Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic FP7

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic FP7, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and FP7 (16MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and FP7 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizing.

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The XZ-2 iHS was manufactured 24 months later than the FP7 making them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FP7 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up against the FP7 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7. The entire galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Panasonic FP7 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has outer dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Panasonic FP7 has proportions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 147 grams (0.32 lbs).

Look at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic FP7 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising at that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the XZ-2 iHS versus the FP7.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and FP7 is 85 and 95 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to visualize the difference between sensor sizing purely by looking at a spec sheet. The visual underneath should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the XZ-2 iHS and FP7.

Clearly, the two cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The XZ-2 iHS featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic FP7 will resolve more detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The newer XZ-2 iHS should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.