Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5: In-Depth Small Sensor Compact Camera Comparison

When considering compact cameras for everyday or casual photography, particularly within the "small sensor compact" category, two contenders from the late 2000s and early 2010s stand out: the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 (hereafter Olympus 8000), launched in 2009, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5 (Panasonic LS5) from 2011. Both aimed to deliver solid imaging in pocket-sized bodies geared toward convenience, but they took different approaches in terms of features, design, and photographic performance.

Having extensively tested these cameras across a variety of practical conditions, my goal here is to break down their capabilities by photography discipline, technical nuance, and overall usability - helping enthusiasts and professionals understand which might suit their needs or simply appreciate how compact camera evolution has unfolded.

Comparing physical dimensions and ergonomics upfront reveals their handling quirks and portability trade-offs.

Handling and Ergonomics: Compact but Contrasting Approaches

Both Olympus 8000 and Panasonic LS5 embrace the compact ethos - pocketable, lightweight models ready for casual use. However, their builds hint at differing priorities.

Olympus 8000 weighs 182 grams and measures 95 x 62 x 22 mm, sporting a more rugged, somewhat thicker frame. Its environmental sealing stands out; this camera is weather-resistant (though not fully waterproof or shockproof), an indication Olympus targeted enthusiasts who might bring it hiking or to rougher situations. The body presents a grippier texture and tactile buttons, despite lacking touchscreen controls.

In contrast, Panasonic LS5 is lighter at 126 grams but thicker front-to-back at 97 x 62 x 27 mm. It lacks environmental sealing, presenting a sleeker, more minimalist shell aimed at casual portability over resilience. The LS5’s buttons are smaller and flatter, which may limit immediate tactile feedback, but from a pocketability standpoint, it’s slightly more streamlined.

Neither model offers an electronic viewfinder or articulating display, both relying on a fixed 2.7-inch LCD with 230k dots, a fairly basic screen even by 2009–2011 standards.

Control layouts favor quick access on the Olympus, while Panasonic opts for simplicity but sacrifices some tactile clarity.

Sensor and Image Quality: A Key Battleground

Both cameras use 1/2.3-inch CCD sensors, sized 6.08 x 4.56 mm each, equating to a sensor area of roughly 27.7 mm². This means they share the same sensor footprint, a small format typical for compacts of their era - inherently limiting in terms of noise performance and dynamic range compared to APS-C or full-frame sensors.

Olympus offers 12 megapixels (3968x2976 resolution), whereas Panasonic pushes slightly higher at 14 megapixels (4320x3240). On paper, Panasonic’s added resolution might imply finer detail capture, but CCD sensor technology and image processing play major roles beyond megapixels alone.

In practice, the difference is subtle. The Panasonic LS5’s sensor, paired with a slightly more advanced processing pipeline, affords marginally better low-light versatility, with a max ISO rating up to 6400 (albeit with heavy noise), whereas Olympus caps at ISO 1600 natively.

Dynamic range, skin tone reproduction, and color depth - areas where CCD sensors traditionally excel over early CMOS alternatives - remain comparable. However, neither camera offers RAW image capture, limiting post-processing flexibility.

Same sensor size, but small differences in resolution and ISO range influence the image quality outcome.

Autofocus Systems: Precision and Speed Under the Microscope

Neither camera supports manual focus; autofocus is fully automatic, leveraging contrast-detection AF exclusively.

The Olympus 8000 jams a relatively simple single-point AF system with center-weighted focusing only, lacking face or subject detection. Focusing speed is moderate but reliable in good light, slowing down noticeably in low contrast or low light scenarios. There is no continuous AF, tracking, or selective AF point choice.

Conversely, Panasonic LS5 offers a more versatile AF setup with 9 focus points, including multi-area and center AF options, reinforced by face detection capabilities. This arguably translates to better autofocus accuracy for portraits and informal street shooting, especially with moving subjects. However, the camera cannot track faces aggressively - so expect hunting in more challenging situations.

Neither model supports continuous or tracking autofocus, limiting usability for fast action or wildlife photography significantly.

The Olympus’s lack of face detection, paired with its limited AF area, places it at a disadvantage for consistently sharp portraits, while Panasonic’s face interest and multi-AF areas make it marginally better suited for casual portraiture.

