Olympus OM-D E-M10 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH22: A Thorough Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

Selecting the right camera can be a nuanced process, especially when balancing budget, desired features, and photographic ambitions. Today, we put two distinctly different cameras heads-up - the Olympus OM-D E-M10, an entry-level mirrorless with Micro Four Thirds credentials, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH22, a small sensor compact from an earlier era.

Though released four years apart and belonging to different categories, both have appealed to novices wanting capable options in their price range. I have spent considerable time shooting with both, examining their abilities across varied scenarios, from portraiture to wildlife. This comparison will provide you a grounded, hands-on perspective so you can make an informed choice based on real-world demands.

Handling and Ergonomics: Comfort Meets Lifestyle Needs

Physical interaction with a camera often guides whether you’ll enjoy using it, and here the Olympus OM-D E-M10 immediately conveys its photographic ambitions. Its SLR-style mirrorless construction feels solid in hand with distinct grip contours. The Panasonic FH22, a compact point-and-shoot, is noticeably smaller and lighter, prioritizing portability.

Comparing physical dimensions reveals Olympus’ heft and control areas vs Panasonic’s pocket-friendly design.

The Olympus measures approximately 119 x 82 x 46 mm and weighs 396 grams (excluding lens), giving it a durable presence without pushing into heavy territory. Meanwhile, the FH22 is 100 x 57 x 27 mm, weighing 170 grams, ideal for casual carry or travel in a jacket pocket.

While the Panasonic’s slim profile is attractive for spontaneous street or travel photography, the E-M10’s bulk facilitates better stability, especially with larger lenses, and prevents fatigue during extended sessions. Button placement on the Olympus favors quick manual access with dedicated dials for exposure compensation, shutter speed, and aperture. Panasonic’s minimalist layout gives a simpler interface but less tactile control.

From experience, the E-M10’s thoughtful ergonomics translate into confidence when working under pressure or in dynamic environments, whereas the FH22 is better suited for casual shots and snapshots where fuss-free operation trumps customization.

Design Intuition: Controls, Displays, and User Interface

Moving beyond mere heft, let’s examine the interface and control layout, critical for both speed and creative spontaneity.

Olympus E-M10’s extensive direct controls vs Panasonic FH22’s minimalist approach.

The Olympus sports a comprehensive top plate with a Mode dial, exposure compensation wheel, and a dedicated on/off switch. Its tilting 3.0-inch touchscreen LCD with 1037k dots allows for versatile shooting angles and touch focus/shutter activation. It supplements the electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 1440p resolution, providing a bright, detailed alternative to compose in bright conditions.

On the other hand, the Panasonic FH22 has a fixed 3.0-inch screen at 230k dots, noticeably less sharp and offering limited visibility outdoors. It also lacks any viewfinder, requiring reliance on the display for framing. The FH22’s touchscreen capabilities exist but are more rudimentary.

In day-to-day use, the EVF on the E-M10 is a decisive advantage. When shooting landscapes or street scenes in bright sunlight, I found it invaluable for precise composition without squinting or losing detail, especially with the tilting LCD helping low or high angles. Panasonic’s fixed, low-res screen sometimes felt limiting, especially when glare or reflections appeared.

This difference underscores how the Olympus caters to photographers who want precision and adaptability, whereas the Panasonic appeals to those prioritizing simplicity and compactness.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Now to the core: image quality.

The 4/3 sensor of Olympus dwarfs Panasonic’s 1/2.3” compact sensor, impacting resolution and low-light performance.

The Olympus E-M10 utilizes a 16-megapixel Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS sensor, which is significantly larger than the Panasonic FH22’s 14-megapixel 1/2.3” CCD sensor (approx. 6.08 x 4.56 mm). The sensor area difference is striking: 224.9 mm² versus just 27.72 mm².

