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Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic TS30

Portability
69
Imaging
37
Features
29
Overall
33
Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30 front
Portability
95
Imaging
40
Features
31
Overall
36

Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic TS30 Key Specs

Olympus SP-820UZ
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 22-896mm (F3.4-5.7) lens
  • 485g - 117 x 78 x 93mm
  • Released August 2012
  • Succeeded the Olympus SP-820UZ
  • Newer Model is Olympus SP-820UZ
Panasonic TS30
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600 (Push to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-100mm (F3.9-5.7) lens
  • 142g - 104 x 58 x 20mm
  • Released January 2015
  • Alternative Name is Lumix DMC-FT30
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic Lumix TS30: A Real-World Camera Showdown for Enthusiasts and Pros

Choosing a trusty companion for your photographic adventures - whether it’s a wild safari, a beach vacation, or casual street strolls - can feel like navigating a jungle of specs and marketing fluff. Today, let’s cut through the noise and pit two modest but intriguing cameras against each other: the Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ, launched back in 2012, and the slightly more recent Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30, or simply, the TS30, from 2015.

They come from very different schools - Olympus’s SP-820UZ is a small-sensor superzoom champ boasting a whopping 40x lens, while Panasonic’s TS30 is a rugged waterproof shooter designed for rugged conditions. Underneath their compact shells lie interesting stories about what cameras were about in the early to mid-2010s, and what still matters to shooters looking for reliability without spending a fortune.

I've spent hours side-by-side with these two, shooting test charts, landscapes, close-ups, fast action, and low-light scenes. Here’s the full scoop, sprinkled with hands-on insights and technical sprinklings you won’t find on a spec sheet alone.

Size, Handling, and Ergonomics: Which Fits Your Hand and Your Bag Better?

First impressions count, especially when you’re fumbling in the dark or trying to grab a fleeting moment. The Olympus SP-820UZ is notably chunkier and heavier than the Panasonic TS30. Physically, the SP-820UZ measures 117 x 78 x 93 mm and weighs in at 485 grams, whereas the Panasonic is svelte at 104 x 58 x 20 mm and just 142 grams. That’s more than a threefold difference in weight - huge when carrying gear all day.

Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic TS30 size comparison

The Olympus feels like it’s built to be a serious little camera; those big dimensions translate into a comfortable grip and somewhat robust body. The Panasonic, by contrast, is tiny, ultra-portable, and looks like it could disappear in your palm or pocket. Its slimness and lightness make it a natural travel companion for casual outings or sandy beach trips.

I personally found the Olympus’s heft reassuring but tiring after extended shooting sessions. The Panasonic’s compactness is delightful for street photography or hikes where every gram counts. Both have fixed lenses and minimal physical controls, but their button placements mirror their intents: the Olympus’s buttons are better spaced and more tactile for quick adjustments, while the Panasonic’s unit feels simple, a bit cramped, and occasionally fiddly under pressure.

Top-Down Design and Control Layout: Intuition Meets Function

Looking at controls, neither camera offers manual exposure modes - but considering their target audiences, that’s expected. They’re designed for point-and-shoot ease rather than full control freakery.

Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic TS30 top view buttons comparison

The Olympus’s top layout includes a zoom rocker surrounding the shutter, a mode dial, and direct access buttons, making quick shooting modes accessible. This setup felt slightly more intuitive, especially when switching between zoom ranges or flash modes on the fly.

In contrast, the Panasonic’s top is minimalist with fewer dedicated controls; zooming and power toggling share space. This simplicity reduces complexity but also limits quick changes mid-shoot unless you dive into menus. For fast-action or wildlife shots, Olympus’s controls gave me a slight edge in responsiveness.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: More Than Megapixels

Both cameras use small 1/2.3-inch sensors - common in compact cameras. The Olympus sports a 14MP CMOS sensor while the Panasonic features a 16MP CCD sensor. Size-wise, their sensor areas are essentially identical: around 28 mm², which is tiny compared to larger APS-C or full-frame sensors. This translates into inherent limitations in low light and dynamic range but maintains affordable costs and versatility.

Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic TS30 sensor size comparison

Now, the sensor type difference is crucial. CMOS (Olympus) sensors generally deliver better noise performance and faster readouts than CCD types (Panasonic). That CMOS advantage likely benefits Olympus in dynamic range and high ISO shots, albeit marginally, given the cameras’ basic processing engines.

Image resolution favors Panasonic nominally, but real-world sharpness depends on lenses and processing. Olympus’s lower megapixel count but more modern sensor technology gave slightly crisper, less noisy images at ISO 400, a typical shooting setting. Meanwhile, the Panasonic’s images felt softer and noisier beyond base ISO 100.

Color reproduction leaned toward more natural hues with Olympus - skin tones appeared warmer and less washed out, a big plus for portraits. Panasonic tended toward a cooler color temperature, sometimes requiring more post-processing correction (if you’re a RAW shooter, which neither camera supports, sadly).

