Olympus FE-5010 vs Olympus E-PL7: An In-Depth Comparison for Photographers Across Genres

When Olympus launched the FE-5010 in early 2009 and the PEN E-PL7 five years later, they were clearly aimed at very different segments of the photography market. The FE-5010 is a small sensor compact camera designed for casual point-and-shoot convenience, while the E-PL7 is an entry-level mirrorless offering built for enthusiast photographers seeking creative control and interchangeable lenses. Having extensively tested both cameras in various real-world photographic contexts, I’m excited to share a comprehensive, side-by-side evaluation that digs deep into their capabilities, limitations, and best use scenarios. This isn’t just specs on paper - it reflects real shooting experience across genres and lighting conditions.

Physical Build and Handling: Compact Simplicity vs. Mirrorless Versatility

First impressions matter in ergonomics, especially for cameras you’ll carry daily or for extended sessions. The FE-5010 is a compact shooter through and through - weighing a mere 130 grams and measuring just 96 x 57 x 21 millimeters. Its fixed 2.7-inch screen provides a straightforward, no-frills interface with basic button controls. For a pocket-friendly grab-and-go, this camera wins on sheer portability.

In contrast, the E-PL7 tips the scales at 357 grams and stretches to 115 x 67 x 38 millimeters, embodying the heft and robustness characteristic of mirrorless systems. Its rangefinder-style body offers multiple physical dials and buttons, supporting a more tactile shooting experience. The slightly larger silhouette and grip-friendly contours make longer handheld sessions more comfortable and precise. Anyone transitioning from compacts to mirrorless will appreciate the ergonomics here.

The top design also reflects these philosophies clearly:

The FE-5010’s top plate is minimal with a traditional zoom toggle and shutter release, no hot shoe or configurable dials. E-PL7 introduces dedicated dials for mode selection, exposure compensation, and a programmable function button - features aligned with manual control needs. It’s an ergonomics win for E-PL7 for anyone who wants more input flexibility.

Sensor and Image Quality: Tiny CCD vs. Four Thirds CMOS

The heart of image quality is the sensor, and here the gulf is substantial. The FE-5010 uses a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor, measuring a mere 6.08 x 4.56 mm (sensor area ~27.72 mm²) with 12 megapixels resolution. The E-PL7 upgrades to a Four Thirds CMOS sensor that is 17.3 x 13 mm (~224.9 mm²) with 16 MP resolution - nearly eight times the surface area and more recent image technology.

CCD sensors of that era in compacts are often lauded for their color rendition but typically pale in dynamic range and low-light performance. Testing them in shadow-to-highlight transitions reveals notable clipping and noise appearing well before ISO 800. The small pixels contribute to limited detail retention and poorer signal-to-noise ratio.

The Four Thirds sensor shines with significantly improved dynamic range, highlighted by Olympus’s TruePic VII processor optimizing raw and JPEG output. Shadow recovery, highlight roll-off, and color fidelity are markedly better, particularly visible in landscape and portrait scenarios under diffused sunlight. Noise remains well controlled up to ISO 1600, and images retain fine detail at base ISO 200.

To put the quality differential into perspective, here are sample images from both cameras side by side:

Olympus FE 5010 front Olympus FE 5010 screen back Olympus E PL7 front Olympus E PL7 screen back

The FE-5010’s images feel softer with less tonal gradation, while the E-PL7’s output conveys sharper details, vibrant yet accurate colors, and richer textures - benefiting from higher bit-depth and superior sensor architecture.

Display and Interface: Fixed Simplicity Meets Modern Versatility

The FE-5010’s fixed 2.7-inch LCD with 230k-dot resolution is basic but functional given its vintage and class. It suffices for framing but feels limiting for reviewing images, especially when discerning critical focus or exposure.

The E-PL7 features a 3-inch tilting touchscreen LCD with 1,037k-dot resolution - a notable upgrade bringing excellent visibility and improved framing flexibility, especially for low angle or selfie-style shots. Touch input also accelerates autofocus point selection and menu navigation. This significantly enhances user experience, especially for photographers who want quick adjustments without fussing with buttons.

Autofocus and Exposure Controls: Basic Contrast Detection vs. Advanced AF Suite

The FE-5010 relies on a single-point contrast detection autofocus system without any face, eye, or tracking capabilities. Autofocus speed is moderate for this sensor type, but locking focus on moving subjects or in low-contrast scenes can be sluggish or hunt. There’s no continuous AF mode or manual focus override, which is a big limitation for creative users.

Comparatively, the E-PL7 offers an advanced contrast detection system with 81 focus points, touch AF, face detection, eye detection, and continuous tracking autofocus modes. This system is flexible, responsive, and much more reliable for fast-moving subjects (think portraits or wildlife on the wing). Manual focus with focus peaking and magnification further supports precise control.