This translates directly into better light-gathering capacity for the Olympus system, providing richer, cleaner images with less noise at higher ISOs. The E-M10’s native ISO range starts at 200 and goes up to 25,600, though practical high ISO usage tops out around 3200 for clean output, while the FH22 caps native ISO at 6400 but with very noticeable noise by ISO 800–1600.

Color depth and dynamic range also favor Olympus - DxOMark scoring finds the E-M10’s color depth at 22.8 bits and dynamic range at 12.3 EV stops. The Panasonic’s smaller sensor brings inherent noise and lower dynamic range, limiting its capacity to handle challenging high-contrast scenes without clipping highlights or losing shadow detail.

In portrait sessions under natural light, the Olympus maintained smooth skin tones, retaining subtle nuances difficult to see on the Panasonic, which showed softer detail but noisier shadows. For landscape photography, the E-M10’s sensor made a dramatic difference, preserving fine foliage textures and delivering punchy, natural colors.

Thus, the sensor gap here is a story of significant advantage to the Olympus for anyone serious about image quality beyond casual snapshots.

Autofocus Systems: Precision and Speed Tested

Both cameras approach autofocus quite differently, reflecting their respective classes and eras.

The Olympus employs a contrast-detection autofocus system with 81 selectable focus points and supports face detection, touch-to-focus, and continuous tracking. While it lacks phase-detection sensors on the chip, the extensive focus coverage and fine control during live view result in commendable accuracy.

The Panasonic FH22 sports a simpler 9-point contrast-detection AF system, with no face or eye detection, focusing primarily on center-weighted contrast areas.

During my field tests, the Olympus consistently locked focus faster and more precisely, particularly in good lighting. Eye detection ensured portraits kept sharp focus on the subject’s eyes, a boon for portrait photographers. Tracking moving subjects was also more reliable albeit limited by the older contrast-based technology.

The Panasonic occasionally lagged or hunted in low light or complex scenes. Its slower autofocus and narrower focus point selection make it less suited for action or wildlife photography. Still, it is competent for straightforward travel or casual shooting where absolute sharpness is not paramount.

Overall, the E-M10 stands out here with a clear edge in speed and flexibility, enhancing creative freedom across disciplines.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Durability Matters

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 features a magnesium alloy body paired with a robust construction that includes sealing against light dust and moisture (though not fully weather-sealed). It offers decent resilience for outdoor shoots in varied conditions.

The Panasonic FH22, focused on compactness and cost-effectiveness, lacks any weather sealing and uses polycarbonate materials typical of compacts.

I subjected the Olympus camera to light rain and dusty trail environments without issue, while I remained cautious with the Panasonic in anything more than controlled conditions. For adventure seekers, the E-M10’s build quality offers more peace of mind and longevity.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Growth Potential

A huge advantage of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 is the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. With over 100 native lenses from Olympus, Panasonic, and third-party manufacturers such as Sigma and Tamron, photographers have tremendous lens flexibility. You can find ultra-wide angles, fast primes, super-telephotos, macro lenses, and specialty optics supporting everything from landscapes to macro.

The FH22’s fixed zoom lens covers a 28–224 mm equivalent focal length (8x optical zoom), aperture f/3.3–5.9, which is versatile for everyday shooting but obviously lacks the flexibility and image quality offered by interchangeable lenses.

The depth and variety of the MFT mount system is a key factor for photographers looking to expand their system over time - Olympus’ ecosystem supports professional usage scenarios, while Panasonic’s FH22 remains a snapshot tool.

Battery Life and Storage Solutions: Practical Considerations

The Olympus E-M10 uses a rechargeable BLS-5 battery delivering around 320 shots per charge, respectable for a mirrorless of its generation. USB 2.0 connectivity supports data transfer but limited direct charging options.

The Panasonic FH22’s battery life data is unspecified, but typically compacts of this era managed near 300 shots as well. It offers internal storage plus one SD card slot, whereas Olympus relies exclusively on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.

