Olympus OM-D E-M10 vs Samsung GX-1S

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S
      70
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      53
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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Olympus OM-D E-M10 and the Samsung GX-1S, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 was introduced in March 2014 and Samsung GX-1S was introduced in January 2006. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 Highlights

      • 16.1 MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
      • 200 - 25,600 Native ISO
      • 81 Focus Points (81 Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 1,037k dot Tilting Screen
      • 1,440k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 8.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi

      Samsung GX-1S Highlights

      • 6 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 200 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 11 Focus Points
      • 2.5" 210k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 2.8 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Olympus OM-D E-M10
      4. Advantage of Samsung GX-1S
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Samsung GX-1S.

      PROS

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   81 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Live Composition
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Built-in Flash

      CONS

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      •   Small Sensor
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 72
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Weight - 605 g (1.33 lb / 21.34 oz)

      Advantage of Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Olympus OM-D E-M10
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Olympus OM-D E-M10 over Samsung GX-1S.

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 vs Samsung GX-1S
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 16.1 Megapixel vs 6 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 25,600 vs 3,200
      Max Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 vs 3008 x 2008
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 81 vs 11
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Live View Autofocus vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Image Stabilization Sensor Shift vs
      Screen Type Tilting vs Fixed
      Touch Screen vs
      Larger Screen 3.0" vs 2.5"
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,037k dot vs 210k dot
      Live View vs
      Live Composition vs
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 100% vs 95%
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 60 sec vs 30 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 8.0 fps vs 2.8 fps
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/250 sec vs 1/180 sec
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      Higher USB Speed USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) vs USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec)
      HDMI Output Micro vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Lighter 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) vs 605 g (1.33 lb / 21.34 oz)
      Orientation Sensor vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Olympus OM-D E-M10.

      Olympus OM-D E-M5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      20.3 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 III
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M1 III
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      20.4 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M5 III
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      20.4 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 II
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M1X
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      20.4 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M1 II
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      20.3 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M1
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      16.3 MP

      Panasonic GF2
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Sony NEX-5R
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      APS-C

      16.1 MP

      Advantage of Samsung GX-1S

      Samsung GX-1S
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Samsung GX-1S over Olympus OM-D E-M10.

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 vs Samsung GX-1S
      Larger Sensor Micro Four Thirds vs APS-C
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.58x vs 0.63x

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Samsung GX-1S.

      Samsung GX-20
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      APS-C

      15.1 MP

      Samsung GX-1L
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      APS-C

      6 MP

      Samsung GX-10
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      APS-C

      10.75 MP

      Canon M50 II
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      APS-C

      24.1 MP

      OM System OM-1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.4 MP

      Sigma SD15
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      APS-C

      5 MP

      Panasonic GF5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12.1 MP

      Samsung NX500
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      APS-C

      28.2 MP

      Samsung NX20
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      APS-C

      20.3 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.3 MP

      Samsung NX30
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      APS-C

      20.3 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PL9
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Olympus OM-D E-M10 Samsung GX-1S
        Built-in Flash
      WEAKNESSES Olympus OM-D E-M10 Samsung GX-1S
        High Native ISO200200
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        No Environmental Sealing

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 has a 3.0" Tilting screen with 1,037k dot resolution and Samsung GX-1S has a 2.5" Fixed screen with 210k dot resolution. Tilting screen makes Olympus OM-D E-M10 very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Olympus OM-D E-M10 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.


      Viewfinder

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 1,440k dot resolution and Samsung GX-1S has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. Olympus OM-D E-M10 has 100% coverage with 1.15x (0.58x 35mm equivalent) magnification and Samsung GX-1S has 95% coverage with 0.95x (0.63x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 features a 16.1 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor with dimensions of 17.3 x 13 mm and a total area of 224.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 25,600. Samsung GX-1S features a 6 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 246.5 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 3,200.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 is equipped with TruePic VII processor and can take pictures up to 4608 x 3456 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3200 x 2400, 1280 x 960 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Samsung GX-1S can take pictures up to 3008 x 2008 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 2400 x 1600, 1536 x 1024 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 has Micro Four Thirds lens mount and Samsung GX-1S has Pentax KAF lens mount. Due to Micro Four Thirds sensor in Olympus OM-D E-M10 its crop factor is equal to 2x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 2. Due to APS-C sensor in Samsung GX-1S its crop factor is equal to 1.5x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 has a built-in Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 has a built-in Wi-Fi which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 comes with BLS-5 battery pack with battery life of 320 shots and Samsung GX-1S comes with 4 x AA battery pack.


      External Storage Slots

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot. Samsung GX-1S has a single SD/MMC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Olympus OM-D E-M10, and up to 1/4000 sec on Samsung GX-1S. Olympus OM-D E-M10 can shoot continuously up to 8.0 fps. Samsung GX-1S can shoot continuously up to 2.8 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 5.80 m at ISO 100 on Olympus OM-D E-M10. They also accept external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe or PC Terminal or Proprietary or Wireless connection to Olympus OM-D E-M10. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec on Olympus OM-D E-M10 and 1/180 sec on Samsung GX-1S.

      Physical Parameters

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 body has dimensions of 119 x 82 x 46 mm (4.69 x 3.24 x 1.81") and Samsung GX-1S body has dimensions of 125 x 93 x 66 mm (4.92 x 3.66 x 2.6"). Olympus OM-D E-M10 weighs 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) and Samsung GX-1S weighs 605 g (1.33 lb / 21.34 oz).

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      119 mm

      82 mm

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      125 mm

      93 mm

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      82 mm

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      93 mm

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      46 mm

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      66 mm

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      Size comparisons of Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Samsung GX-1S

      Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Samsung GX-1S for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      71
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      56
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      76
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   81 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      POOR
      49
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps

      Wildlife Photography

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      70
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   81 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      POOR
      47
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Portrait Photography

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Small Sensor
      •   81 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec

      Street Photography

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   Small Sensor
      •   81 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      GOOD
      75
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 605 g (1.33 lb / 21.34 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      84
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      GOOD
      78
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 605 g (1.33 lb / 21.34 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Samsung GX-1S and give them scores of 70 and 53 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      OVERALL
      70
      OVERALL
      53

      Sensor

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 72
      AVERAGE
      59
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      76
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      POOR
      51
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec

      Video

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      POOR
      45
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization

      Focusing

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      76
      •   81 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      81
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot

      Connectivity

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      GOOD
      78
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      POOR
      47
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Olympus OM-D E-M10

      Samsung GX-1S

      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      POOR
      42
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 605 g (1.33 lb / 21.34 oz)


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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