14 Nov
Blog

HP Victus 16 Review: A New Gaming Brand Makes Its Mark

Oblique view of the HP Victus 16.

HP Victus 16 in the test: A new gaming brand sets the tone

RRP $ 1,360.00

"The HP Victus 16 is a solid gaming laptop at an affordable price."

advantages

  • Excellent productivity performance

  • Solid 1080p gaming performance

  • Comfortable keyboard

  • The display is good for both productivity and gaming

  • Acceptable price

disadvantage

  • Build quality is below average

  • The keyboard backlight is limited

  • Bad battery life

Gaming laptops have never been more popular, and HP has a new line of devices to meet the growing interest. Victus is the name, and it is under HP's premium gaming brand Omen, replacing the Pavilion slot machines on a budget level.

HP Victus brings a higher quality design, souped-up internals and Windows 11. I was sent a high-end configuration with a Core i7-11800H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 for $ 1,360.

That's a fair price for a moderately-featured gaming laptop – the next Omen 16 configuration I was able to put together is $ 1,950 in comparison. Given the price difference and great performance, the HP Victus 16 has already made a name for itself in the world of affordable gaming laptops.

draft

An oblique view of the rear of the HP Victus 16.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The first thing that catches your eye once you are familiar with the Omen line is the Victus logo. It's a "V" based on the same core geometry as the Omen logo, with the lower portion essentially isolated to stand on its own. The logo is not only located on the outer lid and on the display chin, but is also embedded in the ventilation above the keyboard and outlines the ventilation on the underside of the case. If nothing else, the Victus has its branding below.

The rest of the Victus 16's aesthetic is minimalist, with few nods to a more eye-catching gaming design. In fact, the only real gaming design element is the row of air vents along the back of the case. They give a visual flair and at the same time offer improved thermals (more on that in a moment). My test device was the color Mica Silver (black); Performance Blue and Ceramic White are the other options.

Overall, the Victus 16 is a gaming laptop with a more traditional laptop design. We saw this on a few other gaming devices, like the conservatively designed (and much more expensive) Razer Blade 15 and the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, which has a non-gaming aesthetic along with the lid and rear ventilation. The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro lives in both worlds at the same time, with a no-nonsense design with some gaming elements such as aggressive ventilation openings that appear to be glued on. Conversely, the Asus ROG Strix G15 and Alienware laptops retain a die-hard gaming aesthetic through and through.

The Victus 16 has quite small bezels for a gaming device, at least on the top and on the sides. Even with a massive chin, the combo results in a screen-to-body ratio of 84% – not bad for a gaming laptop. This made it possible to integrate the 16-inch display into a housing that is more like a 15-inch gaming device. The Legion 5 Pro has smaller bezels around its 16-inch display with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and is almost identical in width and depth to the Victus 16, which has an old-school 16: 9 panel.

The Asus ROG Strix G15 with a 15.6-inch display in 16: 9 format is a fraction of an inch wider and deeper. The Victus 16 is 0.93 inches thick and weighs 5.5 pounds, compared to the Legion 5 Pro at 1.1 inches and 5.4 pounds and the ROG Strix G15 at about an inch and 5.7 pounds. This makes the Victus 16 a decently sized gaming laptop in view of the display and components. You can get thinner gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 15 which is only 0.67 "and the HP Omen 16 which is 0.89", but you will pay for them.

Straightforward picture of the HP Victus 16.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

One area where the Victus 16 doesn't quite live up to its price is the build quality. It's an all-plastic laptop, which is fine, but the lid is too pliable and the keyboard deck has enough flexibility that you can feel your fingers pressing against anything directly under the keyboard and palm rest. The Legion 5 Pro and ROG Strix G15 felt more stable to us, and they're about the same price as the Victus 16. The hinge was incredibly wobbly, easy to open with one hand, but prone to shaking during gaming sessions. Perhaps the build quality was carried over from the budget-conscious Pavilion gaming line, but HP may want to improve it in future generations.

One of the more sensible upgrades to the Pavilion Gaming 16 is the thermal design. HP integrated a new system with five-way airflow thanks to an additional exhaust opening on the RTX 3060 model, four heat pipes and larger fans. The result, according to HP, is 30% more airflow, which makes the laptop quite loud when you work hard, but keeps it cooler than its predecessor. As we'll see in the performance section below, the Victus 16 gets the most out of its components, and that's in part because of its excellent thermal design.

The HP Victus 16 has an Ethernet port, a full-size HDMI port, a USB-A 3.2 port, a USB-C 3.2 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a full SD card reader Size on the left.

Two USB-A 3.2 ports on the right side of the HP Victus 16.

The Victus 16 has a mix of ports, with an emphasis on being able to connect a wide variety of gaming peripherals. There's an Ethernet port, a full-size HDMI port, a USB-A 3.2 port, a USB-C 3.2 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a full-size SD card reader on the left Side and two more USB-A 3.2 ports on the right side. Juice is provided by a massive 200 watt power brick and a proprietary barrel connector.

