Olympus PEN E-PL10 Review
Introduction
The Olympus PEN E-PL10 is a new entry-level mirrorless camera that replaces the 2-year-old E-PL9 model.
The Olympus EPL10 has exactly the same 16.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor found in its predecessor, but the image processor has been upgraded to the faster TruePic VIII model found in Olympus’ professional models.
It features in-body image stabilization, rated for up to 3.5-stops of compensation with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ lens kit lens.
On the video side, the E-PL10 offers 4K 30p recording, plus 1080p, with the ability to extract still images from videos.
Other key features of the Olympus EPL10 include a 3-inch flip-down LCD touchscreen, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, 16 Art Filter options, a sensitivity range of ISO 100-25600, 8.6 fps frames per second burst shooting with AF/AE tracking, 121 contrast-detection AF points, and Live Composite, Multi Exposure and Silent shooting modes.
The E-PL10 is available is available in white, black, and brown, priced at £549.99 and in a kit with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ zoom lens at £649.99.
Ease of Use
Front of the Olympus PEN E-PL10 |
Olympus’ EPL10 is the latest in a long line of PEN ‘Lite’ cameras, with this particular iteration updating the E-PL9 of 2018. Being the ‘Lite’ version, not only is this inevitably the entry level model in its maker’s current range, which also includes the PEN F and OM-D E-M5, E-M1 and E-M1X models, but its feature set has been once again engineered to appeal to bloggers, ‘vloggers’ and those perhaps trading up from a smartphone for the first time.
The white and silver model with gold detailing we had in for review certainly looks like it has been styled with the Instagram generation in mind. It’s something you’ll want to show off. Alternative body colour options include regular non-nonsense black, plus a milky coffee-hued brown.
It has to be said that the build and the control layout of the E-PL10 is nevertheless more thought out, sophisticated and solid than one might expect, given the above. Its robustness and lack of telltale plastic-y feel should reassure potential enthusiasts who may be looking to swap DSLR for mirrorless and try it out without spending a small fortune.
Its manufacturer is describing the camera as lighter than a bottle of water – in other words something which most people will carry around with them daily – albeit without specifying said bottle size. Finding the camera may prove harder, however. Initially at least, in the UK this model was only being sold direct via Olympus’ online shop, at £549.99, or in a bundle with a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ lens at £649.99.
Rear of the Olympus PEN E-PL10 |
At first glance the Olympus PEN E-PL10 looks very similar to its E-Pl9 predecessor, save for the new model name etched into the slim pop-up flash on its top plate. Headline features see Olympus once again sticking with a resolution of 16 megapixels from a Four Thirds CMOS sensor, when most competitors have stuck around the 20MP mark. We do get the expected 4K video option here though, a latest generation TruePic VIII processor to handle all the resulting data crunching, plus in-body image stabilization the equivalent of an extra 3.5 stops of exposure.
The 3-inch LCD screen should appeal to nostalgia lovers with Meccano sets in the loft as, on industrial looking armatures, it can be pivoted outwards, then up, out, around and down to face the subject for those inevitable selfies. Touch AF and touch shutter operation feature as standard, while Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity are also on board for pairing the camera with the user’s ‘smart’ device.
One of Olympus’ creative features which has long set it apart from many others is the list of Art Filters on board – here there are 16, including the ever popular pin hole camera and pop art style effects. These have been given a new Fine Tune function too; as it sounds letting the user adjust the intensity of the effect while checking the result on screen. More interestingly still for newbies and enthusiasts alike we get an ‘AP’ or Advanced Photo mode, featuring pre-sets for multiple exposure and HDR images, as well as auto exposure and focus bracketing settings.
Otherwise the E-PL10’s design and layout is classically familiar, with operation divided between dials on the top plate and smaller buttons on the backplate, located to the right of the LCD monitor, as viewed from the back. Though Olympus may be pitching this as an entry-level camera for the formerly smartphone savvy, it offers slightly more than an ‘auto everything’ approach, however, to maintain the user’s interest as their skillset grows, with familiar Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual options found via said top plate dial. There’s also the welcome ability to rapidly access key operational settings on the fly with a press of the OK button at the centre of its four-way backplate control pad.
Top of the Olympus PEN E-PL10 |
From the front, it has to be said the EPL10 looks convincingly stylish, with its faux leatherette finish and gold detailing proudly on show on the white version we had in for review. Showing attention to detail, the small lens release button also has its own bit of faux leather padding, and, although we’d always prefer the grip here to be a little larger, it’s sufficient for a camera of its size, particularly with a standard kit 14-42mm zoom affixed, providing the useful equivalent of 24-84mm in 35mm terms to make it as suited to shooting landscapes as it is portraits.
Incidentally, we were sent a premium metal construction 12mm f/2 prime lens by Olympus with our review sample, the weight of which makes the camera just a tad front heavy. As a result we augmented this with a more obviously plastic 14-42mm zoom we already had in hand, to provide more of a flavour of the shots you’ll actually get with the kit.
With a tiny porthole window above lens providing an AF assist/self timer lamp, that’s it for the front of the E-PL10, which is all about the continued use of the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. No chance of Olympus going full frame any time soon it seems.
The top plate of the camera is very well engineered too, with a clean looking if busy control layout that should appeal to those who want to get hands on, while not being off-putting to absolute newcomers.
Tilting LCD Screen |
At one end of the top plate we get a recessed flash that springs up and into action with a thumb press of the self-explanatory ‘up’ button located just behind it. Between the flash and the familiar shooting mode dial there’s a vacant hotshoe for the option of attaching an accessory flash, with a stereo microphone located just in front.
