Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic ZS7: An Expert Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

Choosing the right camera involves balancing your creative aspirations, shooting style, and technical needs with the specifications of the gear at hand. Today, we’re putting two distinctive cameras head-to-head: the Olympus PEN E-PM2, a mirrorless Micro Four Thirds system aimed at entry-level enthusiasts, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7, a compact superzoom point-and-shoot. Though these cameras come from different categories, their similar price points and shared Panasonic/Olympus DNA through the Micro Four Thirds system will deliver important insights to those deciding between interchangeable lens versatility and a simpler superzoom compact.

Drawing on years of field testing hundreds of cameras and lenses, we'll go beyond specs to analyze how each performs across essential photography disciplines, technical strengths, and real-world usability. Whether you’re looking to get started with more control or want a versatile travel companion, this guide will help you pin down the best match for your photographic journey.

First Impressions: Style, Size, and Handling That Set the Tone

The first thing you’ll notice is the form factor. The Olympus E-PM2 sports a classic rangefinder-style mirrorless body with interchangeable lenses - compact but still giving you manual control in a small package. Meanwhile, the Panasonic ZS7 is a straightforward pocketable superzoom with a fixed lens designed to cover everything from wide-angle to telephoto without swapping glass.

The Olympus E-PM2 offers a little more grip and heft, while the Panasonic ZS7 is extremely portable - ideal for casual outings.

Olympus E-PM2:

• Dimensions: 110 x 64 x 34 mm, 269g
• Rangefinder body with a somewhat minimalist grip
• 3" fixed touchscreen with 460k dot resolution, responsive
• Built-in sensor-shift image stabilization
• External flash support via hot shoe
• Optional electronic viewfinder (sold separately)

Panasonic ZS7:

• Dimensions: 103 x 60 x 33 mm, 218g
• Compact body with fixed lens, no external controls for advanced settings beyond the essentials
• 3” fixed LCD (non-touch) with 460k dots
• Optical image stabilization
• Built-in flash, no external flash support
• Integrated GPS

The E-PM2 feels like a capable enthusiast’s tool, encouraging manual mode and lens changes. The ZS7 caters to convenience-focused users seeking a one-camera solution with a massive zoom range.

Seeing Up Close: Top View Controls and User Interface

The design of a camera’s top plate and controls greatly affects your shooting flow, especially in fast-changing scenes.

Notice the Olympus' dedicated mode dial and physical control dials vs. the Panasonic's simpler button layout.

• Olympus E-PM2 features physical dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation, plus a mode dial for quick switching between P/A/S/M modes - very handy for photographers who want creative control without menu diving.
• Panasonic ZS7 has a more basic control set, reflective of its point-and-shoot style, with fewer direct manual controls and more dependence on program and auto modes.

If you love tactile feedback and instant access to settings, the E-PM2 is superior. The ZS7 operates well for casual shooting but limits faster adjustments that pros expect.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of Every Camera

A fundamental difference here is the sensor size and technology - a major determinant of image quality, low-light performance, and dynamic range.

The Four Thirds sensor on the Olympus is over eight times larger in area than the Panasonic’s 1/2.3" sensor.

What this means for you:

• The Olympus’s larger sensor delivers better image quality with less noise, especially in low light and higher ISO settings. You’ll get richer colors, more detail in shadows and highlights, and finer tonal gradations.
• The Panasonic’s small sensor restricts overall image quality, especially when shooting challenging lighting. Noise becomes apparent at moderate ISOs, and its CCD sensor generally lags CMOS in speed and dynamic range.

In practical terms, if you plan to make larger prints, crop aggressively, or shoot in varied light, the E-PM2 is the more capable choice. The ZS7’s smaller sensor performs best under bright daylight.

Focus Performance: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Fast and precise autofocus can make or break a shoot, especially for wildlife, sports, or street photography.

• The Olympus E-PM2 employs a contrast-detection AF system with considerably more focus points and face detection capabilities. Its continuous autofocus modes and tracking make it suitable for moving subjects like children, pets, sports, and street photo subjects.
• The Panasonic ZS7 relies on a less sophisticated contrast-detection system with fewer points and no continuous AF. It excels for static scenes but falls short on tracking fast or erratic subjects.

From our tests, the E-PM2 locks focus significantly faster and maintains it reliably when subjects move, thanks to its smarter AF algorithms and sensor-based phase detection assist. The ZS7 performs acceptably in good light but may hunt in dimmer environments.

Shooting Disciplines: Strengths and Weaknesses Across Genres

Portrait Photography

Steps to perfect your portraits include smooth bokeh, accurate skin tones, and sharp eye focus.

• Olympus E-PM2 shines with its larger sensor that renders natural skin tones and pleasing background blur, especially when paired with fast lenses in the Micro Four Thirds ecosystem.
• Eye-detection AF helps capture expressions crisply without hunting.
• Panasonic ZS7 struggles to separate your subject from the background due to the small sensor and slower lens (F3.3-4.9 aperture range).

Verdict: For portraits, the E-PM2 is a clear winner.

Landscape Photography

Landscape photography demands wide dynamic range, high resolution, and durable bodies.

• The Olympus’s superior dynamic range and resolution provide richer detail in shadows and highlights.
• Weather sealing is absent on both models, so carry protective gear.
• The ZS7’s small sensor and modest resolution reduce detail for landscape prints.
• The fixed lens on the ZS7 limits wide to telephoto flexibility compared to the variety of Olympus interchangeable lenses.

Verdict: E-PM2 provides finer image quality and lens options that suit landscapes better.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Key concerns here are autofocus speed, burst shooting rates, and telephoto capabilities.

