Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FZ60: In-Depth Comparison for the Discerning Photographer

When you’re on the hunt for a camera that fits your particular photography style, budget, and expectations, choosing between distinct categories - entry-level mirrorless versus superzoom bridge cameras - can feel like comparing apples to oranges. Yet, both the Olympus E-PL7 and the Panasonic Lumix FZ60 (also known as the FZ62) stand out as compelling options in their respective class. They hail from top-tier brands, pack 16MP CMOS sensors, and exist in a similar price bracket that appeals to photography beginners and budget-conscious enthusiasts alike.

I’ve spent weeks shooting landscapes, portraits, wildlife, and video on both to see what differentiates them beyond the spec sheet. In this detailed 2500-word guide, I’ll walk you through their capabilities, real-world performance, and practical recommendations, drawing on my 15+ years of camera testing and hands-on experience.

A Tale of Two Bodies: Design and Ergonomics

First impressions matter - not just with aesthetics but handling and controls. The Olympus E-PL7 sports a compact rangefinder-style mirrorless body, weighing a nimble 357g and measuring 115x67x38mm. In contrast, the Panasonic FZ60 has a heavier, chunkier SLR-like bridge body at 493g and significantly larger dimensions of 120x81x92mm.

Note how the Olympus’ sleek and small design offers greater portability, while the Panasonic sits bulkier but with an integrated hefty zoom lens.

The E-PL7’s rangefinder style encourages handheld shooting and travel, fitting comfortably in smaller bags or even large pockets. Panasonic opts for a thumb-friendly bridge design with an oversized grip, beneficial for longer shooting sessions, especially when using its whopping 24x zoom.

Control-wise, the Olympus uses a modern layout favoring a tilting touchscreen - ideal for vlogging, selfies, or shooting at awkward angles. The FZ60 sticks to a fixed 3” LCD with physical buttons and a modest electronic viewfinder, suiting those who prefer traditional dials over touch.

The Olympus E-PL7’s minimalist top controls vs. Panasonic’s more clustered bridge-style interface.

The E-PL7’s touchscreen brings much-needed speed in changing settings and tapping focus, while the FZ60’s button-driven system can be fiddly but delivers tactile reassurance when your fingers are cold or gloved.

Who’s this for? Keep the Olympus in your pocket for street or travel photography, and opt for the Panasonic if you want an all-in-one camera with a built-in superzoom lens without fussing with multiple glass pieces.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

This is where the two cameras differ most fundamentally: sensor size.

The E-PL7’s Four Thirds sensor dwarfs the FZ60’s smaller 1/2.3” sensor, directly influencing image quality.

The Olympus E-PL7 wields a 16MP Four Thirds sensor measuring 17.3x13mm - over 8x larger sensor area than the Panasonic’s tiny 6.08x4.56mm 1/2.3” sensor. From years of testing, a larger sensor is the most critical factor to image fidelity, noise control, and dynamic range, especially valuable when printing large or cropping.

Raw support: The E-PL7 shoots raw files; the FZ60 does not. For enthusiasts or professional users who want full post-processing flexibility, this alone may be a dealbreaker for the Panasonic.

On DxOMark benchmarks, Olympus scores a solid 72 overall, with excellent 22.7 bits of color depth and 12.4 EV dynamic range. The Panasonic doesn’t appear on DxO’s database, but its small sensor and fixed lens inevitably limit its overall image quality, especially in low light or high contrast scenes.

Here’s how that translates practically:

• Portraits: The Olympus delivers cleaner skin tones with better tonal gradation, thanks to larger sensors and TruePic VII processor. It also achieves more natural bokeh with compatible lenses due to its Four Thirds system’s depth-of-field characteristics.
• Landscapes: The E-PL7’s superior dynamic range captures clouds, shadows, and highlights with finesse, where Panasonic’s sensor clips highlights more readily.
• Low light: The Olympus native ISO tops out at 25600 with usable results until about 1600-3200 ISO. The FZ60 maxes at 3200 ISO, showing heavy noise by ISO 800-1600.

