Best lenses for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV

Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV with M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ zoom lens
(Image credit: Digital Camera World)

This has long been one of our favorite entry level cameras. It’s the last OM-D camera from Olympus days before the brand name changed to OM System, but its combination of a 20MP MFT sensor, 4K video and compact retro styling has left it feeling as fresh today as when it was launched back in 2020.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV is very competitively priced for a camera which actually offers a good deal of sophistication. It’s the fourth iteration of a line of beginner-friendly mini-DSLR style cameras from Olympus and the first to introduce the latest 20MP sensor.

Thanks to its price, features and performance, we rate the OM-D E-M10 IV as one of the best cameras for beginners and, thanks to its size, one of the best cameras for travel, too.

Of course, it’s also compatible with all of the best Micro Four Thirds lenses from Olympus/OM System, Panasonic and others – the question is, which are the best lenses for this camera?

We’ve tried to take all kinds of uses into account, from cost-conscious budget buyers to more advanced photographers learning new skills. That means covering a wide range of focal lengths and prices. Some of the best Olympus/OM System lenses are on the pricey side, but many users upgrade to a better camera later on, so these lenses will stand you in good stead in the future.

Best lenses for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV in 2025

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Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV with M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ zoom lens

(Image credit: Digital Camera World)
The best kit lens for travel

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.2m
Maximum magnification: 0.23x
Filter size: 37mm
Dimensions: 61 x 22.9mm, 91g

Reasons to buy

+
Ludicrously small
+
Great performance
+
Smooth, quiet AF

Reasons to avoid

-
28mm equivalent minimum focal length
-
Manual focusing is not easy

This has to be considered one of the all time great kit lenses for any format. The M.Zuiko 14‑42mm f/3.5‑5.6 EZ is a pancake zoom less than 23mm thick, which is smaller than most pancake primes, and yet it offers a 28-84mm equivalent focal range – and there’s no compromise in its optical performance at all, which is above average for a kit lens. It does have a couple of downsides – the zoom is electric not mechanical and has a somewhat springy, woolly feel, and the minimum focal length of 28mm (equivalent) may not be wide enough for some. But what other lens is so slim it lets you slip your camera into a jacket pocket? It’s practically a must-have for any E-M10 IV owner.

See our M.Zuiko 14‑42mm f/3.5‑5.6 EZ review

(Image credit: James Artaius)
The best pro standard zoom

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.12m
Maximum magnification: 0.25x
Filter size: 58mm
Dimensions: 63.4 x 70mm, 254g

Reasons to buy

+
Extremely light and compact
+
Closeup/acro functionality
+
Fantastic weather sealing
+
24-90mm equivalent focal length

Reasons to avoid

-
Maximum aperture f/4 not f/2.8
-
Not a lot smaller than the 12-40mm f/2.8

The E-M10 IV is quite a small camera, so it makes sense to try to keep down the size of the lenses you choose for it to maintain a nice balance. That’s why we recommend the M.Zuiko 12-45mm f/4 Pro rather than the larger (and more expensive) 12-40mm f/2.8. You do lose one f-stop of maximum aperture with this lens, but you do not lose one ounce of optical performance. This lens is a stellar performer on a par with its more expensive stablemate, and you can use it at any focal length and any aperture without worrying about finding its ‘sweet spot’. With this lens, every spot is sweet. It costs almost as much to buy as the E-M10 IV itself, but it’s worth it.

See our Olympus M.Zuiko 12-45mm f/4 Pro review

(Image credit: OM Digital Solutions)
The best combined wide-standard zoom

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.23m
Maximum magnification: 0.21x
Filter size: 72mm
Dimensions: 77 x 88.5mm, 411g

Reasons to buy

+
Incredibly useful focal range
+
Excellent optical performance
+
Short zoom action

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite big and heavy for an F4
-
Even longer when ‘unretracted’

Choosing the best wide-angle zoom for the E-M10 IV is actually quite difficult, as there is definitely a hole in the current OM System lens line-up. There is the older M.Zuiko 9-18mm retracting lens which is quite small and the cheapest option, but showing its age optically and pretty expensive for what you get. That’s why we’re suggesting the M.Zuiko 8‑25mm F4.0 Pro, which is both big and quite expensive compared to the price of the camera – but it does cover a unique focal range equivalent to 16-50mm in full frame terms, so you get an ultra-wide and standard angle of view in a single lens. Size and weight are a factor, but given what it can do, this is perhaps the perfect city travel lens.