The shooting mode dial is conveniently raised too and has a roughened edge for easier purchase between forefinger and thumb, though it is squeezed very close to the similarly rough-edged control wheel that encircles the shutter release button. Sitting out of harm’s way at the far edge of the top plate is the on/off button, recessed so it sits level with the top plate and avoids accidental activation.
Indeed, we have to press down with a fingernail to power up the camera – a process taking slightly under two seconds with the 14-42mm lens attached. Unlike the 12mm, this lens needs to extend from its compact and dormant state to maximum wide angle setting before the user can fire off a shot.
The shooting mode dial features no fewer than nine settings, although none of them is a custom option. Indeed the ethos of this camera is to make it as easy as possible for someone (in Olympus’ eyes, an online ‘influencer’) upgrading from a smartphone to start shooting with.
Pop-up Flash |
So while we do get the aforementioned P,A,S,M settings, along with the regulars of video, pre-optimised scene modes and Olympus’ ever present Art Filters, we also get both an ‘auto everything’ option and, by contrast, the previously mentioned Advanced Photo mode, for those who perhaps want to experiment a bit more, or want something a bit more unusual looking to stand out from the crowd on Instagram.
Moving to the back of the Olympus EPL10, much of the real estate is taken up by the 3-inch angle adjustable LCD screen, as expected, which here is a touch screen. As usual though, because Olympus has also supplied the usual complement of physical buttons alongside it, you can get away with only using the screen when it feels intuitive to do so.
Ideally, we would have liked to be able to use a finger and thumb flick to enlarge sections of an image to check focus – as you’d instinctively do with a mobile phone screen – rather than having to drag an on-screen slider to do similar. To us that felt slightly cumbersome. We can however scroll through images with a finger swipe, so that much is intuitive at least.
While a press of the self explanatory ‘menu’ button at the camera’s rear brings up familiar screens packed with options for stills, video, playback and settings, we more often took a shortcut to commonly utilised settings via a press of the ‘OK’ button found at the centre of the four way control pad.
Selfie LCD Screen |
This button brings an L-shaped menu up on the right hand side of the screen that will be immediately familiar to any Olympus camera user. While the options are too small to be tapped with a finger to implement, a thumb nudge of the four-way controller followed by a selection of a setting via the central OK button, once again, does the job adequately. Here we get access to the E-Pl10’s colour modes, with the default being ‘natural’ but our preferred option being ‘vivid’.
Interestingly, we can also access the Art Filters here as part of the same menu, without having to otherwise turn the top plate mode dial to the Art setting. ISO light sensitivity settings are also to be found here: from the default auto setting to ISO200, and then all the way up to an extended ISO25600. Focus settings are also fund via the same on-screen menu, which include single and continuous auto focus options alongside manual focus, continuous auto focus tracking and a combination of single auto focus and manual auto focus for the photo enthusiasts who prefer to get more hands on.
The same very useful quick menu also lets us access stills format settings – with us choosing the ‘all bases covered’ option of JPEG + Raw for the duration of the test period, and with no noticeable slowdown in terms of camera and inserted SD card, compared with just shooting JPEG on its own. Finally image aspect ratio and video capture rate can also be altered via the same intuitive LCD menu.
The touch screen does come in useful, however, when seeking to direct focus to one particular aspect of the frame, simply by dragging the illuminated green focus point around the screen. Again, this feature responds well enough in real time to make it a viable alternative to simply holding the shutter release button down halfway and recomposing the frame.
Battery Compartment |
If you do prefer physical controls and buttons however, this Olympus also has us well served, as noted. The rest of the settings accessed via the ones to be found on the camera back include dedicated playback and delete buttons, along with the usual suspects surrounding the central control pad governing the flash (only active when it has actually been physically activated and raised, obviously) self timer and continuous shooting options, as well as providing a grid overlay for photographer who want to practice the rule of thirds.
With a built-in speaker to be found on one flank of the camera and mini HDMI and USB ports to be found on the other, the base of the camera features a screw thread for mounting on a tripod, although doing so would be to restrict access to the shared battery and single SD memory card compartment, also to be found at the base of the E-PL10.
Commendably, Olympus supplied the camera with a dedicated mains charger and plug, rather than leaving us to re-charge the battery in situ via USB lead. Battery life is claimed to be good for a respectable 350 images – no great shakes compared with a DSLR admittedly, although mirrorless has typically lagged behind, because of the inherently smaller form factor.
So what of the real litmus test: the images that the E-PL10 is capable of producing. Are these shots to be proud of that would grace the family album, or results to be banished to the shoebox in the back of the wardrobe? Read on to find out...
Image Quality
All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 7Mb.
Olympus’ images tend to err on the side of the naturalistic when it comes to colours – which is fine when there is plenty of blue sky around, but can occasionally make for drab results if not.
Fortunately, when equipped with our fast aperture wide-angle 12mm lens we were able to focus in on detail and create some attractively defocused backgrounds with it, while our also deployed alternative of a 14-42mm zoom, in matching what is supplied with the camera in its bundle deal, is a good ‘catch all’ option.
Being able to zoom in slightly on those occasions when it’s inconvenient or impossible to simply take a few steps forward, is always going to come in useful.
Both lenses deliver plenty of detail – with the 12mm prime, for us, just having a slight edge over the zoom, which is fairly predictable – and most would be hard pressed to tell the difference between results from the E-PL10 and a DSLR, which is a selling point in itself.
