Olympus 550WP vs Panasonic GF7

Below, we will be evaluating the Olympus 550WP versus Panasonic GF7, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the 550WP (10MP) and GF7 (16MP) and the 550WP (1/2.3") and GF7 (Four Thirds) feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The 550WP was announced 7 years earlier than the GF7 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a quick view of how the 550WP grades vs the GF7 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus 550WP and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7. The whole galleries are available at Olympus 550WP Gallery and Panasonic GF7 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus 550WP provides outer measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GF7 has measurements of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check the Olympus 550WP versus Panasonic GF7 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using during that time. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the 550WP versus the GF7.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 550WP and GF7 is 94 and 90 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to see the difference in sensor sizes simply by going through a spec sheet. The image here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the 550WP and GF7.

As you can see, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The 550WP with its smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh tougher and the Panasonic GF7 will provide more detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged 550WP will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.