Olympus Tough-3000 vs Panasonic ZS200

Following is a in depth assessment of the Olympus Tough-3000 versus Panasonic ZS200, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the Tough-3000 (12MP) and ZS200 (20MP) and the Tough-3000 (1/2.3") and ZS200 (1") offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The Tough-3000 was announced 9 years earlier than the ZS200 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summary of how the Tough-3000 scores vs the ZS200 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 and Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery and Panasonic ZS200 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera, you need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus Tough-3000 has exterior measurements of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS200 has measurements of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") accompanied by a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus Tough-3000 versus Panasonic ZS200 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the Tough-3000 compared to the ZS200.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the Tough-3000 and ZS200 is 94 and 86 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to see the difference in sensor sizes purely by checking out technical specs. The picture underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the Tough-3000 and ZS200.

As you have seen, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The Tough-3000 using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic ZS200 will provide more detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged Tough-3000 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.