Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FH7

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FH7, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the FH7 (16MP) is very comparable but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and FH7 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL8 was brought out 5 years later than the FH7 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH7 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-PL8 scores vs the FH7 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Panasonic FH7 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL8 enjoys outside 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 FH7 has measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FH7 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the E-PL8 against the FH7.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and FH7 is 86 and 96 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to envision the contrast in sensor sizing merely by checking out specs. The photograph below should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL8 and FH7.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras have the same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizing. The E-PL8 offers the larger sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field easier. The more modern E-PL8 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.