Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FP5

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FP5, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the FP5 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and FP5 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL7 was manufactured 3 years later than the FP5 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving straight to a complete comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-PL7 matches up versus the FP5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery and Panasonic FP5 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL7 offers outer 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 Panasonic FP5 has proportions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FP5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you select at that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL7 vs the FP5.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL7 and FP5 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Often, it is tough to envision the difference in sensor sizing just by going through technical specs. The graphic below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and FP5.

As you can tell, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL7 because of its larger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL7 will show more detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The fresher E-PL7 will have an advantage in sensor tech.