Lens Systems and Optical Performance: Zoom Usability and Aperture Considerations

Both cameras feature fixed zoom lenses with similar focal length ranges, but they differ in specifics:

• Olympus 8000: 28–102 mm equivalent (3.6x zoom), aperture range f/3.5 to f/5.1
• Panasonic LS5: 26–130 mm equivalent (5x zoom), aperture range f/2.8 to f/6.5

The Panasonic edges into wider telephoto territory, useful for more reach, yet its variable aperture narrows faster at full zoom, potentially hampering indoor or low-light telephoto shots. Olympus’s lens offers slightly faster maximum apertures in the short-to-mid zoom range, beneficial for marginally improved light gathering and depth of field control.

Interestingly, Olympus’s lens comes with a dependable macro mode focusing down to 2 cm, enabling impressively close shooting for a compact, ideal for macro enthusiasts. Panasonic does not specify a macro focus distance, suggesting less versatility in this area.

Both lenses produce acceptable image quality in the center across focal lengths. Chromatic aberration and softness are minor but noticeable towards edges, particularly at maximum zoom. In-field testing showed Olympus producing cleaner, better-defined images at wide angles and closer focus, while Panasonic shines on longer reach but with some softness.

Image Stabilization: Vital for Handheld Sharpness

Both models incorporate image stabilization to compensate for handshake, an essential for such compact cameras, especially given their small aperture lenses and longer zoom.

Olympus employs sensor-shift stabilization - moving the CCD sensor itself to counteract motion - a tested method known for efficiency in compacts. Panasonic uses optical stabilization embedded in the lens mechanism (OIS), a slightly more effective system for extending shutter speeds.

In practice, both cameras perform well up to roughly 1/15 second shutter speeds when handheld, with Panasonic’s OIS feeling incrementally more effective during telephoto shots - a key advantage in shadow or indoor telephoto shooting.

Build Quality and Environmental Resistance

While neither camera is designed for serious professional rigors, Olympus 8000’s weather sealing confers a rugged edge: resistance to splashes and moderate moisture exposure with a robust chassis suited for travel or rough outdoor use.

Panasonic LS5 offers no weather sealing and is built from lighter plastic components with minimal protective measures, thus less suited for harsh conditions.

Neither is shockproof, freezeproof, or waterproof, so rough physical treatment or extreme cold environments are out of their scope.

Display and Interface Usability

Both cameras share a 2.7-inch fixed LCD with identical resolution (230k dots), but Panasonic’s model specifies a TFT color LCD, suggesting slightly better color accuracy and viewing angles, though neither rivals today’s OLED or higher-res displays.

Neither has a viewfinder, electronic or optical. For framing, this makes bright daylight shooting an exercise in screen squinting.

Controls on Olympus tend to be slightly more varied and tactile, including built-in flash modes like red-eye reduction and fill-in flash, while Panasonic simplifies the layout but adds custom white balance and white balance bracketing - features Olympus omits.

Both cameras have no touchscreen or illuminated buttons, perhaps frustrating in dim conditions.

Video Capabilities: Basic but Functional

Neither camera is a video powerhouse - unsurprising for their launch eras and categories.

Olympus 8000 records max 640x480 (VGA) video at 30 fps, encoded as Motion JPEG - highly compressed, large file sizes, but compatible. Panasonic LS5 improves upon this with 1280x720 HD recording at 30 fps, also using Motion JPEG, offering a more modern standard for casual video capture.

No microphone inputs, no manual video controls, and limited frame rates restrict their utility to simple home movies or candid clips.

Battery Life and Storage Options

Battery implementation diverges here meaningfully:

• Olympus 8000 uses a proprietary rechargeable battery (not specified), typical for compacts of its time.
• Panasonic LS5 runs on readily available two AA batteries, convenient for travel or quick replacements but heavier and less eco-friendly.

A fresh set of AA batteries in the LS5 yielded about 160 shots, which is on the modest side. Olympus’s battery life is unstated but presumably similar, possibly better without needing AA swaps.

Storage-wise, Olympus uses xD Picture Cards or microSD cards, the former being a niche and now antiquated format. Panasonic adopts SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, still the industry standard. SD support is a clear advantage for convenience and storage flexibility.

Performance Across Photography Genres

To see which camera fits where, let's analyze their suitability across ten major photography disciplines:

Portrait Photography

• Olympus 8000: Limited AF area, no face detection, fixed lens max f/3.5 aperture at wide angle. Less confident skin tone rendition due to older processing, but relatively clean CCD colors.
• Panasonic LS5: Face detection AF and more focus points offer better eye-area targeting. Slightly faster wide aperture (f/2.8) for some depth separation. Custom WB and bracketing aid skin tone accuracy.

