Olympus 7040 vs Panasonic GF5

Below is a complete overview of the Olympus 7040 vs Panasonic GF5, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the 7040 (14MP) and the GF5 (12MP) is relatively well matched but the 7040 (1/2.3") and GF5 (Four Thirds) posses different sensor sizing.

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The 7040 was unveiled 3 years prior to the GF5 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 7040 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the 7040 matches up against the GF5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus 7040 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus 7040 Gallery and Panasonic GF5 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus 7040 offers outside measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") with a weight of 144 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Panasonic GF5 has proportions of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs).

Look at the Olympus 7040 vs Panasonic GF5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the 7040 and the GF5.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the 7040 and GF5 is 95 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to imagine the gap between sensor measurements merely by checking technical specs. The graphic below will offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the 7040 and GF5.

As you can tell, both the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The 7040 using its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field tougher and the Olympus 7040 will resolve extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots way more aggressively. The older 7040 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.