There is no Thunderbolt 4 support, however, which is disappointing. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 offer wireless connectivity.

power

The Victus 16 is powered by a 45-watt eight-core / 16-thread Intel Core i7-11800H – a workhorse among Intel's lineup that offers some of the best creative application performance you'll find outside of the AMD Ryzen 5000 series. Not to mention its productivity performance, which is exaggerated for even the most demanding office worker.

There's nothing that says a gaming laptop can't be used to get work done, so it's worth looking at how well the Victus 16 does for non-gaming tasks. Consider my wife, an interior designer: she was given an Alienware gaming laptop as a work machine because it offers both a fast CPU and a separate GPU to accelerate applications such as AutoCAD, Revit, CET and the Adobe suite. The HP Victus 16 would fit more discreetly into an office environment than an Alienware computer, that's for sure.

Image of the bottom of the HP Victus 16.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

In any case, the Victus 16 is undoubtedly a fast notebook compared to mainstream laptops with comparable equipment. It led the field in Geekbench 5 with impressive high scores, finished third in Cinebench R23 (with the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro and its Ryzen 7 5800H being the fastest machine), and finished first in our handbrake test, the one 420 MB video as coded H.265 and even achieved the high score in PCMark 10, a primarily productivity-oriented benchmark.

In PugetBench, which uses Premiere Pro to handle a number of demanding tasks and can use a separate GPU, the Victus 16 again achieved the highest score among its closest competitors.

If you are looking for a fast notebook for productivity and creative tasks, then you have come to the right place with the HP Victus 16. It takes its components to extremes thanks largely to its excellent thermal design and is certainly faster than your typical mainstream and often thinner and lighter laptop. Note that you can also buy the Victus 16 with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H if you want even faster CPU performance.

Laptop Underdog bench 5 Cinebench R23 PugetBank
(Premiere Pro)		 Handbrake
(Seconds)		 PCMark 10
HP Victus 16 (Core i7-11800H) 1594/9141 1510/10145 765 91 6808
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 (Core i7-11800H) 1520/7353 1519/10497 388 99 6251
Dell XPS 15 OLED 2021 (Core i7-11800H) 1544/7692 1513/9979 509 101 6024
MSI Creator Z16 (Core i7-11800H) 1540/7625 1444/9615 738 103 6486
Dell XPS 17 (Core i7-11800H) 1568/8801 1525/10145 692 n / A 6209
LG gram 16 (Core i7-1165G7) 1573/5454 1394/4137 N / A 213 4827
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (Ryzen7 5800H) 1460/7227 1430/11195 622 99 n / A

Games

Top view of the lid of the HP Victus 16.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

But of course the Victus 16 is a gaming laptop and should therefore compete with other gaming laptops. Here, too, it impressed with quite a good performance, as it has one of the slower GPUs in our comparison group. Note that HP includes its Omen Gaming Hub app with the Victus 16, which enables undervolting and three power modes: quiet, standard, and performance.

I ran all of the benchmarks – including those in the section above – in both standard and performance modes and found very little differences in performance. In most games, the performance mode only squeezed out a few additional frame rates.

The 3DMark Time Spy Score was in line with our comparison group, coming in penultimate place, with only the MSI Creator Z16 – a non-gaming computer with the same GPU that I added for comparison purposes – achieving a lower score.

In actual games, the Victus 16 did well. It managed to get close to the Razer Blade 14 and Lenovo Legion 5 Pro in Assassin's Creed Valhalla in a few frames – and both are equipped with RTX 3070s. It almost reached the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro in Battlefield V and beat the Razer Blade 14 in Fortnite. It eventually beat both RTX 3070-equipped machines in Civilization VI.

And best of all, these are very playable frame rates across the board, making the Victus 16 a high-performance 1080p gaming device. These results are all at high graphics settings, which means you don't have to turn things down to maintain high frame rates. For a gaming laptop with an RTX 3060, the Victus 16 is competitive. If you go for the AMD version of the laptop, you can opt for a slower AMD Radeon RX5500M GPU to save some money.

Laptop 3DMark time spy Assassin's Creed Valhalla
(1080p ultra high)		 Battlefield V
(1080p-Ultra)		 Fourteen days
(1080p epic)		 Civilization VI (1080p Ultra)
HP Victus 16 (RTX 3060) 7341 59 fps 72 fps 99 fps 118 fps
Razer blade 14 (RTX 3070) 8605 60 fps 96 fps 96 fps 111 fps
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (RTX 3070) 9175 61 fps 73 fps 101 fps 114 fps
Asus ROG Strix G15 (RX6800M) 10504 77 fps 109 fps 108 fps 150 fps
MSI GS66 Stealth (RTX 3080) 9097 70 fps 117 fps 140 fps 149 fps
Razer blade 15 (RTX 2080 Super) 7637 58 fps 98 fps 110 fps 134 fps
MSI Creator Z16 (RTX 3060) 6322 50 fps 57 fps 56 fps (1600p) 92 fps

The Victus 16 moves a lot of air when it's working hard, so the fan noise was quite audible. It is not enough to force you to wear headphones all the time, but you can still do so. The laptop's surface remained reasonable, reaching 101 degrees Fahrenheit on the right side of the keyboard deck during benchmarking. The underside of the chassis did not exceed 115 degrees F during my tests. The notebook stayed cool and quiet in non-gaming mode.

