The retro compact camera trend has driven up prices and limited availability of the most popular models. But one of my favorite compact mirrorless cameras as an alternative to pricey compacts is steeply discounted on Amazon right now: The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is $699 in the US and £594 in the UK, bundled with a compact lens.
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera that, unlike trendy compact cameras, has interchangeable lenses. While the E-M10 Mark IV isn’t a compact camera, the camera weighs just 13.5 oz / 383g, and the 14-42mm EZ lens comes in at 3.2 oz / 91g.
Even adding the camera body and lens together, the E-M10 Mark IV is lighter than the popular Fujifilm X100VI’s 1.1 lb / 521g weight. The X100VI is still the smaller camera, but the E-M10 Mark IV is surprisingly small for a mirrorless camera.
The older 20MP E-M10 Mark IV obviously won’t directly compare to a newer compact camera with twice the resolution. But while the E-M10 Mark IV has half as many megapixels, it also comes in at less than half the list price of the X100VI right now.
Currently, Amazon has the camera with the kit lens available for $100 off in the US, at $699 for the silver color with a basic kit lens. That’s the same price as the E-M10 without the kit lens, which makes it feel like Amazon is throwing in that lens for free.
In the UK, the E-M10 Mark IV sits at its lowest price in 30 days at £640 for the silver variant paired with the basic kit lens, or £594 for the black color.
That’s not quite the lowest ever price the camera has seen on Amazon, but US price tracker Camelcamelcamel indicates that it’s back to the lowest price that the camera has been seen in the last four years.
One of the reasons that the E-M10 Mark IV sits at such a low price is that it’s a 2020 launch, so the camera is aging a bit. The camera is the most affordable current model mirrorless camera from Olympus, which is now called OM System. That means that it’s not the best OM System camera, even though it is quite good for the price point. It lacks weather-sealing, for example, which can be found on slightly pricier cameras like the OM-5 Mark II.
While the E-M10 Mark IV may be old and imperfect, the mirrorless camera still has a number of things going for it, even in 2025. The camera body is small, and when paired with a compact lens like the 14-42mm in the kit, highly portable. The silver variant also carries the retro look that’s in such high demand right now.
While some photographers may be better off picking up a higher-end model, the discount on the E-M10 Mark IV right now makes it an excellent budget mirrorless camera, as well as an alternative to pricey compact cameras.
Before you buy
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 isn't the only small mirrorless camera that could serve as an alternative to pricey compact cameras. Take a look at these seven small mirrorless kits that are more affordable than some popular compact cameras. Or, browse the best cheap cameras or the best early Amazon Prime Day camera deals.
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