Olympus TG-850 iHS vs Panasonic GF2

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus TG-850 iHS vs Panasonic GF2, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the TG-850 iHS (16MP) and GF2 (12MP) and the TG-850 iHS (1/2.3") and GF2 (Four Thirds) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The TG-850 iHS was introduced 2 years after the GF2 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-850 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the TG-850 iHS scores vs the GF2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-850 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-850 iHS Gallery and Panasonic GF2 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-850 iHS has exterior dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) and the Panasonic GF2 has sizing of 113mm x 68mm x 33mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 310 grams (0.68 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-850 iHS vs Panasonic GF2 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at the time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the TG-850 iHS against the GF2.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the TG-850 iHS and GF2 is 91 and 88 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizes only by checking out technical specs. The pic below might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-850 iHS and GF2.

As you can tell, each of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The TG-850 iHS with its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh more challenging and the Olympus TG-850 iHS will produce extra detail using its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs more aggressively. The more recent TG-850 iHS provides an edge when it comes to sensor technology.