Nikon D7000 vs Olympus E-PM2

The Nikon D7000 and the Olympus PEN E-PM2 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2010 and September 2012. The D7000 is a DSLR, while the E-PM2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D7000) and a Four Thirds (E-PM2) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D7000		Olympus E-PM2
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/24p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1050 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
132 x 105 x 77 mm, 780 g		110 x 64 x 34 mm, 269 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D7000 and the Olympus PEN E-PM2? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D7000 and the Olympus E-PM2 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-PM2 can be obtained in four different colors (black, silver, red, white), while the D7000 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PM2 is considerably smaller (49 percent) than the Nikon D7000. Moreover, the E-PM2 is substantially lighter (66 percent) than the D7000. It is worth mentioning in this context that the D7000 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-PM2 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D7000) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-PM2). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-PM2, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the D7000 gets 1050 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15 battery, while the E-PM2 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-5 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D300	147 mm	114 mm	74 mm	925 g	1000	Y	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	999	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-PL6	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	May 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-PM2 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 67 percent) than the D7000, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D7000 features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-PM2 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-PM2 is 39 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.0. The sensor in the D7000 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-PM2 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 16.1MP, the D7000 offers a slightly higher resolution than the E-PM2 (15.9MP), but the D7000 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.80μm versus 3.76μm for the E-PM2) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-PM2 is a much more recent model (by 2 years) than the D7000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The Nikon D7000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-PM2 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the D7000 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the E-PM2 (overall score 8 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 1.7 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
2.		Olympus E-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
3.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
4.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
5.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
6.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64
7.		Nikon D300	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	12.0	679	67
8.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
9.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
10.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
11.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
12.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
14.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
15.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
16.		Olympus E-PL6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.5	12.0	717	68
17.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-PM2 provides a faster frame rate than the D7000. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D7000 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PM2 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PM2 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-4. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D7000 and Olympus E-PM2 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus E-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D200	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D300	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
16.		Olympus E-PL6	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
17.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D7000 has one, while the E-PM2 does not. While the built-in flash of the D7000 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D7000 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D7000 and the E-PM2 write their files to SDXC cards. The D7000 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-PM2 only has one slot. The E-PM2 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D7000 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D7000 and Olympus PEN E-PM2 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D200	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D300	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Olympus E-PL6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the D7000 has a microphone port, which is missing on the E-PM2. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the D7000 and the E-PM2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D7000 was replaced by the Nikon D7100, while the E-PM2 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D7000 and E-PM2 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D7000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PM2 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D7000 or the Olympus E-PM2 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D7000:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (8 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.7 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.3 stops ISO advantage).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1050 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2010).

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PM2:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/30p versus 1080/24p).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 132x105mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 511g or 66 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (67 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the D7000 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D7000 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 10 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D7000 and the Olympus E-PM2 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D7000 and the E-PM2 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D300	..	+ +	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
13.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	999	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-PL6	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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