Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FH7

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FH7, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and FH7 (16MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and FH7 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL2 was announced 6 months earlier than the FH7 so they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH7 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a in depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-PL2 matches up vs the FH7 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Panasonic FH7 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL2 provides external dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Panasonic FH7 has sizing of 95mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FH7 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL2 against the FH7.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL2 and FH7 is 85 and 96 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizes simply by seeing specifications. The picture underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL2 and FH7.

Plainly, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL2 using its larger sensor will make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic FH7 will show greater detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images more aggressively.