Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV vs Olympus Pen E-PL10 — Which Is Better?

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV and the Olympus Pen E-PL10 are both Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, so they share the same lens library. Olympus released the E-PL10 in 2019 and the E-M10 Mark IV in 2020. The E-PL10 is the more compact body, at 117 x 68 x 39 mm against 122 x 84 x 49 mm, and weight is close at 380 g against 383 g.

The E-M10 Mark IV is the stronger choice for heavy cropping and larger prints, with 20 MP against 16 MP on the E-PL10. Those four extra megapixels leave more room to tighten a distant bird or a candid portrait in editing. The native ISO ceilings differ as well: the E-PL10 reaches 25600, while the E-M10 Mark IV stops at 6400 and reaches 25600 only through expansion.

Eye-level framing is the bigger split: the E-M10 Mark IV has a built-in electronic viewfinder with 2,360,000 dots, while the E-PL10 has none and relies on its screen. For action, the E-M10 Mark IV shoots at 15 fps against 14 fps on the E-PL10. Other stills specifications match, including 121 autofocus points, in-body stabilisation and the 1/4000 second maximum shutter.

Slow-motion headroom is shared: both cameras reach a 60 fps maximum frame rate, so fast action can play at half speed on a 30 fps timeline. Their maximum video resolution is the same at 4K. Both include built-in timelapse recording and write MPEG-4 or MOV files, so clips fit the same editing workflow.

Both cameras give you a 3-inch touchscreen that flips out, which makes self-framed vlogs and low-angle shots straightforward. Wireless workflow is shared too: WiFi and Bluetooth let you transfer images to a phone on both bodies. Each carries a built-in flash and supports an external flash. Neither camera offers GPS or weather sealing, so geotagging and harsh-weather protection are absent from both.

The E-M10 Mark IV supports faster cards, with a UHS-II compatible SD slot against the E-PL10's UHS-I, so burst sequences and 4K clips clear from the buffer sooner with a suitable card. It also charges over USB, so you can top up from a power bank between locations, which the E-PL10 cannot do. Both use the same BLS-50 battery, rated at 360 shots for the E-M10 Mark IV against 350 for the E-PL10.