Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic SZ7

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic SZ7, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the SZ7 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and SZ7 (1/2.3") provide different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL8 was introduced 4 years after the SZ7 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ7 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-PL8 matches up versus the SZ7 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Panasonic SZ7 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL8 features outer dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ7 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") and a weight of 133 grams (0.29 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic SZ7 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL8 compared to the SZ7.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and SZ7 is 86 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to picture the difference between sensor dimensions merely by reading through a spec sheet. The pic below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL8 and SZ7.

As you can see, both the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL8 with its bigger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Olympus E-PL8 will give more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The fresher E-PL8 provides an edge with regard to sensor technology.