You’re pumped to level up your photography skills. You’ve been practicing interesting angles and lighting conditions on your phone, and your downloads folder has lots of photos from National Geographic. What you need, though, is a camera, but which one should you get?

Should you get a big and mean DSLR or a small yet capable mirrorless camera? We recommend giving mirrorless cameras a try for both beginners and experienced photographers alike. It’s got the same, if not more, features for half the weight. Today, we will look at one such camera, the Olympus E-M10, in this review.

Olympus E-M10 Mark II Camera

Olympus is one of the most trusted and well-known manufacturers of cameras in the world. The company started way back in 1919, initially specializing in microscopes.

In 1936, they translated this technology into camera manufacturing and created their first camera, the Semi-Olympus I. The rest is history.

Fast forward in time, we now have the Olympus E-M10 Mark II, a camera that’s part of their new OM-D collection. There’s a different camera for every type of photographer—passionate professionals, creative enthusiasts, and more.

The particular camera we will look into today, the OM-D E-M10 Mark II with a 16-megapixel sensor resolution and a built-in five-axis image stabilizer is the unit they designed for stylish upgraders. That’s because it is the perfect combination of stunning product design and impressive next-level features.

Who Is This Product For?

Taking a cue from the product description, it seems that Olympus had a specific crowd in mind: experienced photographers who value the aesthetics of both their cameras and photos. Another reason for this is the camera’s use of more advanced features that most beginners wouldn’t make the most out of yet.

However, we believe that beginners may also find peace in investing in this unit, especially since it is one of the most affordable options in the OM-D collection. With the advanced features already installed, then this means that the camera can grow with you, and you won’t have to upgrade anytime soon.

What’s Included?

If you do decide to get one, here is what’s included in the package:

Camera body
14-42mm II R Lens
Lithium-ion battery and charger
Power cord
USB cable
Accessories: shoulder strap, rubber eyepiece, shoe cover, and lens cap

Finally, it will also come with the product’s warranty card and a CD-ROM containing the viewing software and product manual. For additional information, here’s an unboxing video.

Overview of Features

We’ve built up the features of this unit more than enough, but what features are we talking about exactly? Here they are:

Image Stabilizer

Let’s start with the premium feature, the Olympus M icro Four Thirds sensor that sets the OM-D collection apart from other cameras out there—even those belonging to Olympus’ other collections. It has an advanced image stabilizer that ensures every image is crisp and clear with or without a tripod.

Viewfinder

The next notable feature is this unit’s OLED electronic viewfinder. This technology is exclusive to the brand and boasts 2.63M dots for the most accurate image compositions you’ll ever do. It also provides real-time monitoring that adjusts the settings seamlessly.

4k Time Lapse

Another favorite is the 4k time-lapse feature that compiles and compresses your images in 4k quality to create 4k time-lapse videos. We recommend that you try this feature out there in nature, where everything moves so slow. Just have a little patience and watch the magic unfold!

Slow Motion

If you have a time-lapse feature that makes everything faster, this unit also has a slow-motion feature that can offer the smoothest images of up to – 4x the original speed. This function is great for capturing fast-moving subjects like animals and moving vehicles.

Focus Bracketing

Are you tired of the usual trial-and-error way of bracketing your shots? Don’t worry; the E-M10 Mark II has a focus bracketing feature that allows you to automatically fire a set number of images with different focus settings.

Auto Focus Targeting Pad

Another issue we usually encounter is moving that stubborn auto-focus feature that most cameras have. It makes it uncomfortable to use the viewfinder since you’d have to switch back-and-forth from it and the screen.

Hence, it is fortunate that another premium feature of this camera is the AF Targeting Pad. It turns the screen into a touchpad where you can move the autofocus point with your finger while still not losing your sight on the viewfinder.

Modes

This camera also has a built-in flash and a silent shutter mode, which is perfect for photographers who don’t want to influence their subjects, especially wild animals that can get easily frightened with the soft clicks of a camera. The camera also has a live composite mode for nighttime and low-light environments.

Pros:

Lightweight
Comes with a lot of brand-exclusive features
More affordable compared to other units with the same features
Captures clearer images
Works well even in low light
Captures videos

Con:

Not very durable according to some users

How to Get the Most Out of Your Olympus E-M10 Mark II

The first thing we’d recommend is for you to study your camera. It would help if you knew the features and settings before you even planned to use them. Aside from that, we suggest you go out and have lots of practice.

Try your camera out there in the woods, in the city, daytime, or at nighttime. Take every opportunity to use it. For more information, here’s a one-hour tutorial.

Alternative

We honestly have no complaints about this camera. It’s very versatile, and we’ll gladly max out its battery every shoot. We do understand, though, that considering the price of this camera, you would still need to invest more money on additional equipment like filters and tripods if you want to have a solid armory for photography.

This reason is why we also recommend the Sony Alph a a6000. It is also a mirrorless camera, but you’ll also get everything you need to start your own photography business for only a couple of hundred dollars more. It comes with four licensed Corel software, a collection of filters, a tripod, and a state-of-the-art camera bag.

Conclusion

In the end, it will still boil down to what you think you need. Do you need a camera? Or do you need an entire photography set? You can build your photography armory little by little anyway, and the E-M10 Mark II by Olympus will be a good starting point or addition to your collection.

Olympus E-M10 Mark II Review