Olympus E-3 vs Olympus TG-630 iHS

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus E-3 versus Olympus TG-630 iHS, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Waterproof and both of them are produced by Olympus. The resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the TG-630 iHS (12MP) is fairly close but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and TG-630 iHS (1/2.3") posses different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was revealed 5 years prior to the TG-630 iHS and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus TG-630 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-3 grades vs the TG-630 iHS when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 & Olympus TG-630 iHS. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Olympus TG-630 iHS Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-3 enjoys outer measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Olympus TG-630 iHS has specifications of 98mm x 66mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.6" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-3 versus Olympus TG-630 iHS in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-3 compared to the TG-630 iHS.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and TG-630 iHS is 56 and 94 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to picture the difference in sensor measurements simply by researching a spec sheet. The photograph here will give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and TG-630 iHS.

As you can see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-3 with its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus TG-630 iHS will render extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older E-3 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.