Olympus E-P5 vs Olympus Stylus 7040: A Deep Dive Into Two Different Eras of Photography

When it comes to choosing a camera, photography enthusiasts and professionals often wrestle with balancing features, image quality, and handling - all underpinned by the realities of budget and intended use. Today, I’m comparing two Olympus models that couldn’t be more different in their design philosophies and target users, yet both hold unique appeals: the mirrorless Olympus PEN E-P5 (announced 2013) and the compact fixed-lens Olympus Stylus 7040 (also known as the mju 7040, launched in 2010).

One is a high-performing, mid-tier rangefinder-style mirrorless with an impressive Micro Four Thirds sensor and modern features; the other is a small-sensor, pocket-friendly compact built for convenience and casual shooting. By exploring their specifications, real-world performance, and practical shooting scenarios, I’ll help you identify which one might suit your style and needs better.

Let’s get started.

The Tale of Two Bodies: Size, Ergonomics, and Build

First things first: handling and physical presence. The E-P5 situates itself as a stylish yet robust photography tool, while the Stylus 7040 is unabashedly a point-and-shoot compact.

Looking at the physical dimensions and weight is telling. The PEN E-P5 measures 122x69x37 mm and weighs 420g, quite manageable for a mirrorless but notably larger and heavier than the Stylus 7040’s svelte 95x56x26 mm, weighing just 144g. This matters if you often shoot on the go or prefer something pocketable - the Stylus wins without question here.

But the E-P5’s rangefinder-style body offers a far more substantial grip, essential for stability during extended sessions or when using longer lenses. I’ve found that the E-P5 feels more “in my hands,” providing confidence for precision framing, which the Stylus cannot match given its minimalist approach.

The build quality on the E-P5 leans towards a premium feel, typical of Olympus’ PEN series heritage, whereas the Stylus 7040’s plastic compact body reflects its budget and era. Neither camera offers environmental sealing - so if you’re into rugged outdoor shooting, you’ll want to be cautious with either.

Design & Controls: Direct Access Meets Simplicity

The usability gap becomes clearer when diving into controls and interface. The E-P5 is known for its sophisticated layout, accessible dials, and customization options, which favor enthusiast-level photographers.

From this top-down perspective, note the E-P5’s dedicated mode dial, shutter speed dial, and customizable buttons - all enabling quick aperture/shutter adjustments and exposure fine-tuning without diving through menus. The inclusion of a tilting 3-inch touchscreen (more on that in a bit) further streamlines menu navigation and focus control.

In contrast, the Stylus 7040 is purposely stripped down: no manual exposure modes, no physical dials, just straightforward point-and-shoot operation. This design delivers simplicity for casual users but limits creative control drastically.

If you favor manual or semi-manual modes (aperture/shutter priority, custom white balance), or want fast access to settings while shooting, the E-P5 is quite clearly ahead. The Stylus is about ‘set it and forget it’, geared for snapshots rather than deliberate composition.

Sensor, Image Quality, and Photography Outcomes

Image quality is where the gulf between these cameras is most pronounced. Let’s get into the technical heart - their sensors and performance in various shooting contexts.

The E-P5 uses a Micro Four Thirds 17.3x13 mm CMOS sensor with a resolution of 16MP. The Stylus 7040 sports a diminutive 1/2.3" CCD sensor, just 6.08x4.56 mm, capturing 14MP.

Micro Four Thirds sensors, though smaller than APS-C or full-frame counterparts, still deliver notably better dynamic range, color depth, and low-light performance than typical compact sensors. To quantify:

• Dynamic range: E-P5’s DxOMark score is about 12.4 EV vs. the limited range on the 7040 (unofficial, but generally less than 8 EV).

• Color depth: E-P5 shines with 22.8 bits, delivering fuller, richer tones and cleaner gradations - very noticeable in portraits and landscape images.

• Low-light capability: The E-P5’s low-light ISO of 895 means cleaner images at high ISOs compared to the 7040’s low max ISO of 1600 coupled with a noisier CCD.

In practice, the E-P5 produces images with more detail, smoother tonality - important for professional portraits or nuanced landscapes. The 7040 is acceptable for daylight casual shots but struggles with noise and dynamic range, especially under challenging lighting.

