Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic GF1

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic GF1, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the 7030 (14MP) and the GF1 (12MP) is very well matched but the 7030 (1/2.3") and GF1 (Four Thirds) enjoy different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The 7030 was announced 3 months after the GF1 which means that they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 7030 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a brief summation of how the 7030 scores vs the GF1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 7030 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus 7030 Gallery and Panasonic GF1 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus 7030 features outside dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Panasonic GF1 has proportions of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs).

See the Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic GF1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the 7030 versus the GF1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the 7030 and GF1 is 95 and 85 respectively.

Often, its tough to picture the difference between sensor dimensions just by checking specs. The image below should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the 7030 and GF1.

All in all, both cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The 7030 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Olympus 7030 will resolve extra detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images far more aggressively.