Olympus 7040 vs Panasonic GM5

Below, we are reviewing the Olympus 7040 versus Panasonic GM5, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the 7040 (14MP) and the GM5 (16MP) is very comparable but the 7040 (1/2.3") and GM5 (Four Thirds) feature different sensor sizes.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The 7040 was manufactured 5 years earlier than the GM5 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 7040 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go in to a complete comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the 7040 scores vs the GM5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 7040 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5. The entire galleries are available at Olympus 7040 Gallery & Panasonic GM5 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus 7040 offers external measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 144 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Panasonic GM5 has sizing of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs).

Look at the Olympus 7040 versus Panasonic GM5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Following is the front view scale comparison of the 7040 compared to the GM5.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 7040 and GM5 is 95 and 91 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizing merely by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the 7040 and GM5.

As you can see, both of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The 7040 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Panasonic GM5 will show extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older 7040 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.