Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus SZ-16 iHS

Here, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus SZ-16 iHS, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizing.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The E-PL7 was brought out 21 months later than the SZ-16 iHS which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before going into a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-PL7 scores versus the SZ-16 iHS when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL7 & Olympus SZ-16 iHS. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery & Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL7 provides physical dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Olympus SZ-16 iHS has measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus SZ-16 iHS in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PL7 vs the SZ-16 iHS.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL7 and SZ-16 iHS is 86 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizing only by checking specs. The visual underneath will provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL7 and SZ-16 iHS.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature the identical megapixel count albeit not the same sensor sizing. The E-PL7 comes with the bigger sensor which should make obtaining shallower DOF less difficult. The fresher E-PL7 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.