Canon S90 vs Olympus TG-3

Following is a in depth review of the Canon S90 and Olympus TG-3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Waterproof by manufacturers Canon and Olympus. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the S90 (10MP) and TG-3 (16MP) and the S90 (1/1.7") and TG-3 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The S90 was brought out 5 years prior to the TG-3 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the S90 grades against the TG-3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot S90 and Olympus Tough TG-3. The entire galleries are provided at Canon S90 Gallery and Olympus TG-3 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to factor its weight and volume. The Canon S90 features outside dimensions of 100mm x 58mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 195 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Olympus TG-3 has sizing of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") having a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs).

Check the Canon S90 and Olympus TG-3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the S90 versus the TG-3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the S90 and TG-3 is 92 and 90 respectively.

Generally, it's hard to see the gap between sensor sizes simply by reading through a spec sheet. The picture here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the S90 and TG-3.

As you can see, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S90 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus TG-3 will resolve more detail having its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more aged S90 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.