According to 3DMark, the maximum GPU temperatures were between around 75 ° C and 100 ° C, which is the highest possible safe temperature. We usually don't like it when temperatures get this high, and you can find better thermals in laptops like the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.

Configurations

While our test configuration was on the high end for $ 1,360 – with the Core i7-11800H, RTX 3060, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and the 144 Hz Full HD display – you can get the Victus 16 for a lot get less money. For example, for just $ 730 you can get a Core i5-11400H, GTX 1650, 8 GB RAM, a 256 GB SSD and the entry-level 60 Hz Full HD panel. But honestly, that's not a configuration most people will enjoy between the outdated graphics card and the 60Hz display.

The $ 1,640 maximum you can spend upgrading our configuration to 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a QHD (2,560 x 1,440) 165Hz display.

If you're looking to save money but don't want to compromise as much on performance, you can still keep your purchase price below $ 1,000. For $ 920, you can get the Core i5, an RTX 3050 Ti, 8 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and a 144 Hz Full HD display – a solid entry-level gaming laptop at a very attractive price especially if you're trying to buy a gaming laptop under $ 1,000.

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Close-up of the HP Victus 16 display.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Gaming laptops don't always have displays with wide and accurate colors and high contrast, but instead focus on things like refresh rates. The display installed in my test report Victus 16 circumvented these restrictions. It's a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a refresh rate of 144 Hz, with its only weakness being the old-school 16: 9 aspect ratio.

But when I used the display, it seemed like a similar panel I could find on a thin and light premium laptop aimed at productive work. It was bright, with dynamic colors that weren't oversaturated, and enough contrast to make blacks stand out against white.

I was very happy with the display on the Victus 16.

My colorimeter confirmed my impressions. The display is indeed bright at 375 nits, well above our 300 nit threshold, and the contrast was 1120: 1, beating our preferred 1000: 1. The colors were above average at 79% AdobeRGB (with about 72% being the norm) and 100% sRGB, and fairly accurate with a DeltaE of 1.85 (1.0 or less is considered excellent).

The Asus ROG Strix G15 wasn't nearly as good with 278 nits, a contrast ratio of 1,090: 1 (a good result) and only 48% AdobeRGB and 64% sRGB with a color accuracy of 2.19. The Legion 5 Pro's display was also good with 515 nits, a contrast ratio of 1,380: 1, 74% AdobeRGB and 97% sRGB, and a color accuracy of 1.36.

I was very happy with the display on the Victus 16. Not only is it fast for gaming, but it can also perform well for productive work. Thanks to its fast performance, it can even do some creative work in a pinch.

The tone wasn't quite as impressive. The two downward-facing speakers were very quiet even when turned up fully, although there was no distortion. The mids and highs were clear enough, but the bass was missing. You will need headphones when playing at full strength as the sound is not loud enough to comfortably overcome the fan noise. The same goes for Netflix binge and listening to music – headphones are a must.

Keyboard and touchpad

Close-up of the HP Victus 16 keyboard.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Here's one thing the Victus 16 didn't inherit from the Omen line: RGB lighting per key on the keyboard. Although the keyboard of the Victus 16 is actually backlit with white lighting, it is only switched on or off with no level in between. So HP has taken great care to ensure that the Omen retains its lead here. The keyboard feels great, however, with a large travel and very snappy switches that provide great responsiveness for both gamers and productivity users. It's not a mechanical keyboard, but it shouldn't hold back competitive gamers.

The touchpad has become larger compared to the Pavilion Gaming 16 and takes up most of the space on the palm rest. It has a pleasant surface to swipe, but I found the buttons a bit loose and they only vibrated a touch when pressed. It's nothing outrageous, and as a Microsoft Precision touchpad, it supports the full complement of Windows 11 multitouch gestures. Overall, I would rate the touchpad as competent, but nothing special.

There is no passwordless support for Windows 11 Hello and the display is not touch-enabled. So these are two missing features that would have been welcome but are often missing on midrange gaming laptops.

Battery life

The Victus 16 is a gaming laptop with relatively high-quality components and a 70-watt-hour battery. I wasn't expecting great battery life from the machine and I didn't get it.

In our web browsing test, which ran through a number of complex websites, the Victus 16 only lasted 4.5 hours – a terrible score. The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro worked over seven hours, which is still not great, but it is far better than HP's, while the Asus ROG Strix G15 does even worse at just 3.8 hours.