Viewing Systems and User Interface

Another crucial ergonomic consideration is how the cameras present framing and feedback.

E-P5 retrieves a bright, tilting 3-inch capacitive touchscreen LCD with 1037k dots of resolution. This screen not only shows crisp previews but supports touch-to-focus and menu operation. Combined with an (optional) electronic viewfinder, the E-P5 offers multiple framing options for diverse shooting styles.

The Stylus 7040 sticks to a fixed, low-resolution (230k-dot) 3-inch LCD - fine for framing in ample light but less versatile or sharp. No EVF means composing in bright conditions can be challenging due to screen glare, reducing shot precision.

For photographers shooting portraits, street scenes, or landscapes, a high-quality display is a key asset for checking focus and exposure on the go. If you want touch control or tilt flexibility to reach low or high angles comfortably, the E-P5 takes the point here.

Autofocus and Shooting Mechanics: Speed vs Simplicity

Moving beyond the specs, real-world autofocus (AF) performance and shooting responsiveness are critical for capturing fleeting moments, especially in genres like wildlife or sports photography.

The E-P5 employs 35 contrast-detection focus points, includes face detection, and supports AF tracking and continuous AF modes, giving a versatile AF system well-suited for moving subjects or precise manual adjustments. Although it lacks phase-detection AF, its contrast-detect implementation is fast and accurate enough in good light. The camera also boasts a burst rate of 9 frames per second - a respectable figure for action shooting given its sensor size.

The Stylus 7040, true to its point-and-shoot design, has a single focus area controlled automatically, with contrast detection only. Without continuous AF during bursts (max burst shooting at 1 fps), it’s ill-equipped for action photography, or anything requiring fast AF transitions.

If you prioritize wildlife photography, sports, or street shooting with rapidly changing scenes, the E-P5’s autofocus and burst speed will serve you far better.

Versatility Across Photography Genres: Where Each Camera Excels

Let’s break down how these two cameras perform across a broad set of photographic disciplines.

Portraits

The E-P5 excels in skin tone rendering thanks to its superior sensor, offers manual control for depth of field to isolate subjects with creamy bokeh (in combination with Micro Four Thirds lenses), and has face detection AF to keep eyes sharp. Its 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS) reduces shake during handheld shots. The Stylus 7040 can capture decent portraits in daylight but lacks background blur control and faces noisy images at higher ISO settings.

Landscapes

16MP resolution on the E-P5 provides ample detail for printing or cropping, while a dynamic range of over 12 EV retains highlight and shadow information in challenging scenes. Weather sealing is absent in both but the E-P5’s build handles conditions better. The Stylus 7040’s smaller sensor delivers less nuanced tonal gradation, limiting creative latitude.

Wildlife & Sports

Thanks to superior autofocus with face tracking and continuous AF, plus faster burst modes, the E-P5 is the clear winner in capturing fast-moving wildlife or sports. The Stylus struggles with action, limited by slow AF, a single focus area, and low frame rates.

Street Photography

Here, you might think the compact Stylus is perfect due to size and stealth. Yet the E-P5’s tilting screen and silent shutter mode (up to 1/8000s) make it surprisingly inconspicuous. Its ability to shoot manual or aperture priority also lets you control exposure creatively. The Stylus is easier to pocket but limited in control and image quality.

Macro

Neither camera features dedicated macro capabilities or advanced focus stacking/post-focus functions, but the Stylus 7040 can focus as close as 2 cm (approx. 0.8 in), handy for casual macro snaps. The E-P5 depends on specialized Micro Four Thirds macro lenses and benefits from its 5-axis stabilization.

Night & Astrophotography

The E-P5’s better high ISO performance (up to ISO 25600), manual exposure options, and exposure bracketing make it suitable for night and astrophotography with suitable lenses and tripods. The Stylus 7040’s image noise and restricted exposure controls limit its nighttime usability.

Video Capabilities

The PEN E-P5 shoots Full HD 1080p at 30fps with H.264 compression and features image stabilization during video and live view focusing. Lack of microphone/ headphone inputs is a drawback, though not atypical for cameras of its era.

The Stylus 7040 maxes out at 720p video with Motion JPEG - a more compressed, less efficient format - and slower frame rates, making it less appealing for serious videographers.

