Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus XZ-1

In this article, we will be matching up the Olympus E-PL7 versus Olympus XZ-1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both built by Olympus. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the E-PL7 (16MP) and XZ-1 (10MP) and the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and XZ-1 (1/1.63") feature totally different sensor sizes.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The E-PL7 was launched 3 years after the XZ-1 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the E-PL7 matches up against the XZ-1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Olympus XZ-1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery and Olympus XZ-1 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL7 provides external dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") having a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Olympus XZ-1 has measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL7 versus Olympus XZ-1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at that time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL7 against the XZ-1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL7 and XZ-1 is 86 and 88 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizes simply by looking through specs. The picture below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL7 and XZ-1.

All in all, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL7 because of its bigger sensor will make getting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-PL7 will result in extra detail utilizing its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The more recent E-PL7 will have an edge in sensor innovation.