Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus SZ-12

In this write-up, we are matching up the Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus SZ-12, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the SZ-12 (14MP) is very well matched but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and SZ-12 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL7 was manufactured 2 years later than the SZ-12 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a in depth comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the E-PL7 matches up versus the SZ-12 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL7 & Olympus SZ-12. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery & Olympus SZ-12 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera, you'll have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL7 comes with external dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Olympus SZ-12 has proportions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus SZ-12 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL7 against the SZ-12.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL7 and SZ-12 is 86 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizing just by checking specifications. The photograph below may offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and SZ-12.

To sum up, both of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL7 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-PL7 will resolve more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos a little more aggressively. The younger E-PL7 should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.