Exposure control is equally restrictive on the FE-5010 - shutter speeds range modestly from 4s to 1/2000s, with no aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual exposure modes. The E-PL7 grants photographers full manual, aperture, shutter priority, and exposure compensation options, opening creative doorways for controlling depth of field, motion blur, and exposure nuances.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: Fixed 5x Zoom vs. Interchangeable Lens Ecosystem

The FE-5010 sports a fixed 36–180mm equivalent zoom (5x range) with an aperture of f/3.5–5.6. This zoom covers standard to moderate telephoto reach but isn’t ideal for artistic depth of field control or ultra-wide landscapes. Macro focusing is possible down to 3 cm, which suffices for casual close-ups.

The E-PL7's Micro Four Thirds mount supports an incredible ecosystem of over 100 interchangeable lenses ranging from ultrawide fisheye to super-telephoto primes and zooms. This flexibility literally allows you to own the right glass for any type of photography - macro, portrait, wildlife, sports, street, or landscape. Add Olympus’s sensor-based image stabilization (present in both cameras) combined with fast primes or telephotos, and you open up a whole range of creative possibilities impossible on the FE-5010.

Burst Shooting and Video Performance: Slow Eats vs. Mid-Range Efficiency

The FE-5010 doesn’t offer continuous shooting - a significant drawback for action or wildlife photographers. Video capture tops out at VGA resolution (640x480) at 30fps in MJPEG format, which is low-res and outdated by today’s standards. No external microphone or advanced format options limits video utility.

In contrast, the E-PL7 offers 8fps burst shooting - useful for sports or wildlife sequences - and Full HD (1920x1080) video at 30fps in H.264 with an optional HDMI output. While it lacks 4K or microphone ports, these specifications align well with casual enthusiast videographers requiring stable, sharp footage. The built-in Wi-Fi connectivity facilitates quick sharing.

Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres

Let’s now break down how these two cameras fare in key photographic niches by virtue of their hardware and software attributes.

Portrait Photography

The FE-5010’s small sensor and fixed zoom lens result in fairly limited background blur - bokeh is minimal, especially at longer focal lengths where aperture widens only to f/5.6. Skin tones render fairly accurately but with less nuance and softness than larger sensor cameras.

The E-PL7 shines here due to its larger sensor, higher resolution, face and eye detection autofocus, and lens swap capability. Pairing it with a fast 45mm f/1.8 or 25mm f/1.8 prime lens produces pleasing background separation and creamy bokeh. Eye AF function aids sharp focus on eyes, essential for professional-quality portraits.

Landscape Photography

The FE-5010’s 5x zoom lens covers wide to moderate telephoto reach but lacks ultra-wide capability. Its small sensor limits detail resolution and dynamic range; mountains in hazy light or bright sky detail can look blown out or muddy in shadows.

The E-PL7’s larger sensor dramatically improves dynamic range - shadows retain detail, and highlights clip less aggressively. The ability to use high-quality wide angle primes or zooms (e.g., Panasonic 7-14mm f/4) lets you capture expansive vistas crisply. Despite a lack of weather sealing, the camera’s build quality holds up reasonably well in mild conditions.

Wildlife Photography

High burst rate and fast autofocus matter here. The FE-5010’s single contrast-detect AF and no burst shooting make it unsuitable - focusing struggles on fast, erratic wildlife.

The E-PL7’s 8fps burst with continuous tracking AF performs admirably with telephoto lenses from the MFT lineup. While not as fast as flagship mirrorless bodies, it offers a solid balance between portability and speed for amateur wildlife shooters.

Sports Photography

Similar story: the FE-5010 is ill-suited due to sluggish AF and lack of continuous shooting. The E-PL7’s burst mode, reliable autofocus, and manual exposure modes excel in capturing mid-speed action outdoors.

Street Photography

Here, the compactness of the FE-5010 offers an advantage in discretion and portability. Its quiet operation and small profile make it less intrusive in candid street shooting.

The E-PL7, though larger, remains relatively stealthy compared to DSLRs, especially with compact primes. The tilting screen enables shooting from hip-level or creative angles without raising the camera to the eye incessantly - valuable for street work. Low light performance of the E-PL7 also beats the FE-5010 hands-down.

Macro Photography

The FE-5010 supports close focusing at 3 cm with sensor-shift stabilization, sufficient for basic macro close-ups but limited due to lens aperture and sensor size.

The E-PL7 combined with specialized macro MFT lenses and sensor-based stabilization enables excellent close-up work with precise manual focus support and better image quality.

Night and Astro Photography

Small sensor compacts like FE-5010 rarely deliver usable night images due to noise and limited ISO ceiling (max 1600 native). The E-PL7 offers ISO up to 25600 (though base ISO 200 is preferred for low noise). Longer shutter support, manual modes, and superior low-light AF equip it vastly better for nightscapes and astrophotography.

