Panasonic GX7 vs Olympus E-M10 III

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2013 and August 2017. Both the GX7 and the E-M10 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 15.8 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

Panasonic GX7		Olympus E-M10 III
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor		15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-25,600		ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		8.6 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
350 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
123 x 71 x 55 mm, 402 g		122 x 84 x 50 mm, 410 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III? 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 Panasonic GX7 and the Olympus E-M10 III 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M10 III is notably larger (17 percent) than the Panasonic GX7. Moreover, the E-M10 III is slightly heavier (2 percent) than the GX7. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GX7 nor the E-M10 III are weather-sealed.

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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the GX7 gets 350 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 battery, while the E-M10 III can take 330 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 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.		Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	649	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M10 IV	122 mm	84 mm	49 mm	383 g	360	n	Aug 2020	699	amazon.com
4.		Olympus E-PL10	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Oct 2019	599	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	549	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G85	128 mm	89 mm	74 mm	505 g	330	Y	Sep 2016	899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX85	122 mm	71 mm	44 mm	426 g	290	n	Apr 2016	799	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GM5	99 mm	60 mm	36 mm	211 g	220	n	Sep 2014	749	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic G5	120 mm	83 mm	71 mm	396 g	320	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic GH2	124 mm	90 mm	76 mm	442 g	330	n	Sep 2010	899	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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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-M10 III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 35 percent) than the GX7, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-M10 III offers a slightly higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 15.8 MP of the GX7. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M10 III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.77μm for the GX7). However, it should be noted that the E-M10 III is much more recent (by 4 years and 1 month) than the GX7, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M10 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718	70
2.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1120	74
3.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.2	1402	76
4.		Olympus E-PL10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
5.		Olympus E-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1162	74
6.		Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.6	1030	73
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
8.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
9.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
10.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
11.		Panasonic G85	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	656	71
12.		Panasonic GX85	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.9	12.6	662	71
13.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
14.		Panasonic GM5	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.1	11.7	721	66
15.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
16.		Panasonic G5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.4	11.6	618	61
17.		Panasonic GH2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	21.2	11.3	655	60
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 also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the E-M10 III provides a better video resolution than the GX7. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Panasonic is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the GX7 offers a higher resolution than the one in the E-M10 III (2760k vs 2360k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic GX7, the Olympus E-M10 III, and comparable 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.		Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
3.		Olympus E-M10 IV	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	15.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Olympus E-PL10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
5.		Olympus E-PL9	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
6.		Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic G85	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic GX85	2765	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic GM5	1166	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	n	n
15.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic G5	1440	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic GH2	1534	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic GX7 and the Olympus E-M10 III both have 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 GX7 and the E-M10 III write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M10 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the GX7 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III 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.		Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Olympus E-PL10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Olympus E-PL9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic G85	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic GX85	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Panasonic GM5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic G5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic GH2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the GX7 and the E-M10 III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The GX7 was replaced by the Panasonic GX85, while the E-M10 III was followed by the Olympus E-M10 IV. Further information on the features and operation of the GX7 and E-M10 III can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GX7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M10 III Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic GX7 better than the Olympus E-M10 III or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2760k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.62x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x71mm vs 122x84mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2013).

Arguments in favor of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8.6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (35 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 1 month of technical progress since the GX7 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the GX7 comes out slightly ahead of the E-M10 III (7 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Panasonic GX7 and the Olympus E-M10 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the GX7 or the E-M10 III perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.		Panasonic GX7	4/5	+	..	79/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	649	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M10 IV	4.5/5	..	5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2020	699	amazon.com
4.		Olympus E-PL10	..	..	4/5	77/100	..	4/5	Oct 2019	599	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PL9	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-PL8	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	549	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G85	..	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX85	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	799	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GM5	3.5/5	+	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	749	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic G5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic GH2	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2010	899	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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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