Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS100

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic ZS100, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the ZS100 (20MP) is very similar but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and ZS100 (1") boast different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL7 was released 16 months earlier than the ZS100 making them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-PL7 scores versus the ZS100 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery and Panasonic ZS100 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL7 enjoys physical 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 ZS100 has specifications of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic ZS100 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at the time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL7 and the ZS100.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL7 and ZS100 is 86 and 87 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to picture the difference between sensor sizing only by reading specs. The visual underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and ZS100.

All in all, both of these cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL7 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS100 will offer extra detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PL7 is going to be behind in sensor technology.