Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8: An In-Depth Comparison for the Practical Photographer

Choosing between compact cameras like the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8 can be surprisingly challenging. Both cameras target everyday shooters looking for pocketable solutions, yet they differ in design philosophies, feature sets, and performance nuances that emerge more clearly when you delve deeper. Having handled and tested these models extensively over the years, I want to walk you through the most pertinent details - technical specs, real-world results, and practical usability - so you can make a savvy decision based on what truly matters for your photography style and budget.

Let's start by taking a look at their physical presence because size and handling often shape your actual shooting experience.

Size, Build Quality, and Handling: Who Feels Better in Hand?

The Olympus 8000 carries a reputation as a rugged "tough" camera, built to endure more punishing conditions, while the Panasonic FH8 leans toward a lightweight, sleek, easy-to-carry design.

Physically, the Olympus 8000 measures approximately 95x62x22 mm and weighs 182 grams. The Panasonic FH8 is slightly smaller and lighter at 96x57x19 mm and 123 grams respectively. The 8000’s chunkier shell comes partly from its weather-sealed body (dust and splash resistant), giving you peace of mind if you shoot in challenging environments - think hiking, beach days, or casual outdoor activities under less-than-ideal conditions.

Meanwhile, the Panasonic FH8 lacks weather sealing but rewards you with a thinner, more pocket-friendly profile. If discretion or ultra-lightweight travel gear are priorities, the FH8 has an edge.

When you hold both, the 8000’s textured grip feels more secure, especially for one-handed use, while the FH8 feels smooth and minimalist but can feel a bit slippery in moist conditions. If you prioritize durability and a confident grip for active use, Olympus’s build quality wins here.

Looking at the controls, neither camera offers a plethora of physical dials or buttons, reflecting their entry-level compact status. Olympus keeps things very straightforward with basic shooting modes and simple zoom toggle, while the Panasonic FH8 integrates a few more options like custom white balance, which the 8000 lacks.

Sensor and Image Quality: Pixels Aren’t Everything, But They Do Count

Both cameras come equipped with 1/2.3" CCD sensors measuring 6.08 x 4.56 mm, covering an area of approximately 27.72 mm². The Olympus 8000 shoots at 12 megapixels, peaking at a native ISO of 1600, while the Panasonic FH8 boasts 16 megapixels and a more generous ISO range up to 6400.

From firsthand testing, it’s clear the FH8’s higher resolution sensor yields slightly more detailed images, especially noticeable when cropping or printing larger sizes. However, the tradeoff is somewhat higher noise levels at maximum ISO compared to the 8000, whose lower resolution helps retain cleaner files at base and moderate ISOs.

The Panasonic’s ISO ceiling at 6400, while impressive on paper, produces noisy files typical for small-sensor compacts. I prefer shooting both cameras at ISO 100-400 to get the cleanest shots with acceptable dynamic range - neither camera excels in shadows or highlights compared to larger sensor rivals.

An important note: both use CCD sensors rather than CMOS, meaning they favor color fidelity and detail in good light but lag behind in low-light performance and video capabilities. This difference plays into their use cases later.

LCDs and Interfaces: How Easy Are These Cameras to Use?

Screen size and usability often dictate the shooting experience on compacts due to missing viewfinders.

The Panasonic FH8 sports a 3.0" TFT LCD at 230k dots, offering a slightly larger and clearer display than the Olympus 8000’s 2.7" fixed screen, also 230k dots. In bright daylight, neither screen is especially vivid or bright, but the FH8’s bigger canvas gives more breathing room for framing and menu navigation.

Neither model supports touchscreen operation, which limits control efficiency by today’s standards, though the FH8 compensates with more focus options and a more detailed menu system. The 8000, designed for rugged simplicity, keeps interface elements minimalistic.

Both cameras lack electronic viewfinders, so if you prefer composing at eye level or under glaring sun, keep that in mind.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: What to Expect in Real Use

Now to autofocus (AF) and responsiveness, crucial aspects even in casual photography.

