Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic GF6

Here is a in depth overview of the Olympus 7030 and Panasonic GF6, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the 7030 (14MP) and the GF6 (16MP) is relatively well matched but the 7030 (1/2.3") and GF6 (Four Thirds) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The 7030 was launched 4 years before the GF6 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 7030 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief overview of how the 7030 grades vs the GF6 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus 7030 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus 7030 Gallery and Panasonic GF6 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera regularly, you will have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 7030 has physical measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GF6 has dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 323 grams (0.71 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus 7030 and Panasonic GF6 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is the front view scale comparison of the 7030 and the GF6.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 7030 and GF6 is 95 and 87 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to see the difference between sensor sizing purely by reading through technical specs. The photograph below might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 7030 and GF6.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The 7030 due to its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic GF6 will resolve extra detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots much more aggressively. The older 7030 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.