If you’re shooting for extended periods - weddings, wildlife excursions, street photography days - the Olympus’ hot-swappable batteries and robust card support win out.

Video Capabilities: Quality and Convenience

Video on the Olympus E-M10 supports 1080p Full HD recording at 30 fps using H.264 codec, with manual exposure control and in-camera image stabilization, delivering smooth, clean footage usable for casual vloggers or supplementary professional content.

By contrast, the Panasonic FH22 offers 720p HD recording at 30 fps via Motion JPEG, a less efficient codec resulting in larger files and lower quality. It lacks manual controls and stabilization beyond the mechanical lens-based system.

The Olympus clearly provides more creative leverage and higher quality video output, relevant for hybrid shooters who want one body for both stills and video work.

Genre-specific Use: Which Camera Excels Where?

Photographers often gravitate to cameras based on their typical shooting genres, so let's dissect the strengths of each model by genre, supported by genre-specific performance analysis.

Performance across specialized photography genres - Olympus dominates by a considerable margin.

• Portrait Photography: Olympus wins with precise eye detection, pleasing bokeh from interchangeable lenses, and rich skin tone rendition.
• Landscape Photography: Dynamic range and resolution edge the Olympus ahead, alongside a tilting EVF helpful for tricky angles.
• Wildlife Photography: The faster AF and tele-lens options of Olympus make it the clear choice for capturing animals in motion.
• Sports Photography: Olympus’ 8 fps burst rate and AF tracking, though not flagship grade, outperform the FH22’s 5 fps and slower AF.
• Street Photography: Panasonic’s compact size offers discretion, but the Olympus’s image quality and tilt screen favor serious street shooters.
• Macro Photography: Olympus benefits from specialized macro lenses and sensor stabilization; FH22’s minimal focus distance and optical zoom help but are less refined.
• Night and Astro Photography: Olympus’s superior ISO performance shines in low light; Panasonic struggles with noise.
• Video Work: Olympus offers Full HD, manual control, and stabilization; Panasonic is limited to HD with fewer features.
• Travel Photography: Panasonic’s compactness is ideal for packing light; Olympus’s versatility and quality suit diverse travel shooting.
• Professional Work: Olympus supports RAW, tethering, and workflow integration; Panasonic is far more casual user-oriented.

Real-World Image Samples: Performance in the Frame

To put the technical findings in context, here are some sample images captured side-by-side.

The Olympus E-M10 photos reveal clear textural detail in landscapes and nuanced portrait capture. The Panasonic FH22’s images appear softer with limited dynamic range but still competent for casual sharing.

Final Performance Scores and Value Assessment

The overall ratings capture the Olympus OM-D E-M10’s stronger score across autofocus, image quality, handling, and features. The Panasonic FH22, while scoring lower across most categories, impresses for its price and portability.

Olympus offers professional-grade technology at roughly three times the price of the FH22. The value proposition depends wholly on your priorities - ultimate image quality and creative control vs affordability and simplicity.

Summary: Choosing the Right Camera for You

To wrap up:

• Pick the Olympus OM-D E-M10 if: You want a serious entry-level mirrorless capable of growing with your photography skills, appreciate superior image quality, embrace manual controls, and may want to explore a broad lens ecosystem. It excels for portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and projects requiring control and precision.

• Choose the Panasonic Lumix FH22 if: Your budget is tight, portability is crucial, and you prefer a straightforward, ready-to-go camera for casual photography without fuss. It suits snapshots, travel light packing, and less demanding shooting environments.

While both cameras bring value to the table, the E-M10 stands as a more versatile instrument for those invested in photography as a craft and hobby. Yet, even the FH22 deserves recognition for delivering decent image quality and user-friendly operation to budget-minded consumers.

In the end, the best camera is the one you enjoy using and that meets your creative ambitions. This Olympus vs Panasonic comparison demonstrates how divergent designs fulfill different photographic needs, offering meaningful choices across experience and investment levels. Happy shooting!