Olympus OM-D E-M10

Manufacturer: Olympus (OM System) Type: camera Sensor: Micro Four Thirds 16MP Live MOS Resolution: 16MP Year introduced: 2014 Key feature: Affordable entry to OM-D system; compact body; built-in flash; EVF

Overview

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 was announced in January 2014 as the most affordable member of Olympus’s acclaimed OM-D mirrorless camera family. It packed the image quality and speed of the flagship E-M1 and the E-M5 into a smaller, lighter, and less expensive all-metal body. The E-M10 featured a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor with the TruePic VII image processor (shared with the E-M1), 3-axis image stabilization, the fastest AF system Olympus had produced (81 target areas, 8 fps burst), built-in Wi-Fi, and a built-in flash. It launched at $699.99 body-only (^[1]).

For underwater photographers, the E-M10 represented an attractive entry point to the Micro Four Thirds underwater ecosystem. Its built-in popup flash was a significant advantage over the E-M5, as it made the housing shorter and enabled fiber optic TTL triggering of underwater strobes. At roughly half the price of the E-M1, it shared the same image quality and focus speed, making it an exceptional value for the underwater market (^[2]).

The E-M10 took over from the E-M5 as what Nauticam called the “go to” mirrorless camera for underwater shooters, benefiting from the extensive Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem including favorites like the Panasonic 8mm fisheye, Olympus 60mm macro, and the versatile Olympus 12-50mm with its built-in macro mode (^[3]).

Successive Generations

E-M10 Mark II (August 2015)

The Mark II upgraded to 5-axis image stabilization (previously only available on the E-M1 and E-M5), added a 2.36-million-dot OLED EVF, 8.5 fps shooting, 1080p 60fps video, electronic shutter, and AF Targeting Pad. The body design was refined with improved ergonomics. Priced at $649.99 body-only (^[4]).

E-M10 Mark III (August 2017)

Announced August 2017 with further refinements (^[5]).

E-M10 Mark IV (August 2020)

Announced August 2020 (^[6]).

Housing Availability

Nauticam provided the primary housing support across all E-M10 generations, with Ikelite covering the Mark III.

• Nauticam NA-EM10: Announced May 2014 (shipping from May 15). Machined from solid aluminum, depth rated to 100m. Featured port lock from Nauticam’s SLR housing line, integrated vacuum system electronics, built-in fiber optic strobe triggering, and LCD/EVF selector switch. Supported 20 Micro Four Thirds lenses. Compatible with Nauticam WWL-1 wet wide lens and CMC macro converter via bayonet mount (^[7]).
• Nauticam NA-EM10II: Shipping January 2016 at $1,450. Featured locking camera mount tray, shutter release extension for cold-water diving with thick gloves, and compatibility with new MIL-style viewfinders (no accessory window required). Supported 20 Micro Four Thirds lenses (^[8]).
• Ikelite: Housing for E-M10 Mark III announced March 2018 (^[9]).
• Nauticam NA-EM10IV: Housing for E-M10 Mark IV shipped October 2020 (^[10]).

Timeline

• 2014-01: Olympus announces the OM-D E-M10 ($699.99) (^[11]).
• 2014-05: Nauticam announces NA-EM10 housing (^[12]).
• 2015-08: Olympus announces E-M10 Mark II with 5-axis IS ($649.99) (^[13]).
• 2016-01: Nauticam ships NA-EM10II housing ($1,450) (^[14]).
• 2017-08: Olympus announces E-M10 Mark III (^[15]).
• 2018-03: Ikelite announces housing for E-M10 Mark III (^[16]).
• 2020-08: Olympus announces E-M10 Mark IV (^[17]).
• 2020-10: Nauticam ships NA-EM10IV housing (^[18]).

References

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