Olympus 7040 vs Panasonic FZ70

Following is a in-depth assessment of the Olympus 7040 and Panasonic FZ70, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the 7040 (14MP) and the FZ70 (16MP) is pretty well matched and they enjoy the exact same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The 7040 was unveiled 4 years before the FZ70 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 7040 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ70 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the 7040 matches up vs the FZ70 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus 7040 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus 7040 Gallery and Panasonic FZ70 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus 7040 enjoys outer measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 144 grams (0.32 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ70 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 118mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 4.6") accompanied by a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus 7040 and Panasonic FZ70 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the 7040 compared to the FZ70.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 7040 and FZ70 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to see the difference between sensor sizes purely by looking at specs. The picture here might offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 7040 and FZ70.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Panasonic FZ70 to give you greater detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The more aged 7040 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.