Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FZ100

Below is a detailed review of the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FZ100, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the FZ100 (14MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and FZ100 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor size.

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The E-PL7 was announced 4 years later than the FZ100 and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL7 scores versus the FZ100 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL7 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery & Panasonic FZ100 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL7 features physical dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ100 has specifications of 124mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.2" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 540 grams (1.19 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FZ100 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL7 vs the FZ100.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL7 and FZ100 is 86 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to picture the contrast between sensor measurements just by going over a spec sheet. The photograph here might provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and FZ100.

Clearly, both of those cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL7 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus E-PL7 will offer extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots a little more aggressively. The more modern E-PL7 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.