slightly smaller than the APS-C sensor, and this, and the mount allows for a more compact camera system, as well as smaller lenses than most APS-C camera systems. With a 2x crop factor, a 12mm lens becomes the equivalent of a 24mm lens, a 25mm lens becomes the equivalent of a 50mm lens (in 35mm equivalent terms), and so on.

If you're looking at the Mark IV, and already have an earlier E-M10 model, then here are some of the key differences to be found in the new Mark IV, when compared to the previous model.

Key differences found in the E-M10 Mark IV compared to the Mark III:

• 20mp sensor
• Bluetooth built-in
• 15fps electronic shutter / 8.7fps continuous shooting
• Selfie tilting-screen
• 360 shot battery life
• In-camera battery charging
• Improved AF, with improved Eye-AF
• Improved grip
• Improved 5-axis IS, up to 4.5stops
• Up to 30minute bulb exposures

There are a number of improvements, that not only make this an interesting upgrade if you've got the Mark III or an earlier E-M10, but it also makes it much more in-line with what the other OM-D models offer.

The E-M10 IV camera has P, A, S, M shooting modes, as you would expect, giving you full manual controls and raw shooting. Plus Auto, Scene Modes, Art Filters, and an AP / Advanced Photo mode. The Advanced Photo mode is where you'll find a range of creative shooting modes designed to make it easier to get high-quality results without necessarily being an expert Live Composite, Live Time, Multiple exposure, HDR backlight, Silent, Panoramic, Keystone Compensation, AE bracketing, and Focus bracketing. Live composite and Live Time are both excellent features to help get long-exposure and low-light (night) photographs exposed correctly, without the guesswork usually required.

You've find an array of advanced shooting modes, in the Advanced Photo mode, including Live Composite and Live Time, which are brilliant to low-light and night photography.

The camera records 4K (UHD) video at 30/25/24fps, for up to 29 minutes, and video benefits from the camera's built-in in-body image stabilisation to help keep footage steady, and there's additional digital image stabilisation available. FullHD video can be recorded at frame rates up to 60fps. High-speed video can be recorded at a lower resolution of 720p, and 120fps.

Wi-Fi and low-power Bluetooth are built-in to allow remote control of the camera, as well as the transfer of images with a compatible smartphone or tablet, using Olympus' OI.Share app. The camera will display a QR code to enable a quicker connection.

Key Features

• 20.3mp M43 CMOS sensor
• 5-axis image stabilisation, using sensor-shift, up to 4.5 EV steps
• 3inch 1037K dot tilting touch-screen
• 2.36m dot EVF, with dioptre adjustment
• ISO80 to ISO25600 (expanded)
• 4K 30,25,24p video, 102mbps, 29min
• FullHD up to 60fps
• Contrast-detect AF, with 121 points, (improved)
• 8.7fps continuous shooting, 5fps with IS on
• 15fps continuous shooting, 6.3fps (low), electronic shutter
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built-in
• 360 shot battery life (BLS-50), 80 min movie
• 121.7x84.4x49mm, 383g with battery and memory card

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Handling

Handling - The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV has mostly plastic construction, however, it feels well built, and solid enough, with metal parts used where needed, including in the frame and brackets for the tilting touch-screen. There are metal touches to be found on the mode dial, and command dials, and with two, both a front and rear command dial, you can easily adjust settings when needed in manual modes. The dials feel good to use, with a satisfying click as you turn them.

The front grip has been improved, with a deeper and more noticeable indentation to hold on to, and this works well with the rear thumb grip, letting you get a firm grip of the camera. The rubber coating provides ample texture to hold on to, and this all combines to give a good feeling camera in your hand. The camera weighs 383g with battery and memory card (without lens), and you can add a compact lens, or the 14-42mm EZ pancake zoom lens if you want to keep the camera small and compact, with the lens weighing only 93g.

There's a built-in pop-up flash that is activated when you push the on/off switch beyond the on position.

There are 121 AF points, covering a wide area of the frame. The camera uses a contrast-based AF system, rather than the phase-detection AF system found in other OM-D cameras. Focus is still quick and snappy, and face and eye-detection AF work well. Olympus says the AF tracking system has also been improved. Continuous shooting speeds are High: 15fps (electronic shutter), and 8.7fps using the mechanical shutter with AF fixed on first shot. With continuous AF the (Low) continuous shooting speed is much lower, but still respectable for this level of camera, at 5-6.3fps.

The screen has good colour reproduction and clarity, although the resolution of 1037K dots is beginning to look a little low compared to some cameras. The touch-screen works well. A dual-axis electronic level can be displayed on the screen. You can tilt the screen up, and down, and it's possible to tilt it all the way down, so that it faces forwards, making it suitable for selfies, and vlogging.

The electronic viewfinder (EVF) has a resolution 2.36m dots, and 0.615x magnification, with dioptre correction available. The camera will automatically switch between the two, and the colour reproduction is good on both.

Menus – The camera has a number of easy to use screens available, depending on what mode you're on, as well as on-screen controls, and a "Super Control Panel" so that you can change settings without necessarily having to enter the main menus (shown above). However, if you do have to enter the main menus, you'll find they aren't as polished as other cameras, and the advanced setup menus lack the colour coding needed to make them easier to navigate.

You can use the "Super Control Panel" to adjust settings quickly on-screen, using the top left button on the camera to get to this quickly (depending on the mode you're in). A number of shooting modes, such as the Advanced Photo Mode, and Art Filters have an easy to use a graphical interface to help make it easier to use the camera and some of it's shooting modes.

Unlike other OM-D cameras higher up in the range, the OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, does not feature a "My Menu" section, which is a shame, as it would help you avoid having to use the advanced setup menu options.

Battery life - Battery life is rated at 360 shots according to Olympus / CIPA test results, which is fairly standard for this type of camera. We'd definitely recommend a spare battery just in case, but with the E-M10 Mark IV you can now use the MicroUSB connection for in-camera battery charging, which could be helpful when out and about. According to JEITA conditions, you can record video for 80minutes, although the maximum individual recording time is 29 minutes.