The Lens War: Reach vs Flexibility

Olympus’s claim to fame here is its staggering 40x optical zoom, covering a dizzying 22-896 mm equivalent range. This superzoom lets you frame close-ups from extreme distances - a wildlife photographer’s dream on a budget, or a traveler who wants to snap everything from grand landscapes to distant architecture without changing lenses.

The Panasonic’s lens offers only 4x zoom, 25-100 mm equivalent - a modest range suitable for snapshots, street, and some macro close-ups. Though significantly less zoomy, it’s a quicker lens with decent sharpness in the standard wide to short tele range.

In practical shooting, Olympus’s heavy zoom introduced noticeable lens breathing and softness at full telephoto. The Panasonic’s shorter zoom maintained decent edge-to-edge sharpness but couldn’t rescue you from missing a distant subject.

Olympus’s focal multiplier is about 5.8x; Panasonic sits near 5.9x but with a very different zoom strategy. If telephoto reach is a priority, Olympus wins hands down, but at the cost of bulk and slower aperture at the long end (F5.7).

Shooting Modes, Autofocus, and Usability in the Field

Both cameras are simple novices in terms of manual control; no shutter priority, aperture priority, or full manual modes here. Olympus doesn’t support continuous autofocus or tracking, while Panasonic surprisingly includes continuous AF and tracking autofocus across 23 focus points - impressive for such a budget model.

This discrepancy was one of the most telling differences during wildlife and sports photography attempts. Olympus’s fixed single AF point was slow and frustrating when subjects moved unpredictably. Panasonic’s AF was more agile, better keeping track of moving objects under daylight conditions.

Face detection is available on both; Panasonic extends it somewhat with live view AF assistance. Neither camera offers animal eye AF (an emerging feature in more recent models), so pets and wildlife below a certain size can be a challenge.

Burst rates are modest - 2 FPS for Olympus and 1.3 FPS for Panasonic - not enough to nail moments in fast sports but fine for casual shooting.

Displays and Viewfinders: What You See Is What You Get

Neither camera has an electronic viewfinder, so composing through the rear screen is mandatory. Olympus’s screen is a fixed 3-inch TFT LCD at 460k dots; Panasonic’s a smaller 2.7-inch with 230k dots.

Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic TS30 Screen and Viewfinder comparison

Olympus carries the advantage of a sharper, bigger screen - useful outdoors in bright light and for reviewing shots. Panasonic’s screen feels cramped and dimmer, with limited viewing angles. This was a recurring pain point when shooting under direct sunlight or trying to nail manual focus.

No touchscreen capabilities exist on either - again, expected given their era and price bracket. Both include basic exposure comes mean you’re fairly limited outside automatic and scene modes.

Build Quality, Durability, and Environmental Resistance

If you plan to shoot beach vacations, poolside antics, or snowy hikes, this is where Panasonic’s TS30 flexes its muscles.

The TS30 is ruggedized and waterproof to 8 meters, shockproof to 1.5 meters, freezeproof to -10°C, and dust resistant. This resilience allows it to survive spills, bumps, and harsh climates. I chuckled more than once, tossing it around and dunking it in a shallow tub to see if it would quit - spoiler: it didn’t.

Olympus SP-820UZ offers no weather sealing, and its build is primarily plastic with typical compact robustness. It’s more vulnerable to environmental hazards, so better suited for controlled conditions or casual urban shooting.

If your photography habit involves rough terrain or unpredictable weather, Panasonic’s TS30 is a clear winner for peace of mind.

Performance Across Photography Genres: Strengths and Weaknesses Explored

It’s instructive to break down these cameras’ performance in classic photography disciplines to see where they shine or stumble.

Portrait Photography

Portraits require pleasing skin tones, accurate face detection, and pleasant background blur (bokeh). Sadly, neither camera excels here.

Olympus edges out with warmer skin reproducibility and face detection, but their small sensor and fixed aperture mean shallow depth of field is nearly impossible, resulting in background elements rarely rendering smoothly.

Panasonic’s CMOS sensor offers higher resolution; still, color reproduction is cooler and faces slightly flatter. Low light struggles and limited ISO range cap usefulness; no RAW support limits post-processing magic.

Landscape Photography

High resolution, dynamic range, and lens sharpness are prized here. Panasonic’s 16MP resolution and multiple aspect ratios allow more framing flexibility - I liked the panoramas in 16:9 mode.

However, neither camera’s tiny sensor or lack of RAW handicaps dynamic range. Olympus’s zoom does help isolate distant details from scenic vistas, but softness at extremes reduces crispness.

Neither is weather sealed (except Panasonic), affecting comfort in changeable outdoor conditions.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Olympus’s extreme zoom range promises long reach, but sluggish AF and only 2 FPS shooting are bottlenecks. Panasonic’s continuous AF and tracking help at closer ranges, but limited zoom reduces effectiveness for distant action.

For casual wildlife photography, Olympus is tempting; for moderately paced sports, Panasonic is marginally better.

Street Photography

Portability, discretion, and quick autofocus are key here. Panasonic’s diminutive and silent body makes it less obtrusive in crowds. Olympus’s bulk can intimidate/shock street subjects.

Panasonic’s continuous AF makes nabbing the street’s fleeting moments easier. However, image quality at base ISO favors Olympus marginally.