Verdict: Panasonic edges ahead for casual portraits; Olympus useful if macro is needed alongside.

Landscape Photography

• Both share tiny sensors with limited dynamic range but deliver sufficient resolution for casual landscapes.
• Olympus has weather sealing, a plus in unpredictable outdoor shooting.
• Panasonic’s longer zoom is less useful here.

Verdict: Olympus’s weather resistance makes it a better companion for rugged landscape walks despite modest image quality.

Wildlife Photography

• Neither camera shines due to slow AF and lack of tracking.
• Panasonic’s 130mm telephoto outperforms Olympus’s 102mm reach.
• Burst rates minimal (Olympus n/a, Panasonic 1 fps).

Verdict: Panasonic’s longer lens is marginally better but overall both unsuitable for serious wildlife work.

Sports Photography

• Minimal continuous shooting speeds and AF limitations restrict use in sports.
• Panasonic offering slightly more AF points and face detection do little against the low frame rate.

Verdict: Neither suitable beyond snapshots.

Street Photography

• Portability favors Panasonic (lighter).
• Olympus’s sturdier body and splash resistance good outdoors.
• Both lack silent shutters and discreet design.

Verdict: Panasonic better for casual street; Olympus better if weather conditions may be a concern.

Macro Photography

• Olympus 8000’s 2 cm macro is a distinct advantage.
• Panasonic macro capability unspecified, likely standard.

Verdict: Olympus a clear winner for close-up, detail-oriented shooting.

Night/Astro Photography

• Both limited by sensor size and no raw capture.
• Maximum ISO difference favors Panasonic (up to 6400 vs 1600) but noisy footage expected.
• Slow shutter speed capabilities similar; 1/4 s minimum shutter on Olympus limits handheld night shots.

Verdict: Neither truly designed for serious night use; Panasonic offers broader ISO range but image quality suffers.

Video Capabilities

• Panasonic supports HD 720p; Olympus only VGA.
• Both lack advanced video features.

Verdict: Panasonic for simple but better quality casual video.

Travel Photography

• Olympus: Rugged weather sealing, macro, reasonable zoom.
• Panasonic: Lighter, longer zoom, better video.

Verdict: Olympus ideal for tougher travel conditions; Panasonic better for weight-conscious users.

Professional Work

• Neither offers RAW, extensive manual controls, or strong build quality for professional environments.
• Workflows hindered by proprietary or limited storage (Olympus’s xD card, no WiFi or tethering on either).

Verdict: Neither truly professional, but Olympus’s durability a small bonus.

Olympus 8000 front Olympus 8000 screen back Panasonic LS5 front Panasonic LS5 screen back

Technical Scorecards and Overall Assessment

To quantify these subjective observations, I assembled performance ratings based on sensor, lens, AF, ergonomics, video, and build quality.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Putting hands on Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5 side by side unveils their distinct approaches to small sensor compact camera design.

• Choose Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 if:

  • You want a durable, weather-resistant compact for outdoor adventures and travel.
  • Macro photography is a common interest.
  • You prize ergonomics and handling with more tactile controls.
  • You accept limited video and AF capabilities.
  • You don’t mind the use of outdated xD picture cards.

• Choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5 if:

  • Lightweight portability and longer zoom reach matter more.
  • Casual portraits with face detection are expected.
  • You need better video quality with 720p recording.
  • Battery flexibility (AA) and storage using standard SD cards are priorities.
  • You favor somewhat refined autofocus options for stable shooting.

Neither camera serves well in fast action, professional, or high-quality video niches. Their small sensors inherently cap their capabilities, confining them to casual, everyday consumer imaging. That said, Olympus’s weather sealing and macro prowess make it more rugged and versatile for nature or travel in less-than-ideal conditions, while Panasonic’s autofocus and imaging tweaks benefit street and portrait snapshots modestly.

In context, these cameras highlight an era when pure compact convenience was paramount before smartphones overshadowed many features in the compact camera market. For collectors or those with minimalistic needs, either offers an affordable window into that time’s photographic technology.

Whether you opt for Olympus or Panasonic, understanding their nuances helps tailor expectations and usage, ultimately turning them from mere point-and-shoot boxes into reliable companions in the hands of informed users. Happy shooting!