In our video test going through a local 1080p movie trailer, the Victus 16 got 6.5 hours, another terrible score. The ROG Strix G15 lasted eight hours, and we didn't put the Legion 5 Pro through this test.

I also ran the PCMark 10 Applications battery test which got the Victus 16 up to just over five hours. We haven't tested any other gaming laptops with this benchmark, but most laptops get 10 hours or better. In the PCMark 10 gaming battery test, the Victus 16 lasted 92 minutes, which means that it also works without a power plug.

The Victus 16 is not intended to be a portable productivity machine, so these battery results are forgivable. Just keep in mind that you'll want to have your fairly large power adapter with you when you change gaming environments.

Our opinion

The HP Victus 16 is a legitimate competitor in the mid-range gaming market. It is well equipped and performs admirably. Its chassis is a bit too flexible, but not too big to take with you.

HP has found a nice balance with the Victus 16. And now the company has a real gaming brand under the Omen range that should be better off attracting gamers on less money.

Are there alternatives?

The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is probably the best alternative to the Victus 16. It's about the same size, although its display is in the superior 16:10 aspect ratio and its gaming performance is similar. You will also be spending roughly the same amount of money.

You might also consider the AMD-equipped Asus ROG Strix G15 as an inexpensive alternative, and the ROG Zephyrus G15 offers a thinner chassis and higher specs for those looking to take their gaming one step further.

How long it will take?

Despite a loose hinge and an easily bendable lid and chassis, the Victus 16 should withstand years of hard gaming. The one year warranty remains as disappointing as ever.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. For the price, the HP Victus 16 is a competent gaming performer in a comfortable case.

Editor's recommendations



26 Aug
Blog

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Review: Stabilized and Affordable

olympus om d e m10 mark iv rating hkg 3259

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV review: like a point-and-shoot

"The OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is a rare budget camera with stabilization that the more expensive models from Olympus borrow."

  • Stabilization in the body

  • Compact vintage design

  • Good picture quality

  • Affordable

  • Slower performance

  • More noise than APS-C cameras

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is an entry-level camera that carries the hand-me-downs of its bigger siblings. The $ 800 camera and lens kit – $ 700 for the body only – borrows the E-M1 Mark III's eye-detection algorithms and a clipped five-axis image stabilization system, all of which are paired with a sensor that is just 0.1 megapixels behind Cameras cost more than twice as much.

The E-M10 Mark IV launches when its parents consider a split. With Olympus talks to sell its imaging division to Japan Industrial Partners, the future of the camera line – as well as lenses and accessories – is uncertain. The company expects to reach an agreement in late September, but until then, the state of Olympus cameras will be rife with rumors and questions.

As with any hand-me-down, the features of the E-M10 Mark IV are a bit rough around the edges. Are the cost savings for the cheaper OM-D camera worthwhile despite some shortcomings? I spent two weeks with the Olympus E-M10 Mark IV to see where the camera impresses and where it falls short.

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

Film-inspired compact design

The E-M10 Mark IV embodies what the mirrorless camera was originally announced for: compact size. Less than 2 inches deep (and less than 3 inches with the kit lens retracted), the mirrorless camera is the ideal size between a point-and-shoot camera and most interchangeable lens cameras. Weighing around 20 ounces with the kit lens, it's light enough to hang around your neck and almost forget it's there. Even so, the body has enough space to offer a good selection of physical controls and a much greater grip than a slim compact camera. Perhaps in part because the last mirrorless camera I took pictures with was the DSLR-sized Canon EOS R6, the E-M10 Mark IV felt more like a point-and-shoot than we got from a modern one expect mirrorless camera.

Despite the lower price, the E-M10 Mark IV is a beautiful camera. The silver body with a textured black casing, the silver dials and the on / off switch make it look like a classic film winder. The body doesn't feel as sturdy as a magnesium alloy, but it doesn't feel chintzy either. Unfortunately, the high-end OM-D cameras lack the excellent weather seal. While I prefer slightly larger handles, the shape is so light that the index fingers can wrap around the front, with a nice thumb rest at the back.

The body still leaves plenty of room for a 2.36 million point viewfinder and 3 inch 1.04 million point LCD screen that is tilted 180 degrees (Note: if you're using a tripod , the full oscillation of this tilt is possibly blocked.) Similar to other newer Olympus cameras, both the viewfinder and LCD screen do not always show exactly what the camera is recording. The white balance in the viewfinder was quite different several times from the actual photo. The exposure didn't always match either, and areas in the shadows are usually muted and difficult to see in the viewfinder. Since the M-10 IV is an inexpensive camera, the viewfinder, despite its flaws, lived up to expectations when compared to cameras with similar prices.

