Olympus FE-3010 vs Olympus TG-630 iHS: A Detailed Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

Choosing the right camera can be a daunting task, especially when comparing models from the same manufacturer that serve distinct use cases. Today, I’m putting two Olympus compacts head-to-head: the Olympus FE-3010 (2009) and the Olympus TG-630 iHS (2013). Both are compact cameras but designed for different audiences - the FE-3010 leans towards ultra-compact portability, whereas the TG-630 iHS embraces robustness with waterproof and rugged features.

Having personally tested hundreds of cameras across various genres, I’ll walk you through their technical strengths, real-world performance, and suitability for different photography disciplines. This detailed review is aimed at enthusiasts and professionals looking to understand not just specs, but how these translate into practical shooting experiences.

Design, Build, and Handling: Ultra-Compact Versus Rugged Durability

The first obvious difference between these two models is their physical design and robustness.

• Olympus FE-3010 is a true ultracompact, measuring just 93x56x18 mm and weighing a mere 108 grams. It’s slim and pocketable, perfect when carrying minimal gear is a priority.
• Olympus TG-630 iHS, on the other hand, is larger (98x66x22 mm) and heavier at 167 grams. But it justifies this with robust environmental sealing - it’s not only waterproof but also dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, and freezeproof (down to -10°C).

The ergonomics also reflect their use cases. The FE-3010 has straightforward, minimal controls, which means quick operation but limited manual override. The TG-630 features a slightly beefier grip and more buttons, providing better handling and control in active shooting conditions.

For travel or casual snapshot use where size and weight are paramount, the FE-3010 shines. But for adventurous shooting in harsh environments - hiking, snorkeling, or winter sports - the TG-630’s rugged body is a critical advantage.

User Interface and Controls: Simplicity Meets Practicality

On top, both cameras maintain an uncomplicated control scheme but with important differences.

• FE-3010 focuses on minimalism: fixed type 2.7-inch LCD with 230k-dot resolution, no touchscreen, and limited menus.
• TG-630 iHS ups the ante with a 3-inch fixed LCD at 460k dots, improving visibility in bright outdoor conditions. Despite lacking touch input, it offers more customizable options and better exposure/bracketing controls for creative shooting.

In my hands, the TG-630’s larger, sharper LCD eased composition and menu navigation, especially outdoors. The FE-3010 screen can feel cramped with lower resolution and less clarity.

Both cameras lack electronic viewfinders, which means you’ll always compose via the LCD - a consideration if you prefer eye-level shooting or struggle with bright conditions.

Sensor and Image Quality: Chip Technology and Resolution Insights

Both cameras use 1/2.3-inch sensors, standard for compacts, but the FE-3010 relies on a CCD sensor, while the TG-630 uses a more modern CMOS sensor.

Why does this matter?

• CCD sensors (FE-3010) traditionally produce good color fidelity but tend to consume more power and suffer more noise at higher ISOs.
• CMOS sensors (TG-630) generally offer faster readout, better noise control, and support higher ISO settings for low light.

Both cameras feature 12-megapixel resolution (3968x2976 pixels), adequate for common print sizes and web use but not for large-format professional prints.

ISO sensitivity ranges differ:

• FE-3010 limits at ISO 64 - 1600 with no ISO boosting.
• TG-630 extends from ISO 100 up to 6400 native, offering more flexibility for dim environments.

Personally, I observed cleaner images from the TG-630 at ISO ranges above 800, a direct benefit of its CMOS sensor and stronger noise reduction algorithms.

Display and Live View Experience

The TG-630 provides a visibly better viewing experience through its higher resolution LCD, making composition and review easier in varying lighting.

The FE-3010's 2.7-inch screen feels a little cramped and less sharp, impacting framing accuracy and menu reading.

Neither camera supports touchscreen controls, which is understandable given their release dates but something to note for users desiring modern interfaces.

Speed and Autofocus Systems: Tracking in Action

Let’s talk autofocus, a critical aspect for action, wildlife, and sports photographers.

• FE-3010 offers single AF with face detection but lacks continuous or tracking autofocus modes.
• TG-630 iHS improves with face detection and adds AF tracking capabilities within its contrast-detection system, though it does not feature phase detection.

