[6BQ5]

The price of the Olympus M-10 with a 14-42mm kit lens recently dropped to $499. I am considering if I should purchase it and enter the u4/3 universe. Some of the camera's features I find attractive are the EVF, tilting screen, and pancake style primes. I own a Q7 with the 01, 02, 03, and 06 lenses. This is a very compact and "pocketable" system. I literally carried my entire Q system in a two coat pockets when I traveled to the UK late last year. The IQ was great and I enjoyed the photographic experience. I also own a K-3 with all the "legendary" lenses I could ever want. My K-mount system is substantially larger and heavier than my Q7 kit. I would not consider taking my K-3 with the DA 18-135 through an airport when I have my Q7.

Where does the M-10 slot between the K-3 and Q7? Would the M-10 be a successor to the Q7 or would the M-10 slot next to the K-3 and compete against it? If the M-10 sits one step above the Q7 then I may have found a new compact ILC system to compliment my Q7. I may even consider traveling with it. Otherwise, if the M-10 is just one rung down from the K-3 then I probably wouldn't use the M-10 as much as I think I would. I would simply go for my K-3 and go for my walk-around.

I know there are smaller bodies and systems out there like the Lumix GM5 and the Nikon 1 but the price is higher than I what I am willing to pay. Maybe in time the prices would drop but maybe by then we'll have an imaginary Q-S2 which will have a top-mounted EVF! Hey, we can dream, right?

My nearest Olympus dealer where I might be able to see a M-10 in person and handle it is over 100 miles. So, I turn to the forum and online research. Does anyone here have a M-10? How do you feel about it? How do you switch between a Q or K system and the u4/3 system?

[Rimfiredude]

I saw one for the first time at our camera club meeting. It sure is a nice looking little camera.

[luftfluss]

For a few months I had an Oly E-PM2, which has a nearly identical sensor to the EM10, along with my K-01. The Oly 16MP sensor is very close in quality to the Sony 16MP sensor that we all love in our Pentaxes.

---------- Post added 05-24-15 at 10:32 AM ----------

Do some research on the author [ https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasleuthard/ ]. He has a classic style and offers tons of examples using an Olympus OM-D EM-10 paired to the Olympus 17mm/1.8 and 45mm/1.8 for street photography.

The State of Mirrorless Ep. 008 – Thomas Leuthard - YouTube

I'm not much for street photography - many do it, very few do it well - but Thomas Leuthard is one of my favorite photographers of any genre.

[Aegon]

The E-M10 is great. Personally, I have an E-M5, which adds the super-useful 5-axis IBIS and can be found used for $300 every day. Throw in an Olympus 45/1.8 and you've got an amazing kit.

Lots of folk on the internet make a big deal that 4/3 is smaller than APS-C, but I see it as merely a 4/3 crop rather than 3/2. Which is a confusing way to say that the cameras are good. The lenses are good, too.

[skierd]

I really like the EM 10 size and layout for a walk around camera. Still not in love with EVF and the prices on the really nice pro m4/3 lenses are really high (good glass is always expensive I guess) but they've got me thinking.

I wish someone would do an OVF/EVF like the Fuji x100 series have on a DSLR.

[grog85361]

I have a K5, and an EM-10. I find the M-10 competes with the K5, in that they both provide outstanding images. The choice comes down to wether I want to use the bigger K5, or if I want to use the much smaller , lighter and compact EM-10. For hiking, or all day outings, the EM-10 wins. I also do event photography at my church. I find that people don't notice me with the EM-10 like they do when I use the K5. The Olympus glass is really good. The kit lens is sharp, and as someone else pointed out, the Oly 45/1.9 is sharp enough to shave with. The Oly 40-150 is very good too, and is very inexpensive. That will give you a kit that will fit in a small messenger bag, and not make your shoulder ache at the end of the day. I would advise you try it! You will probably like it! I know I do!

---------- Post added 05-24-15 at 11:04 AM ----------

A few other thoughts. I wouldn't consider the EM-10 as pocketable. However, with no strap, and a pancake lens, it could be done in say, a coat pocket. Maybe in cargo pants. I found it easier to handle with the camera grip. It provides auto-focus during video capture. The tilting touch screen is useful. I like it. What else can I say?

Okay! I'm done now!

[6BQ5]

I have a K5, and an EM-10. I find the M-10 competes with the K5, in that they both provide outstanding images. The choice comes down to wether I want to use the bigger K5, or if I want to use the much smaller , lighter and compact EM-10. For hiking, or all day outings, the EM-10 wins. I also do event photography at my church. I find that people don't notice me with the EM-10 like they do when I use the K5. The Olympus glass is really good. The kit lens is sharp, and as someone else pointed out, the Oly 45/1.9 is sharp enough to shave with. The Oly 40-150 is very good too, and is very inexpensive. That will give you a kit that will fit in a small messenger bag, and not make your shoulder ache at the end of the day. I would advise you try it! You will probably like it! I know I do!

So this is how the M-10 would win over the K-5. How/when would the K-5 win over the M-10 in your cases? When would you choose the K-5 over the M-10?