The control scheme of the E-M10 IV makes it easy to customize most of the settings that are frequently accessed. Two control wheels adjust the shutter speed and aperture, while key combinations on the back open options for setting ISO, flash and series exposures. Settings such as autofocus modes and white balance are in a quick menu. I miss the joystick on high-end cameras that allows you to adjust the focus in one step – on the E-M10 IV, tap the shortcut and then move the cursor. But again, the joystick is a function that is generally reserved for more expensive cameras. So we can't be too tough if it's not there on the E-M10 IV.

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

On the side of the camera is a USB port for charging and an HDMI port, while both the battery and the single SD card slot share a door below. The battery compartment is barely blocked by a standard sized tripod plate, which can be a bit annoying. While the battery is rated for 350 shots, I took about 650 shots before it wore out. It lacks the connections of a more advanced camera, such as a camera. E.g. a microphone port for video, but the pop-up flash that high-end cameras often leave out.

The small size, the classic look and the control scheme make the E-M10 Mark IV a real eye-catcher. I do miss the weather seal, handle, and joystick of the more expensive siblings like the E-M1 Mark III, but because of the small size, I never had to think about lugging the camera around with me all day.

Sluggish performance, excellent stabilization

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

Olympus touts the budget E-M10 IV using some of the same autofocus algorithms as more expensive models, including the E-M1X's continuous detection of autofocus subjects and the same eye AF as the E-M1 Mark III. While the algorithms are in place, the E-M10 has an entirely different autofocus system that makes the experience cheaper. The E-M10 IV uses a contrast detection system, while the high-end OM-Ds use a hybrid phase detection and contrast detection system.

The E-M10 IV also uses the TruePic VIII processor, which is a generation behind the E-M1 Mark III. To put that into perspective, the E-M1X has two processors. Both the more limited autofocus system and the slower processor combined with high-end algorithms mean the M10 Mark IV is more accurate than its predecessor, the E-M10 Mark III, but does not have the speed or reliability of the E-M1 Mark III or the E-M1X.

However, the 121-point contrast-detection autofocus system is a bit better than I expected from a $ 800 camera. It's accurate and easy to use, but it lacks a bit of speed. I've had very few shots that didn't hit focus, and a lot of them were because I shot a little early. The autofocus slows down slightly in poor lighting conditions, but seemed to turn on accurately without too much delay.

Continuous autofocus was fine for a budget camera because it took more sharp shots than it didn't, but still took a handful of soft-focus shots on the fastest action. Unsurprisingly, the tracking autofocus doesn't work as well, but I haven't found a camera with tracking good enough to be fully relied on even on more expensive models.

Eye AF is great for portraits and snapshots of people because it easily captures eyes and faces. However, it isn't fast enough to be used for actions. My favorite part of the Eye AF is that you don't have to be in autofocus focus mode for it to work. A property that some other brands annoyingly reserve this feature for. Olympus lets you toggle the feature on and off so that you can use it in advanced focus modes rather than just the mode where you want the subject to be automatically selected for you.

Image captured with Eye AF Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The E-M10 IV can shoot at up to 8.7 frames per second (fps) with the mechanical shutter, but needs the slower speed of 5 fps to use continuous autofocus (or advanced ISO settings). At the fastest speed (RAW + JPEG), the camera can take 18 pictures before the fill buffer slows down the speed. If you slow the speed down to 5 fps, the camera can turn on autofocus (which, to be honest, you want to be active) and take 21 shots in a row before slowing down. It took about 15 seconds for both bursts to be fully written to a Class 10 SD card before you could review the images during playback. However, you could record slower or adjust the settings while writing to the card.

Handheld image captured Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

One of the best features the E-M10 inherits from more advanced models – albeit not quite as well – is 5-axis image stabilization with sensor shift. With a speed of 4.5 stops, the system was good enough to shoot at a tenth of a second with a 14mm handheld and still get some (but not all) shots in focus. I even took a hand-held picture of the moon. The optical image stabilization system in the body may have lagged behind the 7.5 f-stops of the E-M1 Mark III, but it is difficult to find with an inexpensive camera.

Excellent picture quality

With almost the same number of pixels as in more expensive models, Olympus did not save on the sensor in the E-M10. The 20.3 megapixel micro four thirds sensor captures sharp images with good color. While the images in the viewfinder may not look as good and the camera may be a bit slower, image quality is a feature that didn't fall short in reaching the budget price.

The pictures of the E-M10 IV and the kit lens were very detailed. They were the sharpest at f / 5 but still acceptable with the kit lens wide open. Combined with the ability to capture 0.23x magnification with the kit lens, the camera can capture many details. However, the compact kit lens tends to flicker.

ISO 3200 Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor suffers more from noise than an APS-C or full frame camera, but is quite well controlled for this category. At ISO 800 there is a slight noise in the shadows. I would go up to ISO 3200 before worrying about a significant loss of detail and sharpness.