Video Capabilities

As noted, FE-5010 only does VGA MJPEG - outdated and low resolution. The E-PL7’s Full HD 1080p at 30fps with H.264 and HDMI output is a solid, if not flagship-tier, video performance. For casual video bloggers or hybrid shooters, E-PL7 beats the FE-5010 by a wide margin.

Travel Photography

FE-5010 wins for sheer pocketability and ease of use - no lens changes, simple operation. The E-PL7 requires more bulk and planning but rewards with versatility, quick focus, and better photos. Battery life favors E-PL7 too (approx. 350 shots vs. undocumented but lower endurance for FE-5010).

Professional Workflows

The FE-5010 offers no RAW support; file flexibility is minimal. The E-PL7 supports RAW (ORF format), enabling post-processing latitude vital for professionals and serious enthusiasts. Connectivity-wise, E-PL7's built-in WiFi aids direct transfer; FE-5010 relies on USB 2.0 only.

Reliability and Build Quality

Both cameras lack environmental sealing against water, dust, or shock - common for their categories. The FE-5010 does boast some environmental sealing, but Olympus doesn’t specify shockproof or crushproof features. The E-PL7 is not weather-sealed, but its solid metal construction contributes to durability and better handling ergonomics.

Battery, Storage, and Connectivity

• FE-5010: Uses LI-42B battery, with modest battery life (numbers unspecified), stores on xD-Picture Card or microSD (with adapter). No Wi-Fi or HDMI; USB 2.0 only.
• E-PL7: Employs BLS-50 Battery Pack with approximately 350 shots per charge. Uses SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots (standardized and widely supported). Built-in Wi-Fi enables wireless image transfer. Offers HDMI output and USB 2.0.

Storage and connectivity clearly favor the E-PL7 for modern workflows, including rapid sharing and tethered shooting.

Pricing and Value Considerations

When these cameras launched, the FE-5010 was priced around $130 - a budget compact accessible for casual shooters. The E-PL7 came in at roughly $500 on release, targeting entry-level enthusiasts who sought creative controls and image quality improvements without breaking the bank.

Today, both typically trade in the used market. The FE-5010 offers excellent value for beginners needing a simple shooter or pocket camera. The E-PL7 commands a premium for its flexibility, lens ecosystem, and superior image quality, representing a sound investment for serious hobbyists or those stepping into interchangeable lens systems.

Summarizing Strengths and Weaknesses

Overall Performance Ratings

According to detailed performance metrics (including DxOMark scores for the E-PL7 where available), the E-PL7 outclasses the FE-5010 in image quality, autofocus, and versatility - no surprise given the generational and class gap.

Genre-Specific Performance Breakdown

Our testing confirms the E-PL7 is a substantially more capable tool across portraits, landscapes, wildlife, sports, macro, night, video, and professional use cases. The FE-5010 remains a solid budget compact for everyday snapshots and travel photos where simplicity and pocketability are paramount.

Making the Right Choice: Who Should Buy What?

Choose Olympus FE-5010 if you:

• Want an ultra-compact, simple point-and-shoot camera for casual everyday use.
• Prefer a no-fuss, pocketable option for travel and snapshots.
• Have a very limited budget and no interest in manual controls or lens changes.
• Prioritize ease of operation over image quality or speed.

Choose Olympus E-PL7 if you:

• Want significant control over exposure and focus with manual, aperture, and shutter priority modes.
• Desire much better image quality with larger sensor and RAW support for editing flexibility.
• Plan to shoot a variety of genres including portraits, landscapes, macro, wildlife, and video.
• Value an extensive lens ecosystem to adapt to different creative needs.
• Need stronger autofocus performance for moving subjects and low light.
• Appreciate modern connectivity and video specs for hybrid photo-video usage.

Final Thoughts: Evolution Reflects Photographic Ambitions

Comparing the FE-5010 and E-PL7 is, in many ways, looking at the evolution of digital photography technology compressed into two cameras sharing a brand but worlds apart in capability. The FE-5010 embodies an era and approach favoring casual shooting with basic automation and compactness. The E-PL7 represents a maturing mirrorless system that nudges enthusiasts to explore photography with more nuanced controls, superior images, and expandable gear options.

Neither camera is perfect - the FE-5010 is limited by its fixed zoom and sensor, while the E-PL7 lacks weather sealing and pro-level video features. However, in terms of practical use, image quality, and creative potential, the E-PL7 clearly offers more for photographers who are serious about their craft.

Whichever you choose, understanding their strengths and compromises is crucial. Your photographic style, budget, and desired use cases should guide the pick - and hopefully this detailed comparison provides clarity for that decision.

Happy shooting!

Disclaimer: Specifications and features are as per manufacturer data and in-field testing conducted over multiple shooting scenarios to provide practical insights beyond spec sheets.