Olympus SP-100 vs Panasonic TS3

On this page, we will be looking at the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic TS3, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Waterproof by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the SP-100 (16MP) and TS3 (12MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SP-100 was launched 2 years later than the TS3 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic TS3 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a detailed comparison, here is a quick view of how the SP-100 matches up against the TS3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SP-100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SP-100 Gallery and Panasonic TS3 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera often, you need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-100 features external dimensions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") accompanied by a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) and the Panasonic TS3 has measurements of 103mm x 64mm x 27mm (4.1" x 2.5" x 1.1") with a weight of 197 grams (0.43 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic TS3 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the SP-100 vs the TS3.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the SP-100 and TS3 is 63 and 92 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to visualise the difference in sensor sizing just by researching technical specs. The photograph below will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SP-100 and TS3.

As you can tell, both the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You should count on the Olympus SP-100 to provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The younger SP-100 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.