Continuous autofocus and tracking - while not advanced compared to modern mirrorless systems - do help the TG-630 capture moving subjects more reliably in everyday conditions.

The FE-3010 is better suited for static subjects or casual snapshots where autofocus speed isn’t paramount.

Unfortunately, neither camera offers manual focus, focus bracketing, or stacking features that macro and landscape photographers may seek.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Performance

• The FE-3010 does not support continuous shooting.
• The TG-630 supports a 5 fps burst mode, useful for capturing moments in motion such as kids playing or animals in the wild.

Shutter speed ranges are similar (4 sec to 1/2000 sec), adequate for most shooting scenarios but limiting for freezing very fast action or ultra-long exposures without ND filters.

Lens and Optical Performance: Focal Ranges and Apertures

The FE-3010's lens spans 36-108 mm equivalent with an aperture range from f/3.1 to f/5.9.

The TG-630 provides a wider zoom range of 28-140 mm equivalent at f/3.9 to f/5.9.

Wider-angle coverage on TG-630 is a notable advantage for landscapes, interiors, and travel photography, while the longer telephoto end serves distant subjects better.

Aperture range is similar, but shooting wide-open at the long end (f/5.9) will limit low-light capabilities and depth-of-field control on both cameras.

The TG-630 also excels at macro photography, offering close focusing at 1 cm versus 5 cm on the FE-3010, allowing for more impressive detail shots of small subjects.

Image Stabilization Efficacy

The FE-3010 employs digital image stabilization, which I found provides minor shake reduction but can degrade image quality via cropping or digital processing artifacts.

The TG-630 features sensor-shift (optical) stabilization, a substantial benefit for handheld shooting in low light or telephoto zoom. This system preserves image quality far better than digital stabilization.

For practical shooting, I would highly recommend the TG-630 if you expect to shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds regularly.

Olympus FE 3010 front Olympus FE 3010 screen back Olympus TG 630 iHS front Olympus TG 630 iHS screen back

Real-World Image Sample Comparison

In practical tests, both cameras produce images with good color and exposure under daylight conditions.

• The FE-3010 images tend to have slightly softer detail and more noise creeping in above ISO 400.
• The TG-630 images exhibit improved sharpness across the frame, better dynamic range, and cleaner high ISO performance, helping with night, indoor, and shadow details.

Skin tones rendered by both cameras are pleasant, though the TG-630’s more sensitive sensor and image processing provide smoother gradient transitions.

In macro shooting, the TG-630 delivers better close-up definition and natural bokeh due to its closer focusing distance.

When shooting landscapes, the wider lens of the TG-630 translates to more expansive compositions.

Video Capabilities: From Basic to Full HD

If video is a factor:

• The FE-3010 only records at VGA 640x480 resolution at 30 fps max in Motion JPEG format, which is pretty limited by today’s standards.
• The TG-630 iHS offers Full HD 1080p video at 60 fps in MPEG-4 H.264 format, a far more versatile video experience with smoother motion and better compression.

Neither camera has microphone inputs or headphone jacks, which limits audio control for aspiring videographers. Optical image stabilization on the TG-630 benefits handheld video by reducing shake noticeably.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery information for the FE-3010 is unspecified, while the TG-630 offers around 220 shots per charge using a proprietary lithium-ion battery (LI-50B).

Storage media differ:

• FE-3010 uses obsolete xD-Picture Card or microSD, which could be harder to find today.
• TG-630 supports common SD/SDHC/SDXC cards - a significant usability plus.

Connectivity and Sharing

Neither camera offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS, so image transfer requires physically connecting the camera via USB 2.0 or removing storage cards.

This absence is understandable given their release dates but is a notable gap for users wanting faster workflow integration.

Price and Value Analysis

At launch and current used values:

• Olympus FE-3010 is the more budget-friendly option (~$140).
• Olympus TG-630 iHS commands about $200, reflecting added ruggedness, sensor, and feature improvements.

For the price, the TG-630 offers a richer feature set and durability that justify its premium if those attributes align with your needs.

