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Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40

Portability
86
Imaging
53
Features
81
Overall
64
Olympus PEN E-PL7 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 front
Portability
90
Imaging
43
Features
58
Overall
49

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL7
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 357g - 115 x 67 x 38mm
  • Launched September 2014
  • Older Model is Olympus E-PL6
  • Later Model is Olympus E-PL8
Panasonic ZS40
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200 (Expand to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.3-6.4) lens
  • 240g - 111 x 64 x 34mm
  • Released January 2014
  • Alternate Name is Lumix DMC-TZ60
  • Older Model is Panasonic ZS35
  • Updated by Panasonic ZS45
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Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 Overview

Below, we are analyzing the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the ZS40 (18MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and ZS40 (1/2.3") use different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL7 was revealed 8 months later than the ZS40 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a in depth comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-PL7 scores against the ZS40 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL7 over the Panasonic ZS40

 E-PL7 ZS40 
ReleasedSeptember 2014January 2014Fresher by 8 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display resolution1037k920kClearer display (+117k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies
Touch display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS40 over the Olympus E-PL7

 ZS40 E-PL7 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic ZS40

 E-PL7 ZS40 
Manually focus Very accurate focus
Display dimension3"3"Identical display sizing

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 Physical Comparison

For those who are aiming to carry your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL7 offers outer measurements 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 ZS40 has sizing of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is the front view size comparison of the E-PL7 against the ZS40.

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL7 and ZS40 is 86 and 90 respectively.

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it's difficult to visualize the gap between sensor sizing just by reading through specifications. The visual below may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL7 and ZS40.

Plainly, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL7 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic ZS40 will resolve greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The younger E-PL7 provides a benefit in sensor innovation.

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 as a Portrait photography camera
Panasonic ZS40 as a Portrait photography camera
71
focusing manually
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers face detect autofocus
saves RAW formats
52
focusing manually
decent sensor resolution (18MP)
supports face detection focus
delivers RAW formats
no external flash support
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-PL7
Street photography with Panasonic ZS40
84
has a tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
has touch focus
above average high ISO (25,600)
69
built in image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW formats
lighter than average in class (240 grams)
screen does not articulate
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Sports photography highlights
Panasonic ZS40 Sports photography highlights
66
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent megapixels (16MP)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers tracking focus
no phase detect autofocus
54
excellent zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (18MP)
supports tracking autofocus
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Travel photography details
Panasonic ZS40 Travel photography details
85
has touch focus
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
screen is selfie friendly
69
lighter than average in class (240g)
decent sensor resolution (18MP)
has built in flash
pretty wide (24mm)
long reach (720mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
screen is not selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Landscape photography details
Panasonic ZS40 Landscape photography details
79
focusing manually
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
decent sized screen (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
above average high ISO (25,600)
saves RAW formats
56
focusing manually
pretty wide (24mm)
decent sized screen (3")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (18 megapixels)
delivers RAW formats
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-PL7
Vlogging with Panasonic ZS40
78
screen is selfie friendly
has touchscreen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detect autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
missing microphone socket
34
pretty wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average in class (240 grams)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
screen is not selfie friendly
doesn't have external mic port
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Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS40 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic ZS40
 Olympus PEN E-PL7Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus PEN E-PL7 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40
Also called - Lumix DMC-TZ60
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2014-09-01 2014-01-06
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic VII Venus Engine
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 18 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 4608 x 3456 4896 x 3672
Maximum native ISO 25600 3200
Maximum enhanced ISO - 6400
Minimum native ISO 100 100
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points 81 23
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-720mm (30.0x)
Max aperture - f/3.3-6.4
Macro focusing range - 3cm
Amount of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Range of screen Tilting Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Screen resolution 1,037k dot 920k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen technology - TFT LCD with AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 200k dot
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60 secs 4 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shutter speed 8.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 6.40 m
Flash modes no built-in flash Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p/60i/30p), 1280 x 720 (60p/30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 357 grams (0.79 lbs) 240 grams (0.53 lbs)
Dimensions 115 x 67 x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") 111 x 64 x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 72 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 22.7 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.4 not tested
DXO Low light rating 873 not tested
Other
Battery life 350 photographs 300 photographs
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLS-50 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots One One
Pricing at release $499 $450