Olympus E-PM2 vs Sony NEX-7

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony NEX-7, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the E-PM2 (16MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and NEX-7 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM2 was released 18 months after the NEX-7 making them a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before delving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief summary of how the E-PM2 scores against the NEX-7 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM2 & Sony Alpha NEX-7. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery & Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PM2 features external dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Sony NEX-7 has measurements of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony NEX-7 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PM2 vs the NEX-7.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM2 and NEX-7 is 89 and 84 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes simply by checking out specs. The image below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM2 and NEX-7.

All in all, each of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PM2 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony NEX-7 will provide extra detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The fresher E-PM2 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.