OM System TG-7 vs Panasonic GF7

The OM System Tough TG-7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2023 and January 2015. The TG-7 is a fixed lens compact, while the GF7 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (TG-7) and a Four Thirds (GF7) sensor. The OM System has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 15.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

OM System TG-7		Panasonic GF7
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
25-100mm f/2.0-4.9		Micro Four Thirds lenses
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-12,800		ISO 200-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
20 shutter flaps per second		5.8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Waterproof body (15m)		not weather sealed
330 shots per battery charge		230 shots per battery charge
114 x 66 x 33 mm, 249 g		107 x 65 x 33 mm, 266 g

Check TG-7 price at
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Check GF7 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the OM System Tough TG-7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7? 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 OM System TG-7 and the Panasonic GF7 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TG-7 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the GF7 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, pink).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GF7 is notably smaller (8 percent) than the OM System TG-7. It is worth mentioning in this context that the TG-7 is splash and dust resistant, while the GF7 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the TG-7 is water-proof up to 15m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the TG-7 has a lens built in, whereas the GF7 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the GF7 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the TG-7 gets 330 shots out of its OM System LI-92B battery, while the GF7 can take 230 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLH7 power pack. The power pack in the TG-7 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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	Street Price
1.		OM System TG-7	114 mm	66 mm	33 mm	249 g	330	Y	Sep 2023	US$ 549	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic GF7	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	266 g	230	n	Jan 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus TG-4	112 mm	66 mm	31 mm	247 g	380	Y	Apr 2015	US$ 379	ebay.com
7.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
8.		Olympus TG-6	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	253 g	340	Y	May 2019	US$ 449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus XZ-1	111 mm	65 mm	42 mm	275 g	320	n	Jan 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Olympus XZ-2	113 mm	65 mm	48 mm	346 g	340	n	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ330	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	US$ 599	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G7	125 mm	86 mm	77 mm	410 g	350	n	May 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX800	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	269 g	210	n	Jan 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Pentax MX-1	122 mm	61 mm	51 mm	391 g	290	n	Jan 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the OM System TG-7 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Panasonic GF7 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the GF7 is 704 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

With 15.8MP, the GF7 offers a higher resolution than the TG-7 (12MP), but the GF7 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.77μm versus 1.53μm for the TG-7) due to its larger sensor. However, the TG-7 is a much more recent model (by 8 years and 7 months) than the GF7, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic GF7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the GF7 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.2 inches or 58.3 x 43.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.7 x 35 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.3 x 11.5 inches or 38.9 x 29.2 cm. The corresponding values for the OM System TG-7 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The OM System Tough TG-7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the TG-7 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the GF7 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		OM System TG-7	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.9	12.7	1553	54
2.		Panasonic GF7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.7	12.3	874	70
3.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
4.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
5.		Olympus E-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
6.		Olympus TG-4	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	737	47
7.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
8.		Olympus TG-6	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1127	52
9.		Olympus XZ-1	1/1.7	10.1	3664	2752	720/30p	18.8	10.4	117	34
10.		Olympus XZ-2	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	216	49
11.		Panasonic FZ330	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
12.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
13.		Panasonic G7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	904	71
14.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
15.		Panasonic GX800	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	23.2	13.3	586	73
16.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
17.		Pentax MX-1	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	208	49
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the TG-7 provides a higher video resolution than the GF7. It can shoot video 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 TG-7 and the GF7 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the OM System TG-7 and Panasonic GF7 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		OM System TG-7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic GF7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
4.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
5.		Olympus E-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
6.		Olympus TG-4	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus TG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus XZ-1	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus XZ-2	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ330	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic G7	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic GX800	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	10.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax MX-1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/8000s	1.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The GF7 has a touchscreen, while the TG-7 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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, the GF7 is one of those camera that have an additional 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 OM System TG-7 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 TG-7 and the GF7 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of 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 OM System Tough TG-7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7 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.		OM System TG-7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Panasonic GF7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus TG-4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus TG-6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus XZ-1	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus XZ-2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic FZ330	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic G7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Panasonic GX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Pentax MX-1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the TG-7 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The TG-7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of OM System. In contrast, the GF7 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the GF7 was succeeded by the Panasonic GX850. Further information on the features and operation of the TG-7 and GF7 can be found, respectively, in the OM System TG-7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GF7 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the OM System TG-7 or the Panasonic GF7 – 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.

Advantages of the OM System Tough TG-7:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/2000s vs 1/500s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 5.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the GF7 requires a separate lens.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the GF7).
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (330 versus 230) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 15m).
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 7 months of technical progress since the GF7 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (15.8 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 15%.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the TG-7 comes out slightly ahead of the GF7 (13 : 12 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 OM System TG-7 and the Panasonic GF7 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the TG-7 or the GF7. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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	Street Price
1.		OM System TG-7	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2023	US$ 549	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic GF7	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus TG-4	..	+	..	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2015	US$ 379	ebay.com
7.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
8.		Olympus TG-6	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	76/100	4/5	4/5	May 2019	US$ 449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus XZ-1	4/5	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Olympus XZ-2	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ330	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	US$ 599	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G7	4/5	+ +	3.5/5	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX800	..	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Pentax MX-1	3/5	..	..	74/100	4/5	4/5	Jan 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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