Performance Summary Ratings

Both cameras pack a lot into compact packages, but overall, the Olympus TG-630 iHS scores higher on multiple fronts including image quality, stabilization, autofocus, zoom range, video, and build quality.

Specialized Photography Disciplines: How Do They Compare?

Portrait Photography

• FE-3010: Decent color reproduction and basic face detection. Focal length range is a bit short for tighter portraits; bokeh is limited by small sensor and slow aperture.
• TG-630: Better autofocus with tracking helps eye detection, wider angle coverage allows more flexibility. Improved image quality offers smoother skin tones.

Verdict: TG-630 for portrait enthusiasts needing better autofocus and color fidelity.

Landscape Photography

• FE-3010: Limited wide-angle (36 mm equivalent) and average dynamic range.
• TG-630: Wider 28 mm lens offers better field of view, better image quality, and weather sealing for outdoor use.

Verdict: TG-630 clearly better for landscape and outdoor shooting due to lens and durability.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

• FE-3010: No continuous AF or burst shooting.
• TG-630: Continuous AF tracking and 5 fps burst open up casual sports and wildlife possibilities.

Verdict: TG-630 offers more value to action and wildlife shooters within this compact segment.

Street Photography

• FE-3010: Lighter, less conspicuous.
• TG-630: Larger but weather-sealed, favorable for harsh environments.

Verdict: If discretion is priority, FE-3010. For rugged street shooting in rough conditions, TG-630.

Macro Photography

• FE-3010: Minimum focusing distance 5 cm.
• TG-630: Strong closer focus at 1 cm, superior for detailed macro work.

Verdict: TG-630 stands out for macro enthusiasts.

Night and Astro Photography

• FE-3010: ISO capped at 1600 with noisy CCD sensor.
• TG-630: Higher ISO to 6400, quieter CMOS sensor, better stabilization to enable longer exposures handheld.

Verdict: TG-630 much better suited for low-light and night shooting.

Video Production

• FE-3010: VGA only.
• TG-630: Full HD 1080p at 60 fps with stabilized video.

Verdict: TG-630 preferred for video content creators.

Travel Photography

• FE-3010: Ultra-lightweight and pocket-friendly.
• TG-630: More versatile zoom, rugged design, better image quality but heavier.

Verdict: Decide on portability (FE-3010) versus capability and durability (TG-630).

Professional Workflows

Neither camera offers RAW capture or advanced manual controls so they fall short for demanding commercial professional use.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Olympus FE-3010: Compact Simplicity for Casual Shooters

• Perfect if you want something ultra-compact, cheap, and easy to carry.
• Suitable for casual snapshots, travel without demanding environments.
• Limited in manual control, video, and low-light performance.
• Lack of modern connectivity and obsolete memory card may be a downside.

Olympus TG-630 iHS: Rugged Versatility for Active Enthusiasts

• Far more versatile with weatherproofing, wider zoom, better macro, and video.
• Superior image quality in diverse lighting conditions thanks to CMOS sensor.
• Adequate burst and tracking AF expand creative shooting.
• Slightly bigger and heavier but manageable.
• Lack of RAW and advanced controls limit professional applications.

Who Should Buy Which?

• Choose the FE-3010 if:

  • You value pocket-sized form above all
  • Your photography is mostly daylight snapshots
  • Budget is tight and rugged features are unnecessary

• Choose the TG-630 iHS if:

  • You need a camera that performs well in tough conditions
  • You shoot video or want better image quality and macro
  • You value ruggedness and wider zoom
  • You’re okay with a slightly larger camera for more features

This comprehensive head-to-head should help you decide where these Olympus cameras fit your photographic ambitions and shooting conditions. While both deliver solid performance in their niches, the TG-630’s modern sensor and toughness make it the more capable and versatile option for enthusiasts - provided you can accommodate its size and price.

If you prioritize minimalism and portability above all, the FE-3010 remains a respectable pick, especially given its straightforward operation and solid image quality in good light.

If you have any questions about specific shooting scenarios or want sample RAW conversion tips (for cameras with RAW support), feel free to ask! After testing thousands of cameras, helping you choose gear that truly fits your workflow and style remains my top priority.

Safe shooting!