Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic SZ5

Here is a thorough overview of the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic SZ5, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the SZ5 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and SZ5 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL7 was brought out 2 years later than the SZ5 and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-PL7 matches up vs the SZ5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL7 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery & Panasonic SZ5 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL7 features external dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Panasonic SZ5 has sizing of 104mm x 58mm x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") and a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic SZ5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL7 against the SZ5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL7 and SZ5 is 86 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, its difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing purely by checking a spec sheet. The graphic below may give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and SZ5.

As you can see, both of the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL7 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL7 will give extra detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The fresher E-PL7 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.