Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic ZS7

Following is a thorough comparison of the Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic ZS7, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the E-PL7 (16MP) and ZS7 (12MP) and the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and ZS7 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL7 was released 3 years after the ZS7 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS7 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a in-depth comparison, below is a concise summation of how the E-PL7 scores versus the ZS7 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery and Panasonic ZS7 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera often, you need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL7 enjoys outside measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS7 has measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic ZS7 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL7 versus the ZS7.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL7 and ZS7 is 86 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to see the contrast in sensor sizes merely by checking out technical specs. The picture here might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL7 and ZS7.

As you can tell, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PL7 due to its larger sensor will make getting bokeh simpler and the Olympus E-PL7 will provide greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics far more aggressively. The newer E-PL7 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.