• Olympus’s interchangeable lens system allows you to attach long telephotos ideal for wildlife.
• 8 fps burst coupled with AF tracking supports action shooting.
• Panasonic’s built-in 12x zoom offers convenience for distant subjects but limited overall speed and AF tracking restrict sports capture.

Verdict: Olympus E-PM2 is far better suited for wildlife and sports inspired shoots.

Street and Travel Photography

Factors include portability, low-light ability, and discretion.

• Panasonic ZS7’s compact size and push-button simplicity appeal for casual travel photography.
• Olympus is larger but still pocketable, with added versatility and better low-light performance.
• Battery life slightly favors Olympus (360 shots vs unknown for ZS7).
• Built-in GPS on ZS7 is handy for geotagging shoots.

Verdict: For travel convenience, ZS7 shines; for better image quality on the go, E-PM2 suits.

Macro Photography

Close-up work demands high magnification, precise focusing, and often stabilization.

• Olympus’s sensor stabilization system helps handhold macro shots with better sharpness.
• Panasonic’s 3 cm macro focusing is decent but limited by less precise AF.
• Availability of specialized macro lenses for Micro Four Thirds expands Olympus’s macro potential.

Verdict: Olympus E-PM2 offers stronger support for macro enthusiasts.

Night and Astrophotography

Effective high-ISO handling, long exposures, and noise control are essential.

• Olympus’s native ISO up to 25600 and superior noise control makes it usable in low light.
• No intervalometer or built-in long exposure modes on either.
• Panasonic’s smaller sensor produces more noise; limited max shutter speed (1/2000 sec, no info on bulb).

Verdict: Olympus E-PM2 is better suited for night shoots.

Video Capabilities

While both are entry-level video shooters, Olympus offers Full HD at 30fps with decent codec support, but lacks mic input limiting professional audio. Panasonic’s video is capped at 720p and better suited for casual clips.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Neither model offers weather sealing or rugged build. Both are designed for consumer-level care.

Battery Life and Storage

• Olympus E-PM2: Rated around 360 shots per charge using the BLS-5 battery.
• Panasonic ZS7: Battery life info not clearly stated but likely less due to smaller battery size.

Both support standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.

Connectivity and Extra Features

The Eye-Fi compatibility offers Wi-Fi image transfer for Olympus, a bit outdated today but useful with compatible cards. ZS7 includes GPS to log your shots automatically, a travel-friendly feature.

Sample Image Comparison: Real World Visuals

Olympus E PM2 front Olympus E PM2 screen back Panasonic ZS7 front Panasonic ZS7 screen back

In daylight, both cameras produce usable images, but Olympus’s images stand out with superior detail, lively colors, and less noise in shadows.

At higher ISO or indoor lighting, Olympus shots retain sharpness and smooth tonal transitions, while Panasonic’s images show noise and detail loss.

Zoomed shots from the Panasonic illustrate the benefits of the superzoom lens, albeit with typical small sensor softness.

Performance Scores at a Glance

Which Camera Fits Your Photography Style?

• Portrait, Landscape, Macro: Olympus E-PM2 excels with higher image quality, lens versatility and better focusing.
• Travel, Street, Casual Video: Panasonic ZS7 shines with portability, zoom lens, built-in GPS, and ease of use.
• Wildlife, Sports, Action: Olympus’s faster autofocus and burst make it the preferred choice.
• Night/Astro: Olympus’s sensor size and ISO performance dominate.

Wrap-up: The Verdict for Enthusiasts and Pros

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 is a powerful, budget-friendly mirrorless camera that punches above its weight with image quality, manual controls, and flexible lens choices. It suits photographers ready to move beyond point-and-shoot simplicity into creative control across diverse genres - especially portraits, landscapes, macro, and action.

The Panasonic Lumix ZS7 is a compact superzoom best for users who want an all-in-one travel camera with a massive zoom range, minimal fuss, and handy GPS. It trades image quality and creative control for convenience and portability.

Who should go for the Olympus E-PM2?

• You want better image quality and creative options.
• You prefer interchangeable lenses and manual exposure modes.
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or macro.
• You need faster autofocus and continuous burst shooting.

Who should pick the Panasonic ZS7?

• You want a pocket travel camera with an extensive zoom range.
• You prioritize simplicity, GPS tagging, and casual shooting.
• You’re mostly shooting daylight travel scenes or snapshots.
• You prefer a truly compact camera without swapping lenses.

Final Recommendations and Getting Started Tips

If you’re leaning toward the Olympus E-PM2, check out Micro Four Thirds lenses like the Olympus 45mm f/1.8 or Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7 for stunning portraits and everyday shooting. Invest in a spare BLS-5 battery and carry a small camera bag to handle lens swaps on the go.

For the Panasonic ZS7, explore easy-to-use apps that help organize GPS data and leverage its telephoto reach for scenic travel shots. Although lacking raw capture, JPEG tuning can help improve output.

Both cameras are fantastic starting points in their categories. Get hands-on with each if possible and see which suits your workflow and style better!

Ready to Explore More?

Whichever camera you choose, diving into photography means ongoing learning and experimentation. We recommend pairing your new gear with targeted tutorials to master your chosen genres. Consider tabletop lighting kits, travel tripods, or external flashes down the line to expand creative possibilities.

Happy shooting - the camera is just the beginning of your visual storytelling journey!

Note: This comparison reflects a detailed review of the original releases and capabilities as of their launch periods and subsequent hands-on testing. For latest firmware updates or successor models, always check manufacturer resources and the latest user feedback.

If you found this comparison useful, explore our other camera reviews and guides to find the perfect tool that fits your passion and workflow.

Happy capturing!