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Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30

Portability
86
Imaging
55
Features
76
Overall
63
Olympus PEN E-PL8 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30 front
Portability
95
Imaging
41
Features
31
Overall
37

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL8
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 357g - 115 x 67 x 38mm
  • Introduced September 2016
  • Replaced the Olympus E-PL7
  • New Model is Olympus E-PL9
Panasonic TS30
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600 (Expand to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-100mm (F3.9-5.7) lens
  • 142g - 104 x 58 x 20mm
  • Announced January 2015
  • Also Known as Lumix DMC-FT30
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Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 Overview

Below is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic TS30, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Waterproof by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the TS30 (16MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and TS30 (1/2.3") offer different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL8 was unveiled 21 months later than the TS30 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS30 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-PL8 scores against the TS30 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL8 over the Panasonic TS30

 E-PL8 TS30 
AnnouncedSeptember 2016January 2015More recent by 21 months
Manually focus More accurate focus
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen size3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution1037k230kClearer screen (+807k dot)
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic TS30 over the Olympus E-PL8

 TS30 E-PL8 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic TS30

 E-PL8 TS30 
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 Physical Comparison

For those who are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL8 has got outer dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Panasonic TS30 has proportions of 104mm x 58mm x 20mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic TS30 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL8 and the TS30.

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and TS30 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, its tough to visualize the gap in sensor measurements just by seeing specs. The graphic underneath will provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL8 and TS30.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras come with the identical megapixels albeit different sensor measurements. The E-PL8 has got the bigger sensor which will make obtaining shallow DOF easier. The more recent E-PL8 provides an edge in sensor tech.

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 Portrait photography features
Panasonic TS30 Portrait photography features
73
you can focus manually
decent megapixels (16MP)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
has face detection focus
saves RAW files
36
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
comes with face detection focus
focusing manually not possible
no manual control
can't use external flash
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-PL8
Street photography with Panasonic TS30
84
tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
includes focus by touch
great ISO range (25,600)
67
has image stabilization (Optical)
environment sealing
lighter than competitors in class (142 grams)
no articulating screen
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 Sports photography advice
Panasonic TS30 Sports photography advice
67
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
has tracking autofocus
lacks phase detect auto focus
42
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16MP)
comes with tracking autofocus
environment sealing
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/1,300s)
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.3 fps)
no shutter priority mode
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus E-PL8
Travel photography with Panasonic TS30
72
includes focus by touch
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
74
lighter than competitors in class (142g)
environment sealing
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
quite wide (25mm)
display isn't selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.9)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 as a Landscape photography camera
Panasonic TS30 as a Landscape photography camera
80
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen is a decent size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
great ISO range (25,600)
saves RAW files
44
quite wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16MP)
environment sealing
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.9)
tiny screen (2.7 inch)
no manual control
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 Vlogging info
Panasonic TS30 Vlogging info
36
touchscreen functionality
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
has face detection focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
doesn't have external microphone support
33
quite wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detection focus
lighter than competitors in class (142 grams)
sluggish max aperture (f3.9)
display isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pixels)
doesn't have external microphone socket
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Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS30 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic TS30
 Olympus PEN E-PL8Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30
General Information
Make Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus PEN E-PL8 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30
Also referred to as - Lumix DMC-FT30
Category Entry-Level Mirrorless Waterproof
Introduced 2016-09-19 2015-01-06
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic VII -
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 25600 1600
Highest boosted ISO - 6400
Minimum native ISO 200 100
RAW support
Minimum boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points 81 23
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-100mm (4.0x)
Max aperture - f/3.9-5.7
Macro focus range - 5cm
Number of lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.9
Screen
Display type Tilting Fixed Type
Display size 3 inch 2.7 inch
Resolution of display 1,037k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 seconds 8 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1300 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 8.0 frames per sec 1.3 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range no built-in flash 4.40 m
Flash modes no built-in flash Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, on, slow sync w/redeye reduction, off
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video data format H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 357 gr (0.79 pounds) 142 gr (0.31 pounds)
Physical dimensions 115 x 67 x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") 104 x 58 x 20mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 350 images 250 images
Battery type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots Single Single
Cost at launch $500 $180