For low light work, it’s really only in the top sextet of selectable ISO settings that we’re really beginning to see a degradation in the image. In short, this is a competent, pocket sized image creator with very few shortcomings, given its target market and its price point.
Noise
Like its predecessor, there are nine ISO settings in the E-PL10, with a native ISO 200 to ISO 6400 range that can be extended down to ISO 100 and up to ISO 25,600.
We’ve included 100% crops from identical images that show the noise levels for each ISO setting, with JPEGs on the left and the RAW versions on the right.
JPEG | RAW |
ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 12800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 12800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 25600 (100% Crop) |
ISO 25600 (100% Crop) |
Flash
As mentioned before, the E-PL10 has a built-in flash, which has a power output of 7.6GN at ISO 200.
Flash Off |
Flash On |
Flash Off |
Flash On |
Flash On |
Flash Red-eye Reduction |
Night
Low-light shooters will find the Olympus PEN E-PL10 particularly accommodating. There is a maximum 60 seconds shutter speed, plus Bulb Mode for exposure times up to 30 minutes, with exposure times up to 8 minutes available in the menu. There are also those low light shooting modes, such as Live Composite.
Art Filters
Art Filters have their own place on the shooting mode dial. There are a total of 16 different styles, some of which have up to three options.
Sample Images
This is a selection of sample images from the Olympus PEN E-PL10 camera, which were all taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.
1/100s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/100s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/100s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
25mm
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1/200s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/125s · f/5.6 · ISO 200
19mm
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1/125s · f/5 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/80s · f/5.6 · ISO 250
42mm
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1/125s · f/5 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/80s · f/5.6 · ISO 500
42mm
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1/60s · f/5 · ISO 320
29mm
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1/80s · f/5.6 · ISO 800
42mm
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1/60s · f/5.6 · ISO 320
31mm
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1/160s · f/7.1 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/100s · f/4.5 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 320
14mm
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1/125s · f/5 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/250s · f/9 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/200s · f/9 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
14mm
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1/13s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
14mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
14mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
14mm
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1/13s · f/4.8 · ISO 1000
27mm
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1/6s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
14mm
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1/5s · f/4.1 · ISO 1000
20mm
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1/15s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
14mm
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1/200s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/320s · f/11 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/400s · f/11 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/500s · f/11 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/320s · f/7.1 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/60s · f/4.8 · ISO 200
26mm
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1/60s · f/4.8 · ISO 200
26mm
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Sample RAW Images
The Olympus PEN E-PL10 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Olympus RAW (ORF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).
1/100s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
42mm
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1/100s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
84mm
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1/100s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
50mm
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1/200s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/125s · f/5.6 · ISO 200
38mm
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1/125s · f/5 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/80s · f/5.6 · ISO 250
84mm
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1/125s · f/5 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/80s · f/5.6 · ISO 500
84mm
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1/60s · f/5 · ISO 320
58mm
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1/80s · f/5.6 · ISO 800
84mm
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1/60s · f/5.6 · ISO 320
62mm
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1/160s · f/7.1 · ISO 200
84mm
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1/100s · f/4.5 · ISO 200
14mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 320
28mm
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1/125s · f/5 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/250s · f/9 · ISO 200
84mm
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1/200s · f/9 · ISO 200
84mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
28mm
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1/13s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
28mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
28mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
28mm
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1/13s · f/4.8 · ISO 1000
54mm
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1/6s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
28mm
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1/5s · f/4.1 · ISO 1000
40mm
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1/15s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
28mm
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1/200s · f/6.3 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/320s · f/11 · ISO 200
84mm
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1/400s · f/11 · ISO 200
84mm
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1/500s · f/11 · ISO 200
84mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/320s · f/7.1 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
28mm
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1/60s · f/4.8 · ISO 200
52mm
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1/60s · f/4.8 · ISO 200
52mm
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Sample Movies & Video
This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 25 second movie is 314Mb in size.
This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 25 second movie is 158Mb in size.
Product Images
Conclusion
While this may be Olympus’ entry level model in its interchangeable lens mirrorless series – that includes the more ‘grown up’ likes of the PEN-F and OM-D series cameras – the build quality of the E-PL10 is excellent.
The camera feels robust and solid in the palm without being at all prohibitively weighty. Indeed, this is a mirrorless camera that we often took out with us in our jacket pocket; making it an ideal option for quickly snatched snaps and street photography in general.
Though £649.99 for camera and bundled zoom isn’t inexpensive, it’s comparable with the rest of the market and approaches what one of the online ‘influencers’ whom the manufacturer is seeking to attract with this camera, might spend on upgrading a top-end smartphone.
Here, however, we get the advantage of being able to physically swap lenses, and an angle adjustable LCD screen that can be flipped below the camera to point at our subject/s.
Image quality is also very respectable, given the smaller sensor and optics deployed here compared with APS-C format and full frame sensor cameras. Photographers may have been waiting a while for Olympus to announce a full frame camera – if they ever do – but, unsurprisingly, the EPL10 is not it.
However, what this is, is a very approachable and flexible camera for not only those looking for a different approach to image creation than their mobile phone allows, but those already well versed in photographic know-how too.
Provided you’re not a ‘sensor fascist’, if you’re looking for a smaller yet equally affordable option to an entry level DSLR, there’s the sense that, equipped with the Olympus PEN E-PL10, you can’t go far wrong.