Travel Photography

The choice depends on your priorities. The Stylus 7040’s light weight and slim profile are unbeatable for travel convenience and spontaneous shooting. However, the E-P5’s versatility, lens availability (107 Micro Four Thirds lenses and counting), and high image quality make it a better choice if you desire more creative control and better final results on your trips.

Olympus E P5 front Olympus E P5 screen back Olympus 7040 front Olympus 7040 screen back

Viewing sample images side-by-side shows the E-P5's richer detail, more accurate colors, and better shadow detail versus the grainier, flatter output of the Stylus 7040.

Performance Analysis Summary and Ratings

Combining all testing metrics and hands-on evaluation yields this overall performance rating comparison.

As you can see, the PEN E-P5 scores well across sensor performance, autofocus, handling, and versatility, reflecting its advanced design and target audience. The Stylus 7040, as expected, fares well for portability and ease of use but lags behind in image quality and control.

Breaking it down further:

These genre-specific analyses reinforce the general picture - E-P5’s strengths lie in portrait, wildlife, sports, and landscape, while Stylus 7040 is a convenient companion for casual travel and simple street photography.

Technical Nuggets Worth Knowing

Before wrapping up, let me share some deeper insights I’ve gathered from extensive tests:

• The E-P5’s sensor-based 5-axis image stabilization is a standout feature. It compensates for yaw, pitch, roll, and X/Y shifts, delivering sharper handheld shots, particularly in low light or macro photography.

• The Stylus 7040’s lens focal length range (28-196 mm, 7x zoom) offers flexibility for various scenes but at a variable aperture of f/3.0-5.9, which means low-light shooting can be very limiting.

• Storage-wise, both cameras rely on a single SD card slot; however, the E-P5 supports SDXC cards allowing larger capacities, crucial for RAW files and extended sessions.

• Wireless connectivity is built into the E-P5 but absent in the Stylus. However, the E-P5’s Wi-Fi lacks Bluetooth or NFC, limiting current smart device pairing conveniences.

• Battery life: E-P5’s rated 330 shots per charge is reasonable for a mirrorless but demands spares for extended shoots, while the Stylus 7040’s battery info is sparse - compacts rarely impress here.

Lens Ecosystem and Expandability

One cannot discuss Olympus mirrorless without emphasizing its rich Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem - over 100 lenses covering everything from ultra-wide to super-telephoto, macro, primes, and specialized optics.

The Stylus 7040, with a fixed lens, ties you to whatever focal length and zoom it has, no option for upgrades or alternatives.

For users who enjoy experimenting with different lenses - say a fast portrait prime, a dedicated macro, or a wide-angle for landscapes - the E-P5 is a long-term winner.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

So, after weighing all factors - what’s your best pick?

Choose the Olympus PEN E-P5 if:

• You prioritize image quality and creative control through interchangeable lenses and manual settings.
• You photograph portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or sports where AF performance and resolution matter.
• You want a camera with image stabilization, superior low-light capabilities, and expandable accessories.
• You’re okay carrying a slightly larger body and investing in lenses.
• You demand a versatile, future-proof system that integrates well in professional workflows (e.g., RAW support, Wi-Fi transfer).

Choose the Olympus Stylus 7040 if:

• Your priority is travel convenience or absolute portability - a camera that slips easily into pockets.
• You desire simplicity and point-and-shoot operation with minimal fuss, perfect for casual or snapshot photography.
• Budget constraints favor a cheaper, older model.
• You don’t need advanced controls or interchangeable lenses.
• You want a lightweight camera with a decent zoom lens for everyday shooting.

Closing Perspective

I’ve personally tested both cameras extensively and can vouch: the E-P5 remains a relevant camera for enthusiasts who want a compact mirrorless system offering excellent image quality and abundant creative control. The Stylus 7040, while dated in specs, still holds charm as a trouble-free, pocketable companion for casual photography.

In the landscape of continually evolving camera tech, these two Olympus models capture very different philosophies and user experiences.

Your choice ultimately hinges on where you fall on the spectrum from casual convenience to photographic ambition.

Happy shooting!

If you’d like to dive deeper into specific shooting samples or my full hands-on video walkthrough of the E-P5, just say the word - I’m always here to help photographers make informed, confident gear choices.