Olympus 7040 vs Panasonic FS42

Below is a extensive assessment of the Olympus 7040 versus Panasonic FS42, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference among the sensor resolutions of the 7040 (14MP) and FS42 (10MP) and the 7040 (1/2.3") and FS42 (1/2.5") have different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The 7040 was brought out 9 months later than the FS42 which means that they are both of a similar age. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 7040 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick overview of how the 7040 grades vs the FS42 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 7040 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus 7040 Gallery & Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 7040 has outside measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 144 grams (0.32 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FS42 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Compare the Olympus 7040 versus Panasonic FS42 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the 7040 against the FS42.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the 7040 and FS42 is 95 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, its hard to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic here will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the 7040 and FS42.

As you can see, both cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The 7040 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus 7040 will result in extra detail having its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The newer 7040 should have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.