The Olympus 8000 relies on contrast-detection AF with a single center focus point, no continuous AF or tracking, and no face detection. This is a relatively basic system, fairly capable in good light but struggles with moving subjects or low-contrast scenes. It does, however, offer a respectable macro focus range down to 2cm, useful for close-up shooting.

The Panasonic FH8, albeit similar in hardware with contrast-detection, impresses with 23 focus points, face detection, continuous AF, and tracking capabilities. This makes it more versatile when tackling subjects in motion, whether it’s kids running around or bustling street scenes.

Its continuous shooting rate is around 1 frame per second, which is slow by modern standards but functional for casual use. The Olympus doesn’t list continuous rates clearly, often focusing on single shot operation.

For me, the FH8’s autofocus system offers more flexibility and reliability; however, neither camera satisfies professional needs like fast sports or wildlife shooting.

Lens Performance: Zoom Range and Aperture Considerations

Both cameras come with fixed zoom lenses offering varying focal lengths and aperture ranges.

Olympus’s 28-102mm equivalent (3.6× zoom) lens features a maximum aperture range of f/3.5 at wide angle to f/5.1 at telephoto. The lens excels at offering decent depth of field control for a compact, especially up close, and holds up fairly well with minimal distortion, which is a testament to Olympus’s optical design.

The Panasonic offers a slightly wider zoom range of 24-120mm equivalent (5× zoom) but opens up wider at f/2.5 at the wide end, narrowing quickly to f/6.4 at telephoto. The faster wide aperture helps in low light or producing some subject isolation with background blur, but the performance at telephoto can feel soft and slow for moving subjects.

Between the two, I personally favor the Olympus lens for portraits and macro scenes due to consistent sharpness and decent aperture, whereas the Panasonic is versatile for landscapes or travel with a slightly wider angle and longer reach.

Image Stabilization and Low-Light Capabilities

Image stabilization can transform shooting handheld, particularly with longer zooms or low shutter speeds.

The Olympus 8000 features sensor-shift stabilization, physically moving the sensor to compensate for shake - quite effective in this class. The Panasonic FH8 offers optical image stabilization via lens element movement, which also works well, although it’s generally less effective at very low light levels or high zoom factors than sensor-shift systems.

In low light, both cameras employ slow shutter speeds with electronic assistance, but the Panasonic’s higher ISO ceiling gives you some more breathing room, albeit at the cost of noisier images.

If your priority is steady shots without a tripod, especially in shady or indoor venues, I lean toward Olympus’s hardware stabilization. It tends to result in sharper handheld shots at slower shutter speeds.

Video Abilities: Basic Footage for Casual Sharing

Expectations for video in budget compacts must be tempered.

The Olympus 8000 shoots at VGA 640x480 at 30 fps, saved in Motion JPEG format. The Panasonic improves to HD 720p at 30 fps using MPEG-4, delivering significantly crisper footage.

Neither camera offers advanced video features like manual controls, external mic inputs, or continuous autofocus during recording. Both lack image stabilization during video.

While I rarely recommend either for dedicated videography, casual users will find the FH8’s HD video more pleasing on a modern screen.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Shooting Considerations

Battery endurance affects usability in the field.

The Panasonic FH8 lists approximately 260 shots per charge using a proprietary battery pack, which is typical for compact cameras of this era.

The Olympus 8000’s battery life isn’t explicitly specified, but my real-world testing suggests similar or slightly lower endurance owing to sensor-shift stabilization and rugged sealed design demanding more power.

Both cameras accept single memory cards - Olympus uses xD or microSD cards, Panasonic relies on standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, the latter being more common and widely available.

For travel or extended shooting, carrying spares is advisable with either.

Real-World Shooting Scenarios: Which Camera Excels Where?

To make this less abstract, let’s see how each fares across photography styles and use cases:

Portrait Photography

Good skin tone reproduction and bokeh are key here. The Olympus’ f/3.5 aperture at wide end and sensor-shift IS help capture sharp faces with smooth background blur at telephoto, although limited by 12MP resolution.

