Since my first visit to Philadelphia, I became obsessed with exploring every inch of this city. Its rich history and incredible architecture make it a photographic paradise. We have everything from Gothic cathedrals to Art Deco skyscrapers to Victorian homes, cobblestone streets and murals, murals everywhere! 3,600 to be exact.
So, with Philly as my playground, it immediately became clear to me that this was the perfect place for me to test out the new OM-D E-M10 Mark IV camera.
1/250s | F2.8 | ISO 320
1/400s | F2.8 | ISO 200
My first stop on my journey was Center City Philadelphia. After walking several blocks, I was immediately impressed by how light the camera felt carrying around my neck. I never had to worry about my back or shoulders getting tired or sore, making the E-M10 Mark IV the perfect travel companion. With better options and a wider range lenses to pick from and built in WI-FI, I feel I will never have the need to use my cell phone to capture a moment. This is ideal for a photographer like me who is constantly sharing images on social media.
Being able to have my choice in lenses I packed with me the M.Zuiko 12-40mm F2.8 PRO, 17mm F1.2 PRO, and 25mm F1.2 PRO lenses, which delivered incredible sharpness and image quality with beautiful, natural bokeh – something you can’t get with a phone, most of their DOF/bokeh is simulated.
1/125s | F2.8 | ISO 200
1/250s | F2.8 | ISO 500
When I got around to photographing a few locations in University City, it was night. However, with the improved 5-axis image stabilization, I felt confident I could walk around and capture sharp, handheld images at night. The E-M10 Mark IV definitely delivered! Not only were my images tack sharp, I was blown away by how clear and noise free the images were, even at high ISO.
I shot a lot at ISO 6400 and above with little to no noise. Paired with incredible fast lenses, I was able to shoot freely at night without any worries. The auto focus was also very impressive in low light. The camera didn’t struggle to find its focus at all, and this was without the AF assist LED.
1/60s | F1.2 | ISO 4000
1/4000s | F2.8 | ISO 200
We visited the Village of Arts and Humanities and Philly Paintings off Germantown Ave in North Philly. From the second you enter that part of the city, you are surrounded by brightly colored building all covered in murals and statues. It’s definitely a section of the city that’ll leave a lasting impression if you ever visit there.
With every building so brightly and beautifully painted, I was happy to see how incredibly accurate the color was while shooting with the E-M10 Mark IV’s 20mp Live MOS sensor. The sensor produced an extremely high-quality image that required very little time color correcting in post. While we were out there, we played around with the E-M10 Mark IV’s flip down 3” display to shoot a few selfies and paired with the M.Zuiko 17mm F.8 or 25mm F1.8, taking selfies are easy and fun with this camera.
1/4000s | F2.8 | ISO 200
1/320s | F2.8 | ISO 200
In the little bit of time I spent with the new OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, I was very impressed by this little camera’s performance in low light, it has incredible color accuracy and image quality, and its light weight, small size, and robust build, making it the ideal camera for street photographers and urban explorers.
As they say, the best camera is the one that is always with you – and the E-M10 Mark IV will never have to leave your side.
1/4000s | F2.8 | ISO 125
Instagram: @photobyvictor
Victor is a photography professor at Rowan College at Burlington County in New Jersey, that is best known for his clean lighting, edgy fashion photography, sticking portraits and his delicious food photography. Victor loves spending his time in the studio creating and experimenting with different lighting techniques and playing with new gear.