Canon S120 vs Olympus TG-3

Its time to look more closely at the Canon S120 and Olympus TG-3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Waterproof by manufacturers Canon and Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the S120 (12MP) and TG-3 (16MP) and the S120 (1/1.7") and TG-3 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor size.

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The S120 was revealed 4 months prior to the TG-3 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going straight into a complete comparison, below is a brief summary of how the S120 matches up vs the TG-3 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot S120 and Olympus Tough TG-3. The full galleries are provided at Canon S120 Gallery and Olympus TG-3 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera often, you need to take into account its weight and size. The Canon S120 features exterior dimensions of 100mm x 59mm x 29mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 217 grams (0.48 lbs) and the Olympus TG-3 has specifications of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") and a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs).

Check the Canon S120 and Olympus TG-3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at that time. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the S120 against the TG-3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the S120 and TG-3 is 92 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, it is hard to see the contrast between sensor sizing only by checking specs. The graphic below might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the S120 and TG-3.

All in all, both of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The S120 having a larger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus TG-3 will give greater detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will let you crop photos much more aggressively.