Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison

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Olympus 7030

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic ZS50

12 MP | 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

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Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing 7030 and ZS50, two Compact cameras from Olympus and Panasonic. Olympus Stylus 7030 is a Small Sensor Compact class camera and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 is a Small Sensor Superzoom class camera.

Olympus 7030 was introduced to market in January 2010 and Panasonic ZS50 was launched in January 2015. As you can see, 7030 is 5 years older than ZS50. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus 7030 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-01-07

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 64 - 1600

28-196 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

2.70" Fixed Type Screen

1.0fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

140g. 93 x 56 x 26 mm

Also known as mju 7030

Panasonic ZS50 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2015-01-06

12MP - 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

1166k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

243g. 111 x 65 x 34 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ70

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 Compare

Panasonic ZS50 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Olympus Stylus 7030 (mju 7030)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus 7030 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50

Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
Weight	140 g vs 243 g	103 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele

CHECK 7030 PRICE

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 over Olympus Stylus 7030

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max ISO	6.400 vs 1.600	300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size	3 vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 230k dots	352% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 1.0fps	9 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	720mm vs 196mm	524 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	30x vs 7×	more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage	6.4m vs 5.7m	0.7m longer range
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 640 x 480	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

CHECK ZS50 PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus Stylus 7030 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light

Common Weaknesses of Olympus Stylus 7030 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.40	Slow lenses at tele

Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic ZS50: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus 7030 has external dimensions of 93 x 56 x 26 mm (3.66 x 2.2 x 1.02″) and weighs 140 g (0.31 lb / 4.94 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic ZS50 has external dimensions of 111 x 65 x 34 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.34″) and weighs 243 g (0.54 lb / 8.57 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50. Olympus 7030 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 18mm narrower, 9mm shorter and 8mm thinner than Panasonic ZS50.

Comparison image of Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus 7030 is significantly lighter (103g ) than the Panasonic ZS50 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

7030

ZS50

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

7030

ZS50

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus Stylus 7030 (mju 7030) nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70) provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS50's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Olympus 7030's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic ZS50: Sensor Comparison

Olympus 7030 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III processor. On the other hand, Panasonic ZS50 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the 7030 and ZS50 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 Cameras

Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic ZS50 Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus 7030 features a 28-196 mm F3.0-5.9 7× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS50 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30x zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS50 has 4mm wider coverage than the Olympus 7030. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.00, Olympus 7030 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS50 has 524mm longer telezoom reach than the Olympus 7030. However, with a max aperture of f5.90, Olympus 7030 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

7030

ZS50

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

7030

ZS50

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

7030

ZS50

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

7030

ZS50

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Olympus 7030 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Olympus 7030 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS50 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Olympus 7030 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
196 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Olympus 7030 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS50 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
140g
7.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
243g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Olympus 7030 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Landscape Photography

POOR

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus 7030 vs Panasonic ZS50: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Olympus 7030 and Panasonic ZS50 scores compare:

Olympus 7030

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #323 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #980 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #20 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #350 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus 7030 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Olympus 7030. Otherwise, Panasonic ZS50 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS50 vs Olympus 7030 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Olympus Stylus 7030	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Brand	Olympus	Panasonic
Announced	2010-01-07	2015-01-06
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	27.72mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4288 x 3216	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	64 ISO	80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	n/a	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-196 mm (7×)	24-720 mm (30x)
Max Aperture	F3.0-5.9	F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range	2cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.70"	3.00"
Resolution	230k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a	0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.70 m	6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	640 x 480	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	140g	243g
Dimensions	93 x 56 x 26mm	111 x 65 x 34mm
Battery Life	n/a	300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	44
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.0
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.2
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	138
	Report a correction	Report a correction