Retro cameras are expensive, but the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is a budget gem that’s lighter than some compacts

Digital cameras with a retro design are dominating the list of best-selling cameras in 2025, but the demand for old-school looks means finding a retro camera on a budget isn’t an easy task. Photographers can get both the vintage vibe, a lightweight option, and an affordable kit by looking at a slightly older mirrorless camera: The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is a Micro Four Thirds camera that sports a retro look and an affordable price, making it the budget pick in our guide to the best retro cameras. Despite being a mirrorless camera and not a point-and-shoot, the camera is still fairly compact, depending on which lens photographers pair it with.

The E-M10 Mark IV launched in 2020, which means the retro-styled compact mirrorless kit is fast approaching its fifth birthday. In fact, Olympus is now called OM System. Yet, the E-M10 Mark IV boasts the same 20.8MP resolution as the newer, pricier OM System OM-5. Even better, the camera is easy to find with a kit lens for under $800 / £800 / AU$1,500.

The design of the E-M10 Mark IV isn’t just striking for that classic silver and black look. As a Micro Four Thirds camera, the E-M10 Mark IV is rather compact, measuring ​​4.79 x 3.32 x 1.93 in. / 121.7 x 84.4 x 49 mm. That size, paired with the availability of compact Micro Four Thirds lenses, means the E-M10 Mark IV is also a mirrorless that could potentially serve as an alternative to a compact camera.

In fact, if you pair the camera, which weighs 11.82 oz / 335 g, with the compact 14-42mm EZ kit lens, which weighs 3.2 oz / 91 g, the setup is still lighter than the popular compact Fujifilm X100VI, which weighs 1.0 lb / 471 g. (The X100VI is a higher resolution camera with a larger sensor and brighter lens, so the E-M10 Mark IV isn't a direct competitor, but it's interesting to compare the size of the mirrorless to one of the most popular compact cameras.)

The E-M10 Mark IV really combines two of my favorite camera-buying hacks – pairing a pancake lens with a mirrorless camera instead of buying a point-and-shoot and buying a slightly older model for a better discount.

Of course, when buying a slightly older camera, it’s important to highlight the differences found on the newer models. In this case, the newer but still affordable OM-5 offers faster performance, enhanced autofocus, more video features, and weather sealing for shooting in the rain. The newer budget camera also has a pixel shift high-resolution mode and in-camera focus stacking. The weather-sealing would have me leaning toward the OM-5 because I love to take pictures in the rain, but the E-M10 Mark IV is the more affordable choice of the two for photographers on a strict budget. (Or those who want to buy the same camera that Taylor Swift used.)

Photographers should also pay close attention to the kit lens. The bundle that includes the camera and the smaller 14-42mm EZ lens tends to cost more than the option with the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II lens, which is more affordable but larger than the EZ lens.

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OM-10 Mark IV not quite right? Here are seven more mirrorless cameras that are cheaper than high-end compacts. Or, browse our top picks for the best cheap cameras.