Ratings (out of 5) | |
---|---|
Design | 4 |
Features | 4 |
Ease-of-use | 4 |
Image quality | 4.5 |
Value for money | 3.5 |
Main Rivals
Listed below are some of the rivals of the Olympus PEN E-PL10.
Canon EOS 4000D
The brand new Canon EOS 4000D (also known as the Digital Rebel T100 in North America) is the cheapest ever Canon DSLR camera, clearly designed to tempt smartphone users into buying their first interchangeable lens camera. But does it cut too many corners in order to hit such an aggressive price-point? Find out by reading our in-depth Canon EOS 4000D review.
Canon EOS M50
The Canon EOS M50 is a surprisingly capable mid-range mirrorless camera, at least on paper, offering a specification list that in many ways out-does the company's flagship M5 model. Does it live up to it's full potential though? Find out by reading our Canon EOS M50 expert review...
Fujifilm X-A5
The Fujifilm X-A5 is a new entry-level mirrorless camera with a 24 megapixel sensor, 4K video recording and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Check our our in-depth Fujifilm XA5 review now, complete with full-size sample images, movies and more...
Fujifilm X-T100
The Fujifilm X-T100 is the latest mirrorless camera to hit the streets, combining the image quality of the entry-level X-A series cameras with the features and styling of the more premium X-T models, at a price that won't break the bank. Does it hit the right balance between those two ranges? Find out now by reading our detailed Fujifilm X-T100 review...
Fujifilm X-T30
Dubbed the Little Giant by Fujifilm, the new X-T30 mirrorless camera takes most of the things that we loved about the flagship X-T3 and packages them into a smaller, lighter body. It even has a few tricks up its sleeve that the X-T3 doesn't currently offer, most notably a more advanced auto-focusing system. Read our Fujifilm X-T30 review to find out how it compares to the X-T3 and the previous X-T20, and why you should definitely consider buying this new mid-range mirrorless camera...
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
The new Olympus OM-D E-M10 III is an evolutionary upgrade of 2015's E-M10 II camera, principally adding 4K video recording, the latest TruePic VIII processor, 121 AF points, 8.6fps continuous shooting and a revised control layout and menu system. Find out how it performs in our Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III review, complete with full-size sample photos (JPG and Raw), test shots, videos and more...
Olympus PEN E-PL9
The Olympus PEN E-PL9 is a stylish new entry-level mirrorless camera aimed at smartphone owners looking to buy an interchangeable lens camera for the first time. The E-PL9 also has a lot to offer more experienced photographers, though, as we find out in our in-depth Olympus PEN E-PL9 review...
Panasonic Lumix GX880
Panasonic's entry-level mirrorless camera is back with the launch of the Lumix GX880. Aimed at smartphone users and complete beginners, is this the ideal starter camera? Find out now by reading our Panasonic Lumix GX880 review, complete with full-size sample images and videos.
Sony A6100
The Sony A6100 is a new entry-level mirrorless camera that features the fastest auto-focusing system in the world. With a 24.2 megapixel APS-C sensor, 4K movie recording, a tilting OLED screen, electronic viewfinder and built-in flash, the Sony A6100 also offers 11fps burst shooting, bluetooth, wi-fi and NFC connectivity, and USB charging. Read our Sony A6100 review now to find out if it's the perfect camera for photography beginners...
Review Roundup
Reviews of the Olympus PEN E-PL10 from around the web.
ephotozine.com »
The Olympus PEN E-PL10 is a stylish mirrorless camera, that delivers excellent image quality, with numerous shooting features, and a wide range of lenses making this a good choice, thanks to 4K video recording and built-in image stabilisation. However, the previous version, the E-PL9, offers an almost identical camera, for significantly less money.
Read the full review »
Specifications
Type
-
Lens mount
Micro Four Thirds
Image Sensor
-
Type
4/3'' Live MOS sensor
-
Effective pixels
16.1 Megapixels
-
Filter array
Primary colour filter (RGB)
-
Aspect ratio & area
4:3 / 17.3 x 13.0mm
-
Full resolution
17.2 Megapixels
Engine
-
Type
TruePic VIII
Filter
-
Dust reduction filter
Supersonic Wave Filter
Live View
-
Displayed information
Face detection preview*
-
Field of view
Approx. 100%
-
Magnification levels
3 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14x
-
* Up to 8 faces
Image Stabiliser
-
Type
Sensor shift
-
Modes
Three‑dimensional, vertical or horizontal activation, automatic
-
Live View stabilisation
Available
-
Effective Compensation Range
Up to 3.5 EV steps (CIPA)
Focusing System
-
Method
Contrast Detection AF system
-
Focus areas
121 points / All target, Group target (9‑areas), Single target (normal), Single target (small)
-
Modes
-
- Single AF
- Continuous AF
- Manual focus
- Single AF + MF
- AF Tracking
-
AF illuminator
Equipped
-
Manual focus
Available; With enlarged focusing area or focus peaking
-
Face Detection AF
Available
-
Face Detection extension
-
- Near side priority
- Eye Detect AF: Off
-
Predictive AF
Available
-
AF tracking
Available; Available in continuous AF mode
-
C‑AF and AF tracking only with Micro Four Thirds lenses!
Exposure System
-
Modes
-
- Auto
- Programme automatic
- Aperture priority
- Shutter priority
- Manual
- Scene Modes
- Advanced Photo Modes
- Art Filter
-
Exposure compensation
+/‑ 5 EV (1, 1/2, 1/3 steps)
-
Note: Movie shooting, monitor and EVF displays only up to ±3 EV .