See our OM System ED 8‑25mm f/4 Pro review

The best long-range superzoom

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.22m
Maximum magnification: 0.44x
Filter size: 72mm
Dimensions: 77.5 x 99.7mm, 455g

Reasons to buy

+
Impressively light and compact
+
Thoroughly weather sealed
+
Smooth focusing for video and stills

Reasons to avoid

-
Sharpness suffers at longer zoom settings
-
A bit large for smaller bodies

If travel is your thing then you may be looking for a ‘superzoom’ lens that covers a huge range of focal lengths all on its own – and they don’t come much more ‘super’ than the M.Zuiko 12-200mm F3.5-6.3. Thanks to the Micro Four Thirds format’s 2x crop factor, this is equivalent to a 24-400mm zoom range, which is very impressive. There are a couple of downsides. One is that like almost all superzooms, this one does lose sharpness at the longest focal lengths. Another is that this is actually a fairly pricey lens, so it’s not a purchase to be undertaken lightly. But if none of this bothers you and all you want is the longest possible focal length range in a single lens, then this is it!

See our full Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 review

(Image credit: James Artaius)
The best budget telephoto zoom

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.9m
Maximum magnification: 0.16x
Filter size: 58mm
Dimensions: 63.5 x 83mm, 190g

Reasons to buy

+
Very affordable
+
Very small and light
+
Great focal range

Reasons to avoid

-
No weather sealing
-
Good but not great quality

If you want a cheap, portable telephoto zoom for occasional use that you can just tuck away in a corner of your camera bag, the M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 R is it. It’s incredibly cheap to buy and yet packs in an 80-300mm equivalent focal range into its compact and lightweight body. It does have a variable maximum aperture, but f/5.6 at 300mm equivalent is still pretty good! It doesn’t quite have the optical quality of OM System Pro lenses, though, and if that’s important look at the M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro lens instead. It does cost more and it is a little larger and heavier, but the quality is superb.

See our full OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 review

(Image credit: Olympus)
The best prime lens for travel/street photography

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.25m
Maximum magnification: 0.16x
Filter size: 46mm
Dimensions: 57.5 x 35.5mm, 120g

Reasons to buy

+
Useful 35mm equivalent ‘street’ lens
+
Fast f/1.8 aperture
+
Small, lightweight construction

Reasons to avoid

-
No weather-seals
-
Pricey lens hood sold separately

This is a retro-styled beauty of a lens that looks perfect on the legendary Olympus PEN-F but also matches up really well with the E-M10 IV. It’s the ideal focal length for travel and street photography and the f/1.8 maximum aperture does deliver some nice background blur with closer subjects. The detail rendition and overall optical performance is first rate, and the focus ring has a pull-back clutch to offer manual focus with a distance scale. Annoyingly, though, you don’t get a lens hood included. If you want one you’ll have to buy it separately, and they’re not exactly cheap.

See our full OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 review

(Image credit: James Artaius)
The best compact 50mm equivalent lens

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.24m
Maximum magnification: 0.12x
Filter size: 46mm
Dimensions: 56 x 40.6mm, 136g

Reasons to buy

+
Very small and light
+
Fast f/1.8 maximum aperture
+
Nice image quality

Reasons to avoid

-
More basic than the 17mm f/1.8
-
No lens hood included

The 25mm focal length on the Micro Four Thirds format equates to 50mm in full frame camera terms, a lens that was a standard kit lens on old-school film SLRs and is still a camera bag essential for many photographers today. The M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 is very small and light and a perfect match for the E-M10 IV, though if you want to get one you’ll have to move quickly as it’s listed as ‘Discontinued’ by many US retailers – though there should be plenty on the used market. It’s a little more basic than the 17mm f/2.8 with no pull-back focus clutch mechanism and a more plasticky feel, but it’s still a really nice lens to shoot with.

See our full OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 review

(Image credit: James Artaius)
The best budget portrait lens

Specifications

Mount: MFT
Stabilization: No
Minimum focus distance: 0.5m
Maximum magnification: 0.11x
Filter size: 37mm
Dimensions: 56 x 46mm, 116g

Reasons to buy

+
Literally pocket-sized
+
Very affordable
+
Great results

Reasons to avoid

-
Lens hood not included
-
No manual focus clutch

This is one of the favorite lenses of Digital Camera World Editor James Artaius and it’s easy to see why. For a 90mm equivalent f/1.8 ‘portrait’ lens it’s impossibly small – barely bigger than the 17mmm and 25mm primes – and while it doesn’t quite have the all-metal feel of the 17mm f/1.8, it’s well made and operates smoothly. It also delivers results of a quality you would never expect from its modest price tag. If you want to experiment with portraits with your OM-D E-M10 IV or you fancy a fast short telephoto lens, then this is absolutely the one to get.

See our full OM System M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 review

Rod Lawton
Contributor

Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews editor. Before that he has been technique editor on N-Photo, Head of Testing for the photography division and Camera Channel editor on TechRadar, as well as contributing to many other publications. He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more. Rod has his own camera gear blog at fotovolo.com but also writes about photo-editing applications and techniques at lifeafterphotoshop.com