Colors coming straight from the camera are good. The E-M10 IV also adds a new instant filter to the color profiles in the camera. It's one of my favorites for the punchy contrast and purple and red undertones. RAW files restore a considerable amount of detail from the shadows, with a slight recovery from the highlights.

olympus om de m10 mark iv review p8010144 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn7.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/p8010144-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Instant film color profile Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

olympus om de m10 mark iv review p8010145 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn8.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/p8010145-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Standard color profile Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

Video is available at 4Kp30 and has the same spot colors and details as the images. Image stabilization also helps improve video quality. However, the camera is difficult to recommend for vlogging or serious video work as it lacks a microphone port.

The E-M10 IV's sensor, while not as good as a larger sensor, competes with the more advanced models from Olympus and offers great quality for the camera's small size and low price.

Our opinion

As a budget model, the Olympus E-M10 Mark IV captures excellent images with some sacrifices in terms of performance, processing quality, and control. For the price, the E-M10 has a lot going for it, including great pictures, 4K video, a compact body, and image stabilization. Taking photos with the E-M10 feels like a point-and-shoot camera thanks to its small size and light weight. While using a mirrorless camera without multiple lenses hurts the camera's capabilities, with the tiny 3-ounce kit lens, the E-M10 IV feels like a decent alternative to expensive point-and-shoots like the Sony RX100 series .

Of course, in order to bring that price down, Olympus made some sacrifices. The speed is a little poor, it won't handle a rainstorm, and even in the budget category there are competing cameras with larger sensors.

Is there a better option?

The E-M10 Mark IV is a good budget camera, but it's not enough to make it the best budget mirrorless camera. The Sony a6100, which costs $ 750 with a kit lens, has a larger sensor, faster 11 fps, and a hybrid autofocus system for phase detection and contrast detection. However, it lacks image stabilization, which makes the E-M10 IV an advantage for photographers who often work in poor lighting conditions. Our current favorite mirrorless budget, the Fujifilm X-T30, has better autofocus than the E-M10 Mark IV, a larger sensor, and advanced video, but again, it's not stabilized and costs about $ 200 more.

How long it will take?

Olympus is currently negotiating a sale of its imaging division and the sale makes the future of Olympus lenses and accessories unclear. There is a possibility of buying the E-M10 Mark IV and losing support later, in addition to the limited availability of lenses. The build quality is good for a budget camera, but don't expect the longevity of its weatherproof siblings.

Should you buy it?

Not if photography is a serious hobby, but for casual shooters, it's an easy sale. The smaller sensor, slower speed, and questions about the company's future make it difficult to recommend this camera for more demanding shutter bugs. However, its small size, low price, good image quality, and built-in image stabilization – a feature that is difficult to find in an entry-level camera – are great for the casual photographer.

Editor's recommendations




06 Mar
Blog

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III Review: Best Travel Camera?

Olympus OMD E M1

"The Olympus E-M1 Mark III makes previously impossible recordings easy."

  • Excellent stabilization

  • Starry sky auto focus

  • Fast performance

  • High-resolution handheld mode

  • Weatherproof

  • EVF could be better

  • The measurement was somewhat unpredictable

  • Same sensor as Mark II

Some photographers are pixel peepers. They reach for the largest sensors with the highest resolution and are only looking for the sharpest optics in order to reproduce a test card perfectly. The $ 1,800 Olympus OMD E-M1 Mark III won't please these photographers. in fact, it completely ignores them.

This is the camera for everyone else, especially for those who value a compact, adventurous system. Photographers who want long zoom and short size lenses; and photographers looking for a camera that makes even the most difficult shots fun.

Olympus suspends the full-frame race, sticks to the smaller Micro Four Thirds format that it developed, and focuses on usability with features that no other brand offers. For the most part, it works.

This includes brand new features like Starry Sky AF, an autofocus mode specifically designed to focus on the stars (those in the sky; this is not a paparazzi mode). This includes a stabilizing system with 7.5 apertures and built-in ND filters (neutral density), with which you can leave the tripod and the screw-on filter (mostly anyway) at home.

We tested the limits of the E-M1 Mark III on the beaches and jungles of Costa Rica for four days and then put the camera through its paces in a northeastern winter for a few weeks. While the E-M1 Mark III isn't the best camera you can buy for $ 1,800, it's the best interchangeable camera on the go.

Design and build quality

The E-M1 Mark III offers similar functions to the E-M1X, but in a smaller form without the built-in battery handle. With the 12-45mm 1: 4 PRO, the smallest weatherproof combination that Olympus offers. I was able to put the camera, four lenses, two teleconverters – enough for a range of 600 mm – and an iPad in a backpack. I even had enough space to put my tripod in my backpack instead of strapping it out. A difference that allowed me to pack everything in hand luggage for a four-day international photo tour.

Despite the smaller size and weight – around 20.5 ounces – the handle of the E-M1 Mark III is comfortable and there is still plenty of room for physical controls, including dual controls and an auto focus joystick. Olympus was also able to use two SD card slots, although only slot is UHS-II compatible.