[grog85361]

So this is how the M-10 would win over the K-5. How/when would the K-5 win over the M-10 in your cases? When would you choose the K-5 over the M-10?

It would depend on the lens I think I would want to use. Especially if I was going to use wide angle lenses, macro or fast zooms. I have a 10-20mm and 10-17 fish-eye as well as a 100mm Macro for Pentax. Also an 18-50 plus 70-200 f2.8. I don't have anything comparable for the EM-10. I have Pentax flash equipment, so if using flash, I will use the K5. If there is a possibility of lousy weather, the K5 will be used due to it's weather resistance.

Beyond that, it comes down to emotion. What I feel like using that day. To me they are comparable cameras performance wise. Sometimes I have a hard time deciding what to use! I am certainly blessed to have such a problem!

[northcoastgreg]

I have an E-M5, which adds the super-useful 5-axis IBIS and can be found used for $300 every day.

B&H is selling new EM-5's with the 14-42 kit lens for $499. I would personally take the EM-5 over the EM-10 for the 5-axis stabilization.

I would definitely expect the EM-10 to outperform the Q. The K-5 produces cleaner files with significantly better DR at base ISO than my EM-5 (the EM-10 performance should be identical to the EM-5). I would give the K-5 about a stop and a half to a stop and two-thirds ISO advantage.

If you like shooting prime lenses, the EM-10 (or 5) can be a very compelling compact camera. I find it a bit less compelling with zoom lenses. The only compact zoom lens in the m43 lineup are consumer grade zoom lenses. They are pretty good for consumer grade zoom lenses, but don't expect them to compete with any of the mid-range or better Pentax zooms. The really good zooms in the m43 lineup (particularly the Olympus pro zooms) are rather big and heavy (at least relative to the EM-10) and don't make for a truly compact system.

[6BQ5]

I thought about the M-5 for its WR seals and 5-axis stabilization. It's quite compelling! I read somewhere that the M-10 has a better EVF and I see the body is a bit shorter/smaller. When I'm comparing between the Q7 and the K-3 I am counting every millimeter! Last incentive for the M-10 from Adorama is that I have my 4% rewards from when I bought my K-3 and I would like to cash them in for their. It brings the price down a bit.

I'm finding out that the u4/3 zooms are not as compact as I would like them whereas the primes are perfect. On the mu-43.com a fellow Pentaxian runs a Q7 with the 06 and 08 lens in parallel to his u4/3 system with primes. That seems like a good strategy to capture the strengths of both systems.

[Clarkey]

Nice cam, but a little heavy for a 'little' camera. I'd look at a panny gm1 if finances allowed.

[6BQ5]

No EVF in the GM1. The GM5 is a different story ... but so is the price tag!

[Clarkey]

No EVF in the GM1. The GM5 is a different story ... but so is the price tag!

You're not wrong there. Should you want truly pocketable though, the gm1 is actually smaller than the Q7. The GX7 is much bigger.
I was thinking of getting one with the better than average kit zoom, and an Oly 45mm to start. But I already have fuji gear, and a GR. If Fuji or Ricoh issue a 1" (or Fuji put the 2/3" sensor from the X30 in an F900 style body), I may travel with that and the GR.

Which is actually another option (if you can deal with no viewfinder). Take the GR and your Q7 and 06. Done.

[goodnight]

I've actually been thinking of buying into MFT (GM1) myself. It's $499 right now (there's a $50 rebate for a prepaid card @ Adorama, too) but I'm waiting a little to see if there might be a better price soon. The famous 20mm seems to have dropped in price to $299 new and the recent 42.5mm f/1.7 even has OIS. Would make a pretty cute, compact and powerful kit coupled with the 12-32mm. After using my K-30 I instinctively bring up cameras to my eye, but I think I could get accustomed to using a camera without a viewfinder.

[6BQ5]

I had a chance to play with an older Lumix GX1. It has an external EVF attachment. I have to admit that it's pretty snazzy. The camera has a 14-45mm zoom lens. IQ is very good! The menus were a little confusing to me since I didn't know them but i found all the technical features I was looking for. Here's a quick sample of a dusty Supergirl busy on my shelf. The shot was taken hand held.


_1110938 by Boris, on Flickr

I am genuinely impressed! The image was processed in Capture One. Capture One has a pre-programmed response curve for the GX1 and the result was nice. I deactivated the pre-programmed response curve so I can build my own in the hopes of figuring out what goes on under the hood. This is known as a Linear Response and it produces flat and muted images. I was surprised that the histogram shifted down to the shadows by what seemed like -1 when I went to the Linear Response. Maybe the GX1 purposefully underexposed to retain highlights with the idea that shadows can always be brought up. Once highlights are lost then they are lost forever. I massaged the histogram and the picture came to life.

My K-3 would have produced a larger image with more detail but I don't think the extra detail would provide additional value. Unfortunately, the sun went down before I could pull out my K-3 and Q7 for a comparison. However, I can understand why u4/3 has such a strong following. So, I buckled and surrendered to desire and placed an order for the M10 yesterday. Let's see how it works out!