Panasonic’s wider f/2.5 aperture at 24mm helps indoors or low light, plus face detection improves focus on subjects’ eyes.

Between the two: if you want better subject isolation, the Olympus can deliver nicer depth of field. For quick shots in variable lighting, Panasonic’s AF and aperture wins.

Landscape Photography

Both cameras’ sensor size limits ultimate dynamic range and fine detail capture, but Panasonic’s higher resolution pulls ahead in crispness.

The Panasonic’s 24mm wide angle allows more expansive views than the Olympus’ 28mm, a minor but notable advantage.

Olympus’ weather sealing offers extra confidence shooting challenging conditions (e.g., mist, beach spray).

If you prioritize maximum resolution and wide angles in good weather, the Panasonic FH8 is preferable. For rugged outdoor use, Olympus is a safer bet.

Wildlife Photography

Neither camera is designed for fast, precise wildlife capture.

Panasonic’s continuous AF and tracking allow somewhat better focus on moving critters, but 1 fps shooting is frustratingly slow.

Olympus’ single-point AF and lack of tracking make it nearly unsuitable.

If occasional wildlife snaps at your pet or local park are sufficient, Panasonic spends better here.

Sports Photography

Again, neither camera can be recommended for serious sports - the Olympus lags with no continuous AF or burst shooting, and Panasonic’s 1 fps rate is sluggish.

Street Photography

The compact size of the Panasonic FH8, combined with quiet operation and face detection, makes it slightly more suitable for unobtrusive street shooting.

Olympus bulkier presence and slower AF may draw attention.

Macro Photography

Olympus shines with a 2cm macro focus range, closer than Panasonic’s 4cm minimum.

Coupled with better lens aperture, Olympus is preferable for capturing detailed close-ups and textures.

Night and Astro Photography

Both cameras struggle here. Olympus max ISO 1600 is limiting, Panasonic’s 6400 helps but noise dominates.

Neither supports long exposures or RAW shooting, restricting astro or night creative possibilities.

Video

Panasonic FH8 beats Olympus easily with better resolution (720p vs 480p) and smoother codec.

Travel Photography

Panasonic FH8 wins for portability, weight (123g vs 182g) and zoom range.

Olympus’ rugged build is great for adventure travel but bulkier.

Professional Work

Neither camera supports RAW or advanced workflows.

Both serve best as simple, casual shooters, not as main professional tools.

Olympus 8000 front Olympus 8000 screen back Panasonic FH8 front Panasonic FH8 screen back

Final Performance Metrics: Overall and Genre-Specific Summaries

To give a sense of weighted performance, here’s a synthesized score chart from hands-on evaluations:

Notice Panasonic FH8’s advantage in resolution and AF, Olympus in durability and macro capabilities.

This breakdown confirms:

• Olympus excels at outdoor ruggedness and macro
• Panasonic leads in portraits, landscapes, and video
• Both are unsuitable for fast-action or professional use

My Bottom Line Recommendations

If you want a durable, simple point-and-shoot for outdoor adventures, close-ups, and worry-free shooting: the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 is your buddy. Its rugged design, sensor-shift stabilization, and close macro abilities make it a reliable all-rounder for casual users who push their camera beyond ordinary scenarios.

If you prefer a lighter, more versatile general-use compact with better image resolution, video, and autofocus performance at a budget-friendly price, go for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8. Its slightly better zoom range, wider aperture at the wide end, and modern conveniences make it more practical for landscapes, portraits, street photography, and everyday snapshots.

Keep in mind, both cameras are from older generation small sensor compacts - modern smartphone cameras will often outperform them in convenience and image quality today. However, these models still hold value for those who prefer a dedicated physical camera with optical zoom and tactile controls.

I hope this detailed comparison helps clarify where each camera shines in real-world settings - if you want rugged simplicity and reliable macro, Olympus is the right pick. For a budget compact that balances resolution and AF features, Panasonic delivers solid value.

Remember, no camera is perfect; your choice depends on what suits your style, prioritized features, and budget constraints. Happy shooting!