-
AE lock
Available
Advanced Photo Modes
-
Modes
-
- Live Composite
- Live Time
- Multiple Exposure
- HDR Backlight*
- Silent
- Panorama
- Keystone Compensation
- AE bracketing
- AE bracketing
Scene Modes
-
Number of scene modes
23
-
Modes
-
- Portrait
- e-Portrait
- Night Scene with portrait
- Indoor
- Night Scene
- Hand-held Starlight
- Fireworks
- Light trails
- Sports
- Children
- Panning
- Landscape
- Landscape with Portrait
- Sunset
- Beach and Snow
- Multi Focus
- Backlight HDR
- Panorama
- Candle
- Silent mode
- Macro
- Nature Macro
- Documents
Light Metering
-
Method
TTL open aperture light metering
-
Zones
324 zones Multi‑pattern Sensing System
-
Detection range
‑2 ‑ 20 EV (f2.8, ISO 100)
-
Modes
-
- ESP light metering
- Spot metering
- Centre weighted metering
- Highlight
- Shadow
Art Filter
-
Modes
-
- Pop Art
- Soft Focus
- Pale & Light Colour
- Light Tone
- Grainy Film
- Pin Hole
- Diorama
- Cross Process
- Gentle Sepia
- Dramatic Tone
- Key Line
- Water colour
- Vintage
- Partial Colour*
- Bleach Bypass
- Instant Film
-
* 18 colours selectable
-
Variation / Effect
Available
Sensitivity
-
Auto
ISO LOW* ‑ 6400 (customizable upper limit 200 ‑ 25600)
-
Manual
ISO LOW ‑ 25600 in 1/3 or 1 EV ISO steps
-
*approx. 100
Shutter
-
Shutter type
Electronically controlled focal plane shutter
-
Self timer
2s / 12s / Custom
-
Custom (delay 1‑30sec.,shooting interval 0.5/1/2/3sec.,number of shots 1‑10)
-
Modes
-
- Bracketing
- Self timer
- Sequential shooting
- Single frame
Shutter Speeds
-
Standard operation
-
Shutter speed range
1/4000 ‑ 60s (in 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps)
-
Bulb mode
Up to 30 minutes (selectable longest time in the menu, default: 8 minutes)
-
Silent mode
-
Shutter type
Electronic shutter
-
Shutter speed
1/16000 ‑ 60s
-
Anti shock mode
-
Shutter type
Electronic first curtain shutter
-
Shutter speed
1/320* ‑ 60s
-
* For speeds over 1/320 sec., mechanical shutter will automatically be selected.
White Balance
-
AUTO WB system
Advanced detection system with Live MOS sensor
-
Manual White balance (One-Touch)
Available
-
Custom WB
1 setting can be registered at Kelvin temperature (2000K ‑ 14000K)
-
Auto Flash adjustment
Off / Auto WB / Flash
-
Keep warm colour
On / Off
Sequence Shooting
-
Speed (H)
Approx. 8.6fps
-
Speed (L)
4.8fps
-
Max. number of frames
14 frames (RAW)
-
220 frames (JPG / Large Fine mode)
-
Conditions
Memory card: TOSHIBA SDHC UHS‑II R95 W90 EXCERIA™
-
Sequential shooting L mode: 12‑40mm F2.8 Pro when in C‑AF mode
-
Note: Depending on shooting conditions, the sequential shooting speed may reduce speed during shooting.
-
Silent mode
-
Speed (H)
Approx. 14.1fps
-
Speed (L)
Approx. 6.1fps
Flash
-
Modes
-
- AUTO
- Manual (Full, 1/4, 1/16, 1/64)
- Red-eye reduction
- Slow synchronisation with red-eye reduction
- Slow synchronisation
- Slow synchronisation 2nd curtain
- Fill-in
- Off
- TTL-Auto
-
Type
Built‑in
-
Flash compensation
+/‑ 3 EV / 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps
-
Guide number
7.6 (ISO 200)
-
X-sync speed
1/250s / 1/4000s (Super FP Mode)
Wireless Flash Control
-
Available when used together with flashes from the Olympus wireless RC flash system.
-
Optical control
-
Control method
Triggered and controlled (Olympus Wireless RC Flash system)
-
Commander flash: FL‑900R, FL‑700WR, FL‑600R, STF‑8 Built‑in flash
-
Number of channels
4 channels
-
Group setting
4 groups
-
Compatible external flash
FL‑36R, FL‑50R, FL‑300R, FL‑600R, FL‑700WR, FL‑900R, STF‑8
-
Radio control
-
Radio wireless control
Available when attaching optional flash commander.
-
Compatible commander
FC‑WR, FL‑700WR
-
For more details see specifications of commander units.