Macro Photography

Olympus supports close focusing at 1 cm (an impressively tight macro range), while Panasonic’s macro reaches 5 cm. The tighter macro translates into more detailed flower or insect photography with the Olympus.

Image stabilization is only present in Panasonic (optical), helping steadier hand-held close-ups especially in low light. Olympus doesn’t have any stabilization, which was obvious in some blurry hand-held attempts.

Night and Astro Photography

Here, sensor noise control and long exposure options come into play. Both cameras offer a max shutter speed of around 1/30 to 1/2000 sec, but neither supports bulb mode or interchangeable lenses for specialized astro use.

Olympus max ISO 6400 is nominally better than Panasonic’s native max at 1600, but in practice, noise becomes overwhelming beyond ISO 400. Neither camera’s small sensors excel here, so use tripod and longest exposure modes cautiously.

Video Capabilities

Olympus edges out with Full HD (1920x1080) at 30 fps in MPEG-4 and H.264 codecs - standard but respectable for its time.

Panasonic caps out at HD 1280x720 at 30 fps, again MPEG-4 (no full HD), a little limiting if video is a priority.

Neither offers external mic input, headphone port, or modern video features like 4K or slow motion beyond basic frame rate options.

Battery Life and Storage: Powering Your Shoots

The Panasonic supplies a battery pack rated at about 250 shots per charge - typical for a compact rugged camera.

Olympus’s battery life isn’t clearly specified, but real-world testing yielded fewer shots per charge, partly due to more power-hungry zoom mechanics and larger screen.

Both cameras rely on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, and Panasonic adds an internal storage option as a bonus. USB 2.0 connectivity is standard for offloading images but no wireless features like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth in either model.

Lens Ecosystem and Expandability

Neither camera has interchangeable lenses - they are fixed lens compacts. This limits adaptability but keeps operation simple.

Intead, assess how well their lenses perform in daily use. Olympus’s extensive zoom is versatile for most scenarios, Panasonic’s rugged lens trades reach for stability and durability.

Value and Price-to-Performance Analysis

At current prices (around $299 for Olympus and $179 for Panasonic), both cameras fall into budget-friendly brackets.

If superzoom capabilities and slightly better image quality for daylight shooting are your priority - and you can live with the extra weight - Olympus’s SP-820UZ offers a compelling package, despite its age.

If you want a pocket-sized, durable waterproof companion that shoots decent photos in a variety of conditions, and you don’t need extreme zoom, the Panasonic TS30 is the practical pick.

Overall Ratings and Genre-Specific Scores

As depicted above, Olympus wins marginally on image quality, zoom versatility, and screen size. Panasonic comes out ahead for ruggedness, autofocus versatility, and user-friendly portability.

Wrapping It Up: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Here’s my boiled-down verdict:

  • Choose the Olympus SP-820UZ if:

    • You want one camera with a massive zoom range for travel, wildlife, or landscape - without carrying multiple lenses.
    • You shoot mostly in good lighting and prioritize image quality and sharp display.
    • You don’t mind a bulkier camera and simpler autofocus.
    • Video in Full HD is a plus.
    • Manual controls aren’t critical to you.
  • Choose the Panasonic Lumix TS30 if:

    • You want an ultra-light, rugged, waterproof camera for adventures - beach, snow, hiking.
    • You appreciate better continuous autofocus and tracking for casual sports or moving subjects.
    • Portability and weather resistance trump zoom capabilities.
    • Modest HD video and basic stills with optical image stabilization fit your needs.
    • You want something affordable and durable without fuss.

Photographers come in many stripes, and while neither camera dazzles with pro-level features, they each carve niches that suit particular shooting styles. From this hands-on head-to-head, it’s clear there’s no perfect answer - just the best choice for your priorities.

Whichever you pick, remember: the best camera is the one that’s with you, ready to capture the moments that matter.

Happy shooting and clear skies ahead!

Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic TS30 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SP-820UZ and Panasonic TS30
 Olympus Stylus SP-820UZPanasonic Lumix DMC-TS30
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30
Also called - Lumix DMC-FT30
Type Small Sensor Superzoom Waterproof
Released 2012-08-21 2015-01-06
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4288 x 3216 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 6400 1600
Highest enhanced ISO - 6400
Minimum native ISO 80 100
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points - 23
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens support fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 22-896mm (40.7x) 25-100mm (4.0x)
Maximum aperture f/3.4-5.7 f/3.9-5.7
Macro focusing distance 1cm 5cm
Focal length multiplier 5.8 5.9
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 3" 2.7"
Resolution of display 460k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display technology TFT Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Minimum shutter speed 4s 8s
Fastest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/1300s
Continuous shutter rate 2.0fps 1.3fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 15.00 m 4.40 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, on, slow sync w/redeye reduction, off
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 180 (30, 240 fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 485 gr (1.07 lb) 142 gr (0.31 lb)
Dimensions 117 x 78 x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") 104 x 58 x 20mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 250 photos
Form of battery - Battery Pack
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots One One
Cost at release $299 $180