The control layout is solid, if not perfect. I love the programmable mode switch that can be used to quickly switch between two camera settings. Although it can do much more, I used it to quickly switch from simple to continuous autofocus when photographing wildlife.

A joystick, two steering wheels and an ISO button near the thumb provide easy focus and exposure settings. The key combinations for focus modes, measurement, burst, timer and flash are located in the top left.

On the less positive side, the record button and exposure compensation are right next to each other on the top of the camera near the trigger. With the same size and shape, I accidentally started recording several times when I wanted to adjust the exposure. These two controls take a little more time to use the camera comfortably without having to pull the viewfinder away from my eye.

For more controls, a quick menu contains less frequently used options. The full menu is known to anyone who has previously shot Olympus, but it takes a bit of a hunt to find options for less known people.

The E-M1 III uses a 3-inch, 1.037 million dot touchscreen that is tilted to the side of the camera, so you can rotate the screen in selfie orientation without being blocked by a tripod.

As with the E-M1X, however, I was not impressed by the electronic viewfinder. The refresh rate was solid, but the images had less contrast than the LCD screen. With 2.36 million points, there are several EVFs on the market that offer a higher resolution.

The magnesium alloy case is sealed against dust and splashes and feels firm in the hands, which is no surprise to anyone who previously used a high-end Olympus camera. It even survived my accidental durability test when the tide came in a little faster than expected while the camera was on the beach. Although it is more of a partial immersion than a simple splash, both the E-M1 and the new 12-45mm kit lens were no worse to carry. A small amount of beach sand penetrated directly into the battery compartment, but if the camera survives being hit by a sea wave, it should be able to survive the announced splash and dust without any problems.

The E-M1 Mark III does not have the double batteries of the E-M1X, but the battery life of a mirrorless camera is solid. I didn't have to replace the battery until the end of the day, about 800 shots later. (My preference for burst mode usually allows me to achieve more than the specified battery life – the CIPA rating is 420 shots or 900 in quick sleep mode).

Features and performance

Shot with Starry Sky AF and a tripod, edited in Adobe Lightroom

Compared to larger cameras, taking pictures with the E-M1 Mark III is liberating. While most mirrorless cameras are easy to carry, the E-M1 can leave both the tripod and the ND filters in most cases. With a 7-stage stabilization system (7.5 with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100 mm f / 4.0 PRO lens) and the built-in NDs, I took several long-term exposures of ocean waves during the day without removing my tripod from the take backpack.

Olympus has the best stabilization system of any manufacturer, and says that most people can take 6-second wide-angle shots without a tripod. This is impressive. But with a firm grip it is possible to get even more out. Although I love long exposures, I hate taking my tripod anywhere and I took long exposures much more often because I could hold them in my hand.

Starry Sky AF is a new feature that is unknown to other brands. It worked surprisingly well.

Long-term handheld exposures aren't new to the E-M1 Mark III, but a handheld photo of the night sky without a tripod – or manual focus – is definitely. The camera's new Starry Sky AF mode does not use contrast detection, phase detection, or even a hybrid of the two systems. Instead, the luminance is used to look for the points of light that create stars against a black sky.

The system has two modes: speed priority for hand shooting and accuracy priority when working on a tripod. The mode is also set up to use the focus with the back button instead of focusing with half a press on the shutter button, so the focus remains locked when you re-formulate the shot.

Photographing stars is one of the more difficult types of photography, since a tripod is usually required and the sweet spot must be found on the manual focus ring, which can take multiple test shots before it is just right. The combination of stabilization and starry AF of the E-M1 III simplifies the shooting of stars, makes it easier for advanced photographers and is accessible for beginners. I would still prefer a tripod to get the best results, but the fact that one isn't required is very impressive.

Starry Sky AF is a new feature that is unknown to other brands. It worked surprisingly well. While not as fast as the camera's usual autofocus, it surpasses manual focus. And because the system is based on luminance, it also works with other types of light sources that are surrounded by darkness, such as night cityscapes.

While the Starry Sky AF is the star of the show, the 121-point on-chip phase detection autofocus system on the E-M1 Mark III – a system almost identical to the E-M1X – performs well. The focusing speed is not record-breaking, but has kept pace with everything from surfers to birds in flight. The auto focus in low light is also respectable, if not the best in its class, with a sensitivity of up to -3.5 EV.

Eye AF is comparable to other mirrorless systems from competitors.

Face and eye AF also worked well and quickly recognized and fixed the eyes. While probably not fast enough for sports, eye AF is comparable to other mirrorless systems from competitors. Some systems, such as the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7, require the use of an automatic AF area for eye AF to work. The E-M1 Mark III can use eye AF in group AF mode, which means you don't have to switch between focus modes as much as your subjects change. Eye AF for animals, a function that is becoming increasingly common with other brands, is also missing.