-
Compatible receiver
FL‑700WR, FR‑WR + wireless RC system flash
Monitor
-
Monitor type
Tiltable LCD ‑ Touch Panel
-
Tilt angle
80° (up) 180° (down)
-
Monitor size
7.6cm / 3.0'' (3:2)
-
Resolution
1040K dots
-
Brightness adjustment
+/‑ 7 levels
-
Colour balance
+/‑ 7 levels Vivid (default) / Natural
-
Touch Control fucntions
-
- Shutter release
- Live Guide
- AF area selection
- AF area enlargement
- Frame forward/backward
- Enlargement playback
- Super Control Panel
- Art Filter
- Scene Modes
- Wifi connection
- Movie Controls
- Movie effects
- Movie teleconverter
-
When in Selfie Mode:
-
- Shutter release
- e-Portrait
- Self-timer
- Movie
- Exposure compensation
- Preview
Level Gauge
-
Detection
2‑axis
-
Display
Rear LCD monitor
Recording Formats
-
RAW
12bit
-
RAW & JPEG
Applied parallel recording
-
JPEG
Applied
Image Size
-
RAW
4608 x 3456
-
4608 x 3456 Fine (compression: 1/4)
-
Middle
3200 x 2400
-
Small
1280 x 960
Still Image Recording
-
EXIF
2.3
-
DCF
Applied
Movie Recording System
-
Recording format
MOV (H.264)
-
Image Stabilisation Mode
Applied Sensor shift (3‑axis)
-
M‑IS1* (Image sensor shift and electronic image stabilizer with multi motion IS)
-
M‑IS2 (Image sensor shift with multi motion IS)
-
* While using M‑IS1, field of view may be affected.
-
4K Movie quality
3840 x 2160 (4k) / 30p, 25p, 24p / IPB (approx. 102Mbps)
-
HD Movie quality
Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) / 30p, 25p, 24p / IPB (SF, F, N)
-
HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) / 30p, 25p, 24p
-
Maximum Recording Time
29min
-
Max. file size
4GB (AVCHD)
Movie Specialties
-
Movie clips
1, 2, 4, 8s
-
(Extension up to 16s by pressing record button before clip ends.)
-
High-Speed Recording
720P / 120fps
-
Movie effects
-
- Multi shot echo
- One shot echo
- Art fade
- Old Film
-
HDMI Live View
Available (Camera display is turned off when HDMi connection is made. Video and info screen is displayed on external monitor)
-
Time lapse
4k, 1080p, 720p (MOV)
Sound Recording System
-
Internal microphone
Stereo
-
Recording format
Stereo PCM/16bit, 48kHz, Wave Format Base
-
Speaker
Equipped
View Images
-
Modes
-
- Single
- Index
- Calendar
- Zoom
- Slide show
- Movie
-
Light box
Available
-
Histogram in playback mode
Available
-
Shooting information
Off / On
-
Highlight/Shadow point warning
Available
-
Auto rotation
Available
Erase / Protect / Copy Function
-
Erase modes
Single, All, Selected
-
Image protect mode
Single frame, Selected frames, All Frames, Release protect (Single/All selected)
Menu
-
Menu languages in camera
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Greek, Slovak, Turkish, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Serbian
Customisation Options
-
Dial customization
Dial function is cutomizable for both dials
-
Programmable button
Can select from 12 functions to assign to buttons
Interface
-
USB
microB
-
HDMI™
Applied Micro connector (Type D) *
-
Hot shoe
Equipped
-
Media
SD Memory Card (SDHC, SDXC, UHS‑I compatible) Class 10 is recommended for Movie shooting UHS‑I U3 card is recommended for 4K
-
Wireless connectivity
-
- WiFi
- Bluetooth®
-
* "HDMI", the HDMI logo and "High‑Definition Multimedia Interface" are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.
Wi-Fi Functions
-
Easy Connection
QR code setting
-
Wireless Shooting
-
- P/A/S/M exposure modes
- Aperture priority
- Shutter priority
- Exposure
- ISO
- White balance
- Sequential shooting
- Touch AF & Shutter
- Self timer
- Live View
- Rec View
- Movie recording
-
Image Share
Automatic transfer is possible via Share Order
-
On Android devices, 4K videos will be resized and saved as Full HD videos.
-
On iPhone 5(iPhone 5C) or earlier iOS devices, 4K videos cannot be imported.
Power Supply
-
Battery
BLS‑50 Lithium‑Ion Battery (included)
-
Live View shooting
Approx. 350images (100% with Live View)
-
Movie recording
80min (standard JEITA conditions) 140min (when zoom and other operational functions are not used)
-
Image shooting
350 shots
Environment
-
Temperature
0 ‑ 40°C Operating temperature / ‑20 ‑ 60°C storage temperature
-
Humidity
30 ‑ 90% operation humidity / 10 ‑ 90% storage humidity
Dimensions
-
Width
117.1mm
-
Height
68mm
-
Depth
39mm
-
Weight
380g (including battery and memory card)
-
332g (body only)
Exterior
-
Available Colours
-
- Brown
- Black
- White
News
In addition to the OM-D E-M5 Mark III, Olympus are also rumored to be launched a follow-up to the PEN E-PL9 camera, rather unsurprisingly called the Olympus PEN E-PL10.
Update: The EPL10 has now been officially announced, but so far it's only going to be available in Japan and China.
Update2: The E-PL10 has now been officially launched in Europe. In the UK, it is available now exclusively in the Olympus online shop priced at £549.99 and in a kit with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ lens at £649.99.
An extensive gallery of official looking product shots of this Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera have already appeared on Photo Rumors.
With the E-M5 III due to be launched as soon as this week, we could also see the debut of the E-PL10 alongside its more expensive and more capable sibling.
Specifications are rather thin on the ground at this point, other than the three colourways shown in the gallery of product shots - black, white and tan.
At first glance, the exterior of the E-PL10 looks nigh on identical to the E-PL9, so it seems that any upgrades will be internal.
We'd expect Olympus to play it safe and stick with the 16 megapixel sensor that's seemingly been used by the last 9 E-PL cameras, rather than upgrading to the latest and greatest 20 megapixel sensor.
