Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Olympus Tough-3000

Here is a complete review of the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Olympus Tough-3000, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Waterproof and they are both created by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and the Tough-3000 (12MP) is fairly close and both cameras have the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was released 12 months before the Tough-3000 and they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a in depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the SP-590 UZ matches up versus the Tough-3000 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SP-590 UZ & Olympus Stylus Tough-3000. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery & Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-590 UZ comes with external measurements of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) while the Olympus Tough-3000 has measurements of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") along with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Olympus Tough-3000 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the SP-590 UZ vs the Tough-3000.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SP-590 UZ and Tough-3000 is 72 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizing purely by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph below should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SP-590 UZ and Tough-3000.

Clearly, the 2 cameras feature the identical sensor size and the identical megapixels and you can expect comparable quality of files though you will need to factor the launch date of the cameras into account. The older SP-590 UZ will be behind in sensor technology.