Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic FH5

Here is a in-depth overview of the Olympus TG-860 and Panasonic FH5, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the TG-860 (16MP) and the FH5 (16MP) is pretty close and both cameras boast the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The TG-860 was announced 4 years later than the FH5 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-860 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the TG-860 scores vs the FH5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus TG-860 Gallery and Panasonic FH5 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-860 offers outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 224 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Panasonic FH5 has sizing of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-860 and Panasonic FH5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the TG-860 compared to the FH5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the TG-860 and FH5 is 91 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it is tough to visualise the difference in sensor sizing purely by looking through technical specs. The photograph underneath will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-860 and FH5.

As you can tell, the two cameras have the same sensor dimensions and the same exact MP so you should expect comparable quality of files but you should always factor the production date of the cameras into account. The more recent TG-860 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.