Tracking autofocus worked just as well as any camera I've shot with – which means it sometimes works and sometimes it's junk. I managed to take a few sharp shots, but with group mode and simple continuous autofocus, I got better results. However, I don't really count this as a negative because I haven't yet met a tracking autofocus camera that is good enough for quick actions (newer Sony models like the A6600 might be an exception).

The E-M1 Mark III also didn't inherit the E-M1X's motorsport focus mode (which actually works quite well for tracking). The niche function requires two processors to function and therefore remains exclusive to the high-end flagship model. However, the single processor of the E-M1 upgraded to TruPic IX still manages to achieve the most performance.

The E-M1 III is fast enough for most photographers. It can shoot with the mechanics at 10 frames per second or with the quiet electronic shutter at 18 frames per second. If you don't need continuous autofocus, You can increase this speed up to 15 or 60 fps. The frame buffer limits approximately 76 RAW shots when shooting at 18 frames per second. However, we have found that this is sufficient to accommodate everything from birds to surfers.

The TruPic IX processor also enables a new high-resolution handheld mode that uses the image stabilization system and the tiny movements of your hands to merge 16 photos into a 50 megapixel file. The mode is only suitable for perfectly calm subjects, but offers the possibility of achieving a higher resolution if the 20.4 megapixels of the sensor are not sufficient.

picture quality

The E-M1 Mark III has the same sensor as the Mark II with the same resolution of 20 MP. Given the small size of the sensor, increasing the resolution will eventually reduce the return, so 20 MP is fine. However, there is no way around the fact that this sensor, which is now many years old, has limitations compared to larger, more modern sensors. The E-M1 Mark III is still good enough for most photographers, but don't expect a jump in image quality over older models.

However, this smaller sensor has advantages. One of the biggest advantages of the 2X crop factor makes it easier to achieve a longer focal length. 600 mm equivalent range, a groundbreaking focal length in full screen mode, can be easily taken along.

The excellent image stabilization is also of great help with these long lenses. Even with relatively slow shutter speeds, the details remained sharp when shooting with a 600 mm handheld.

And while the sensor remains unchanged, a new detail priority mode processes high ISO images twice, slowing the camera down but increasing the level of detail. When processing with speed priority, the noise creeps in around ISO 800, and details and sharpness tend to go down around ISO 3,200. Fortunately, the excellent stabilization for still subjects can help keep the ISO low.

The camera's metering system felt less predictable than most of the others even in spot metering mode, and I was regularly on the exposure compensation dial to get the picture right in aperture priority and shutter priority mode.

This gator was polite enough for high-resolution mode, though it took a few tries.

If you need additional resolution, the high-resolution handheld mode can be of great help. The photo above was taken in this mode and even cropped in the mail. The subject must remain still, and the camera takes a few extra seconds to put everything together, but provides detail for some subjects.

The video follows a similar pattern with good color and excellent stabilization. Taking even wide-angle shots without a tripod was easy, with just a little movement in the video. The detail is excellent thanks to the 4K resolution of the cinema.

Price and availability

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III is $ 1,800 and was released on February 24th.

Our opinion

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III is a small camera, but it is also a camera that works in a way that other cameras cannot. Features like Starry Sky AF and high-resolution handheld mode are unique advantages. Because you pack a weatherproof camera and smaller lenses, leave the tripod and the ND filters at home and still get solid images, the E-M1 Mark III is an ideal camera on the go.

But it is not perfect. The viewfinder resolution is a few generations out of date, the measuring system feels inconsistent and many other basic systems such as the 121-point autofocus and the 20MP Four Thirds sensor are adopted by the Mark II.

Is there a better alternative?

For $ 1,800, you get a lot of camera, including the recently announced Fujifilm X-T4, which has a larger APS-C sensor but is similar in size to the E-M1. Even the Sony A7 III in full screen mode is the better choice for photographers who are more concerned with the highest image quality than with large zoom and a lot of stabilization.

However, no competing camera has 7-stage image stabilization (the Fuji comes close to 6.5, but only with selected lenses). No other camera can focus on the stars or take astrophotography without a tripod. And no other format can pack a 600 mm range in a 300 mm lens.

So whether there is a "better" camera depends on your definition of "better". Is there a camera with better picture quality for the price? Absolutely. But is there a better alternative for travel photography? Probably not.

How long it will take?

The weather seal makes the E-M1 Mark III a tough machine. With 400,000 operations, the updated shutter is one of the best from Olympus. My test device survived being partially submerged in sea water. Aside from more extreme disasters, the camera should last for many years and even longer if Olympus chose the Mark IV.

Should you buy it

Yes, if you want a great interchangeable lens camera on the go or are obsessed with long exposure, but hate to carry a tripod around. Image stabilization, built-in NDs and Starry Sky AF are all great.

The smaller sensor is less suitable for genres such as portraits, weddings and fashion, where you can spend a similar amount of money on a full frame body and where the advanced features of the E-M1 III just don't work.

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