Could the E-PL9's 3-axis image stabilisation system be upgraded to the more capable 5-axis system that the E-M5 II featured? Will the auto-focus system also get an upgrade? We'll just have to wait and see...
Olympus Press Release
Olympus Corporation (President: Yasuo Takeuchi) is pleased to announce the newest Micro Four Thirds System standard interchangeable lens camera, the Olympus PEN E-PL10, scheduled to go on sale in late November 2019. This model features a simple, sophisticated design packed with a wide array of expressive shooting functions. The compact, lightweight body is equipped with in-body image stabilization and a flip-down LCD monitor along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, making it easy even for beginner interchangeable lens camera users to enjoy capturing and sharing creative, expressive photographs.
Main Features
1. Blur-free high image quality in various scenes, such as night scenes, telephoto shooting, and video recording
2. Flip-down LCD monitor for shooting at any angle and useful Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to wirelessly transfer photos from the camera to a smartphone
3. Enjoy a wealth of creative expressions using Art Filters and interchangeable lenses
4. A compact, lightweight body with a simple sophisticated design that matches your style
1 The white and brown camera bodies come with a silver lens, and the black camera body comes with a black lens.
The Olympus PEN E-PL10 is equipped with in-body image stabilization and offers blur-free high image quality with a simple touch operation. It is packed with features that expand creative expressions, such as selfie, Art Filter for impressive, artistic finishes, and compatibility with various interchangeable lenses. By using the built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth® in conjunction with the Olympus Image Share (OI.Share) smartphone app, the camera easily connects to a smartphone to transfer images and share them on social media. Tutorial videos are also available to learn shooting techniques using OI.Share, making it the perfect interchangeable lens camera for the beginner photographer. Packing versatile features for a rich array of photographic expressions in a simple, sophisticated, compact design, this is a model that you can take everywhere.
Olympus interchangeable lens camera systems’ biggest advantage is their amazing mobility thanks to the compact, lightweight camera system, including lenses. The combination of a high-resolution, high-performance lens lineup and powerful image stabilization results in sharp, high- quality photos and videos in a variety of scenes.
Main Features Details
1. Blur-free high image quality in various scenes, such as night scenes, telephoto shooting, and video recording
This model is equipped with in-body image stabilization2, powerfully suppressing camera shake, which tends to occur when shooting at night, in dim indoor scenes, while shooting video and when using a telephoto lens. It also features TruePic VIII, the same image processor found in Olympus’ professional models, for clear images with minimal noise, even in low-light scenes. The combination of in-body image stabilization and TruePic VIII provides blur-free images.
2 Up to 3.5 shutter speed steps. M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ lens at a focal distance of f=42mm (35mm equivalent: f=84mm), conforms to CIPA standards, when corrected on 2 axes (yaw and pitch)
2. Flip-down monitor for shooting at any angle and useful Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to wirelessly transfer photos from the camera to a smartphone
Flip-down LCD monitor
Simply touch the subject shown on the LCD monitor to simultaneously focus and activate the
shutter (Touch AF Shutter). When the monitor is flipped down, it automatically switches the camera to Selfie mode for easy self-portrait shooting. You can also select e-Portrait for brighter, smoother skin, or switch to movie recording3 with a simple touch operation. Changing the angle of the LCD monitor also makes it possible to shoot from various perspectives.
Easy connection to a smartphone
Use the built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth® and the Olympus Image Share (OI.Share) app to easily
connect the camera and smartphone to import images and share on social media. By using the Share Order function, selected photos or videos on the camera will be automatically transferred to your smartphone once the camera is turned off4. OI.Share also provides a Camera How To guide, containing tutorial videos of shooting techniques and a Digital Guidebook packed with other useful shooting tips.
3 The camera must be set to AUTO in order to select e-Portrait on the screen in Selfies mode.
4 When the smartphone OS version is Android 6.0 or later, images are not transferred automatically when the smartphone display is in sleep mode (when the smartphone screen is off). Make sure the display is active. On iOS devices, Olympus Image Share (OI.Share) must be launched first.
3. Enjoy a wealth of creative expressions using Art Filters and interchangeable lenses
Art Filter
With 16 Art Filter options you can capture creative photos with simple controls. Use the new Fine
Tune5 option to adjust the level of Art Filter effects while checking the results on the screen to create a photo as you wish.
AP (Advanced Photo) mode
AP mode provides shooting functions that generally require advanced photography techniques
with simple operations. Anyone can easily shoot a multi-exposure photo by just overlapping two images in Multi Exposure, and shoot light trails of stars or automobile lamps without the risk of overexposure in Live Composite. Silent mode, which mutes shutter and operation sounds, is now possible in P, A, S and M modes as well as AP mode.
Versatile interchangeable lenses
A versatile lineup of compact, lightweight, high-performance interchangeable lenses are available, including bright, single-focal-length lenses as well as macro lenses to achieve beautiful defocusing effects. You can choose the perfect lens depending on the subject to dramatically expand the possibilities of photographic expression.
5 Only available in Pop Art I and Soft Focus. Colour tone and effect levels can be changed moving the slider up and down.
4. A compact, lightweight body with a simple sophisticated design that matches your style
The E-PL10 is available in white, black, and brown. Each details of the colors of leather-feel materials and surface finish are carefully selected for exquisite texturing. This model is designed for a simple, harmonious look that is easy to match with any style. When paired with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ standard kit lens, it is highly portable, and is lighter than a 500 ml bottle of water.
