Olympus E-PL5 vs Olympus 7000

Let's examine more closely at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Olympus 7000, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are sold by Olympus. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and 7000 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and 7000 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL5 was introduced 3 years later than the 7000 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 7000 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick summation of how the E-PL5 grades vs the 7000 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Olympus Stylus 7000. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Olympus 7000 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL5 has physical dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Olympus 7000 has measurements of 96mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 172 grams (0.38 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL5 versus Olympus 7000 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is the front view size comparison of the E-PL5 and the 7000.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and 7000 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to visualise the gap between sensor measurements only by reading specs. The visual here should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and 7000.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 having a larger sensor will make achieving bokeh easier and the Olympus E-PL5 will offer you extra detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The newer E-PL5 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.