Olympus XZ-1 vs Panasonic FS7

Here is a in-depth review of the Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic FS7, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Ultracompact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the XZ-1 (10MP) and the FS7 (10MP) is fairly close but the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and FS7 (1/2.5") provide totally different sensor size.

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The XZ-1 was introduced 2 years later than the FS7 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS7 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise overview of how the XZ-1 matches up versus the FS7 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS7. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery & Panasonic FS7 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus XZ-1 comes with physical measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Panasonic FS7 has dimensions of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") and a weight of 139 grams (0.31 lbs).

Compare the Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic FS7 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at the time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the XZ-1 against the FS7.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-1 and FS7 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to envision the gap in sensor sizing merely by viewing specs. The visual underneath might give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-1 and FS7.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras come with the identical MP but not the same sensor sizing. The XZ-1 comes with the larger sensor which will make getting shallower depth of field easier. The newer XZ-1 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.