Other Features
1. Supports high image quality 4K video and the ability to extract still images from videos
2. Maximum 8.6 fps high-speed sequential shooting so you never miss a photo opportunity
3. SCN (Scene) mode lets you capture images exactly as you imagine simply by choosing a shooting theme
4. AUTO mode for capturing beautiful photos simply by pressing the shutter release button, and leaving all the necessary adjustment to the camera.
Separately Available Accessories
Genuine Leather Body Jacket, CS-45B, Genuine Leather Shoulder Strap, CSS-S109LL II, and Genuine Leather Lens Cover, LC-60.5GL (now on sale)
These genuine leather accessories are designed to protect the camera and enhance its design. Available in white, black, brown, and light brown, so they are easy to match with any style.
Genuine Leather Body Jacket CS-45B, Genuine Leather Shoulder Strap CSS-S109LL II, and Genuine Leather Lens Cover LC-60.5GL colors.
Olympus UK Press Release
New Olympus PEN E-PL10 combines aesthetics with technology that will take your photography to the next level
London, 20 November 2019 – Olympus today introduces the new Olympus PEN E-PL10 to the European markets. Featuring a wide array of creative options in a compact, lightweight and beautifully designed body, the E-PL10 is the perfect choice for confident smartphone and entry-level camera photographers looking to step up their photography.
Being lighter than a 500ml bottle of water even when paired with a 14-42mm zoom lens, its accessibility as well as the sophisticated design make the E-PL10 a powerful tool and stylish accessory.
Available now, the Olympus PEN E-PL10 comes in white, brown or black at £649 with the 14-42EZ Zoom lens, plus add to your photographic options by bagging a free 45mm lens worth £279.99 with our launch offer via our online shop. (While stocks last)
The Olympus PEN E-PL10 is designed to fit the need of the modern creatives with seamless connectivity, being a lightweight but powerful tool for content creation with top of class image stabilisation and image quality. The easy handling of this classical design piece enables you to focus on your results, not the technical specifications.
Olympus technology delivers excellent images and video
The E-PL10 delivers high quality images and video that will meet the expectations of any up-and-coming content creator. With its in-body image stabilization Up to 3.5 shutter speed steps of compensation. M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ lens at a focal distance of f=42mm (35mm equivalent: f=84mm). Conforms to CIPA standards, when corrected on 2 axes (yaw and pitch). technology, a 16MP Live MOS sensor and TruePic VIII (the same image processor found in Olympus’ professional models), the camera allows for great results with minimal noise even at night, in dim indoor scenes, while shooting 4K or Full HD video and when using a telephoto lens.
Flip-down touchscreen and smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Thanks to the E-PL10’s easy and intuitive handling, its users will never miss a shot. Simply touch the subject shown on the LCD monitor to simultaneously focus and activate the shutter (Touch AF Shutter). When the monitor is flipped down, it automatically switches the camera to Selfie mode for easy self-portraits. Users may also select e-Portrait for brighter, smoother skin, or switch to movie recording with a simple touch operation.
The built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity allows for an easy and fast transfer of images and video to a smartphone via the free Olympus Image Share (OI.Share) app. The latest OI.Share app additionally offers a dedicated E-PL10 “How To” guide, containing tutorial videos for different shooting situations and a digital guidebook packed with useful tips & tricks.
A wealth of creative options through Art Filters and access to the full line-up of M.Zuiko lens choices
The Art Filter feature – which was pioneered by Olympus way back to enhance images with creative pre-sets – is still a favourite of many PEN users to date. To get the most out of the 16 different Art Filter options, Olympus has integrated a new Fine Tune Only available in Pop Art I and Soft Focus. option to adjust the effect level of Art Filter effects while checking the results on the screen.
In Auto Mode, the camera identifies different situations and automatically selects the optimal shooting scene. The Advanced Photo Mode further supports the creative vision of Olympus PEN fans with pre-sets for different shooting situations that generally require advanced photography skills. The Multi Exposure setting allows anyone to shoot a multi-exposure photo while light trails of stars or car headlights can be captured in Live Composite mode. Silent mode, which mutes shutter and operation sounds, is now possible in P, A, S and M modes as well as AP mode.
The versatile lineup of compact, lightweight, high-performance M.Zuiko lenses additionally expands creative options: all-time favourites of many Olympus PEN users are bright, single-focal-length lenses which include the M.Zuiko Digital 45mm F1.8 - available while stocks last with all purchases of the new E-PL10 via Olympus online shop.
Check out the lifestyle & social photography section at www.olympus.co.uk/lifestyle for stories as well as tips and tricks and follow the official @olympus_pengeneration channel on Instagram to stay in the know about the Olympus PEN world.
Availability & pricing
The Olympus PEN E-PL10 is available now exclusively in the Olympus online shop https://shop.olympus.eu/en_GB/ at £549.99 Recommended Retail Price. and in a kit with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ lens at RRP of £649.99.
Take advantage of our launch offer and receive a free 45mm lens with all purchases (RRP £279.99). While stocks last. The 45mm lens will automatically be added to your basket upon check out.
Like every Olympus camera and lens, the E-PL10 comes with a free six-month warranty extension Six months on top of the statutory warranty in the country of purchase. when registered via the MyOlympus platform at http://my.olympus.eu
More information at www.olympus.co.uk/pen.
Product specifications are subject to change without notice. Please check the Olympus website at www.olympus.co.uk for the latest specifications.
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