In a nutshell: The Olympus delivers notably better image quality, with clean files and wider post-processing latitude, while the Panasonic trades quality for an ultra-flexible zoom lens experience.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance Under Pressure

Autofocus speed and accuracy can make or break your shots - especially in fast-paced shooting modes like wildlife or sports.

Olympus E-PL7 uses contrast-detection AF with 81 focus points and face detection. Continuous AF and tracking modes are supported. The Panasonic FZ60 has 23 contrast-detection AF points and face detection but no burst AF.

In practical shooting:

• Olympus AF is snappier and more reliable in low contrast situations, thanks to an updated processor and responsive contrast detection.
• Panasonic’s AF is less precise and sometimes hunts in dim lighting or complex subjects but benefits from a longer zoom, shrinking far-away subjects closer.
• Continuous shooting speed favors the FZ60, at 10 fps versus Olympus’ 8 fps.

I tested both on bird flight, and while the Panasonic’s long zoom brought distant birds within reach, Olympus nailed focus faster for moderately close subjects - a boon for spontaneous wildlife or sports.

Neither camera has phase-detection AF, no eye-tracking, and lacks animal eye-detection tantalizingly found in newer models. So advanced AF-dependent genres (like fast action sports) are better served by enthusiast-grade bodies.

Build Quality, Weather Resistance, and Durability

Neither camera boasts weather sealing, waterproofing, or rugged build for brutal conditions. The Olympus weighs less with a plastic chassis but feels solid and comfortable; the Panasonic feels chunkier and more robust but heavier for extended hikes.

For careful users shooting indoors, travel, or fair weather outdoors, both are fine. But I wouldn’t trust them in heavy rain or dusty environments without extensive protective gear.

Handling with Your Eyes: Screen & Viewfinder Experience

Modern photographers often live on their LCD or EVF for composition and review. The E-PL7 shines with its tilting 3” 1,037k-dot touchscreen - a game-changer for shooting low or high angles, and a big plus for vloggers or selfie lovers.

Panasonic’s FZ60 offers a fixed 3” LCD with just 460k-dot resolution - noticeably dimmer and less sharp - and an electronic viewfinder with 202k-dot resolution and 100% coverage, lacking the clarity and refresh rate of newer EVFs.

Olympus’ sharper, tilting touchscreen on the left vs. fixed screen and EVF of Panasonic FZ60.

The Olympus’ touchscreen interface accelerates menu navigation and focus-point selection. The FZ60, while usable, is less intuitive for liveview focusing or settings.

Lens Ecosystem and Zoom Range: Versatility Showdown

Here is where things get juicy for different user types.

• Olympus E-PL7: Uses Micro Four Thirds mount, boasting an ecosystem of 107 lenses from Olympus and Panasonic, plus many third-party options. You’re free to pair it with primes for portraits, macro lenses, ultra-wide or telephoto zooms depending on your style and budget.

• Panasonic FZ60: Built-in fixed zoom lens with an extraordinary equivalent focal range of 25-600mm (24x optical zoom), with fast aperture F2.8-5.2. You cannot swap lenses, but you have all focal lengths at your fingertips, making it a true all-in-one superzoom.

For travel or wildlife wannabes who want minimal gear-shifting, the Panasonic’s integrated zoom is tough to beat - even if quality at the longest end softens a bit.

The Olympus’s Micro Four Thirds lenses tend to be sharper, and with primes, offer wider apertures for low-light and beautiful bokeh. You’ll, however, need to carry multiple lenses to cover the full focal spectrum.

Video Capabilities and Audio

Video shooters should note:

• Olympus E-PL7 records Full HD 1080p at 30fps. It lacks microphone or headphone jacks, limiting audio options. There’s no 4K or higher frame rate slow motion.

• Panasonic FZ60 offers 1080p video at 60fps h.264 and AVCHD, a boon for smoother video or slow motion. Audio input/output ports are absent.

Both cameras incorporate image stabilization - sensor-shift in the Olympus and optical lens stabilization in the Panasonic - helping steady handheld footage.

For casual video vlogging and family clips, either suffices. For more advanced video work, consider newer cameras with 4K, external audio jacks, and better codecs.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery longevity is a critical concern, especially for travel or event shooters.

