Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FP7

Here, we are matching up the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic FP7, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the FP7 (16MP) is very comparable but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and FP7 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL9 was released 7 years after the FP7 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP7 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-PL9 scores versus the FP7 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery and Panasonic FP7 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL9 comes with exterior dimensions of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") having a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) while the Panasonic FP7 has dimensions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") having a weight of 147 grams (0.32 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic FP7 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL9 compared to the FP7.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL9 and FP7 is 85 and 95 respectively.

Generally, its tough to see the contrast in sensor dimensions only by checking out a spec sheet. The pic here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL9 and FP7.

Clearly, both of the cameras feature the identical MP but not the same sensor dimensions. The E-PL9 contains the larger sensor which will make getting shallow DOF less difficult. The more recent E-PL9 will have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.