Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS5

Below, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL7 versus Panasonic ZS5, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-PL7 (16MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") possess different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL7 was manufactured 4 years after the ZS5 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E-PL7 grades versus the ZS5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL7 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery & Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL7 provides 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) whilst the Panasonic ZS5 has measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL7 versus Panasonic ZS5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PL7 compared to the ZS5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL7 and ZS5 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to picture the gap in sensor dimensions purely by going through specs. The picture underneath will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL7 and ZS5.

All in all, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL7 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh easier and the Olympus E-PL7 will produce more detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The newer E-PL7 provides an edge in sensor technology.