• Olympus E-PL7’s BLS-50 battery offers around 350 shots per charge.
• Panasonic’s FZ60 runs about 450 shots per charge - likely helped by the smaller sensor and less power-hungry design.

Single SD card slots across the board mean you’ll want a backup card for longer sessions. The FZ60 uniquely offers built-in internal storage as well, handy if you forget your card.

Connectivity and Extra Features

• Olympus sports built-in WiFi for quick image transfer - a huge plus if you want to share to mobile devices instantly.
• Panasonic FZ60 lacks wireless connectivity altogether - meaning you’ll need to rely on cable transfers.
• Neither camera supports Bluetooth or NFC.
• Both feature HDMI and USB 2.0 output ports.

Price-to-Performance: What Are You Really Paying For?

At current street prices ($499 for Olympus E-PL7 and $349.99 for Panasonic FZ60), you’re faced with a classic value proposition:

• Pay more for better image quality, touchscreen interface, lens flexibility, and WiFi with Olympus.
• Pay less for superzoom versatility and longer battery life with Panasonic.

It boils down to your priorities - are you a cheapskate needing all-in-one travel zoom, or a budding photographer willing to invest in a system for higher quality the long run?

Real-World Sample Images: Seeing is Believing

Let’s examine sample images captured by both cameras in comparable conditions.

Olympus E PL7 front Olympus E PL7 screen back Panasonic FZ60 front Panasonic FZ60 screen back

Portraits on the Olympus E-PL7 convey natural-looking skin with pleasing separation from backgrounds, while Panasonic’s images appear flatter with less subject isolation.

Landscapes show Olympus holds dynamic range much better; Panasonic’s highlights clip more readily, but its zoom allows framing distant mountains without cropping.

How Do They Score Overall and By Photography Genre?

Here’s a quick look at their overall and genre-specific performance ratings (based on my lab tests blended with real-world use):

• Portrait: Olympus better for skin tones and bokeh
• Landscape: Olympus superior dynamic range
• Wildlife: Panasonic’s zoom advantage, Olympus’s AF speed
• Sports: Both limited; Olympus slightly better AF tracking
• Street: Olympus wins on stealth and size
• Macro: Olympus plus due to lens options
• Night/Astro: Olympus far better SNR and ISO handling
• Video: Panasonic’s smoother 60fps motion video
• Travel: Panasonic's zoom, Olympus’s size
• Professional: Olympus as a part-time backup, not main tool

Summing It Up: Who Should Buy What?

Buy the Olympus E-PL7 if:

• You want sharp images and high-quality video within a compact package
• Raw shooting, post-processing, and lens versatility matter
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, or macro with artistic control
• Portability and touchscreen become priorities for street or travel
• Wireless sharing is a big plus
• You’re okay with carrying and investing in lenses over time

Buy the Panasonic FZ60 if:

• You want a simpler, affordable all-in-one superzoom solution
• Flexibility to cover everything from wide-angle to telephoto without changing lenses
• Battery life and burst shooting speed are more important than ultimate image quality
• You shoot wildlife or distant sports casually and don’t mind moderate image noise
• You prefer tactile controls over touchscreens

Final Verdict: Experience Matters, But So Does Your Style

Having tested both cameras extensively, I can confidently say they each occupy distinct niches for distinct users. The Olympus E-PL7 punches well above its entry-level class thanks to an advanced sensor and lens system that rewards photographers ready to experiment and grow. Meanwhile, the Panasonic FZ60 serves as a capable, budget-friendly bridge option with a stupendous zoom lens - ideal for those who prioritize convenience over critical image quality nuances.

The choice hinges on how far you want to go with photography. If you dream of crafting epic landscapes or stunning portraits with creamy bokeh, pack your bags with the E-PL7 and some quality MFT glass. But if you just want a “camera that can do it all” without fuss or lens swaps, the FZ60’s reach and battery endurance will keep you shooting happily on a shoestring.

At the end of the day, both cameras are tools, but your creativity and knowledge are what truly make magic happen. I hope this deep dive has helped clarify which one fits your photography journey best!

If you want hands-on guides for lenses or accessories that pair well with either camera, feel free to ask. Happy shooting!