Well this is disturbing (E-M10)

After much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth, I finally pulled the trigger and bought an E-M10, 25mm f1.8 ($100 off) and E-CG1(free), plus another 5% off the total package. A good deal I think. This after 2 months of deliberating, reading reviews, lurking in the forum, etc.

Today, while perusing the Consumer Reports site, I came across their review. One thing stood out and it was "Poor image stabilizer, much lower than most cameras". How can this be? They said every other Olympus camera reviewed had and excellent stabilizer "better than most", even the lowly E-PM2. While I have no plans to return it, I would like to hear from other E-M10 owners and their experiences with image stabilization.

I think Consumer Reports should stick to rating fridges, stoves and maybe the odd coffee maker!

Don't worry about that. While the 3 axis IBIS is not as good as the 5 axis it's better than the 2 axis version. Testing IBIS is not an easy thing to do. Some people can hand hold a camera better than others with or without IBIS. Ignore it & enjoy your camera.

My experience with the E-M10 (having upgraded in the spring from the E-PL2) is that the stabilization of the E-M10 operates very well (seems a bit better than my E-PL2 which was good) and is consistent with the analysis in the DPReview review:

"The E-M10 offers a '3-axis' image stabilization system, a pared down version of the '5-axis' system offered in the other OM-D models. It's still a very effective system, reliably giving me 2 extra stops of shutter speed at the long end of the 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II zoom lens (when comparing the number of steady shots achieved with it turned on and off). Movie IS uses a combination of the 3-axis mechanical system and electronic stabilization."

In short, I think the CR review indication that the E-M10 IBIS is bad is bonkers.  I stopped bothering with CR camera reviews years ago.  For camera evaluation, I will stick with the photography publications and sites for information gathering and user reports on the forums.

If you have researched as much as you claim, then you have seen the results from this camera. Why would an article from one magazine make you question your choice. Go out and enjoy your camera. It's a nice piece of equipment and will allow you to take many fine images with it. Take a deep breath and enjoy the toy.

CR is good for household appliances.  For electronics?.............Not so much.  Enjoy the EM10.

Chief T wrote:

After much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth, I finally pulled the trigger and bought an E-M10, 25mm f1.8 ($100 off) and E-CG1(free), plus another 5% off the total package. A good deal I think. This after 2 months of deliberating, reading reviews, lurking in the forum, etc.

Today, while perusing the Consumer Reports site, I came across their review. One thing stood out and it was "Poor image stabilizer, much lower than most cameras". How can this be? They said every other Olympus camera reviewed had and excellent stabilizer "better than most", even the lowly E-PM2. While I have no plans to return it, I would like to hear from other E-M10 owners and their experiences with image stabilization.

That's just nonsense, don't worry

Somebody probably just read that the E-M5 and E-M1 have 5 axis and the E-M10 3 axis... and then that person just though: "oh ok well that must result in "poor, much lower" performance".

And that's simply not true :). No need to worry, enjoy your E-M10!

I would not worry about their review.  The review says "because the lens has a poor image stabilizer"...  Maybe someone failed to realize the camera has in body sensor stabilization and that Olympus cameras do not have lens stabilizers.

Most ILCs do not have IBIS.  The only ones better than the E-M10 are the E-M1 and E-M5.

Most have reported the E-M10 IS is very good.

A bit off topic. I owned a bicycle shop years ago. CR rated Windsor bikes, made in Mexico, as a best buy. We got a few in and found that the Mexican made aluminum rims were welded crooked. We trued and tightened the spokes. Then, with riding, the spokes loosened and the wheels wobbled. The bikes were worthless. I wrote a letter to CR explaining the problem. They never admitted the mistake or published the letter. They never answered me. I stopped subscribing and reading the magazine.

Harvo

drj3 wrote:

I would not worry about their review. The review says "because the lens has a poor image stabilizer"... Maybe someone failed to realize the camera has in body sensor stabilization and that Olympus cameras do not have lens stabilizers.

I agree with this.  While I DON'T agree with the folks who are generally bashing the Consumer Reports ability to evaluate cameras, as I think that they generally do a pretty good job of it, I do think this was clearly a case of someone not having the settings correctly set on the camera, and failing to realize that the Olympus lenses are unstabilized because the body takes care of that function.

Chief T wrote:

After much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth, I finally pulled the trigger and bought an E-M10, 25mm f1.8 ($100 off) and E-CG1(free), plus another 5% off the total package. A good deal I think. This after 2 months of deliberating, reading reviews, lurking in the forum, etc.

Today, while perusing the Consumer Reports site, I came across their review. One thing stood out and it was "Poor image stabilizer, much lower than most cameras". How can this be? They said every other Olympus camera reviewed had and excellent stabilizer "better than most", even the lowly E-PM2. While I have no plans to return it, I would like to hear from other E-M10 owners and their experiences with image stabilization.

Stop gnashing your teeth, stop reading reviews. Get camera in hands, and get out to take photos.

Chief T wrote:

After much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth, I finally pulled the trigger and bought an E-M10, 25mm f1.8 ($100 off) and E-CG1(free), plus another 5% off the total package. A good deal I think. This after 2 months of deliberating, reading reviews, lurking in the forum, etc.

Today, while perusing the Consumer Reports site, I came across their review. One thing stood out and it was "Poor image stabilizer, much lower than most cameras". How can this be? They said every other Olympus camera reviewed had and excellent stabilizer "better than most", even the lowly E-PM2. While I have no plans to return it, I would like to hear from other E-M10 owners and their experiences with image stabilization.

They consider the E-PM2's stabilization as being "better than most"? Most must be unspeakably terrible then.

It's best to stay away from reviewers for whom cameras are not their speciality, as they generally have no idea what is or isn't desirable in a camera. CNET and PC Magazine aren't good camera reviewers for this reason. Consumer Reports should be doubly avoided because electronics aren't even their speciality.