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Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50

Portability
91
Imaging
41
Features
42
Overall
41
Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 front
Portability
90
Imaging
37
Features
57
Overall
45

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 Key Specs

Olympus TG-860
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 21-105mm (F3.5-5.7) lens
  • 224g - 110 x 64 x 28mm
  • Announced February 2015
  • Replacement is Olympus TG-870
Panasonic ZS50
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.3-6.4) lens
  • 243g - 111 x 65 x 34mm
  • Introduced January 2015
  • Additionally Known as Lumix DMC-TZ70
  • Earlier Model is Panasonic ZS45
  • Newer Model is Panasonic ZS60
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Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 Overview

Its time to look closer at the Olympus TG-860 and Panasonic ZS50, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the TG-860 (16MP) and ZS50 (12MP) but they feature the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The TG-860 was manufactured 2 months later than the ZS50 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus TG-860 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the TG-860 grades vs the ZS50 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus TG-860 over the Panasonic ZS50

 TG-860 ZS50 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS50 over the Olympus TG-860

 ZS50 TG-860 
Manual focus Very exact focusing
Display resolution1040k460kCrisper display (+580k dot)

Common features in the Olympus TG-860 and Panasonic ZS50

 TG-860 ZS50 
IntroducedFebruary 2015January 2015Same age
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display dimensions
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen
Touch display Missing Touch display

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 Physical Comparison

If you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus TG-860 comes with outside measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") having a weight of 224 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS50 has specifications of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs).

Look at the Olympus TG-860 and Panasonic ZS50 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have during that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the TG-860 against the ZS50.

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 size comparison

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the TG-860 and ZS50 is 91 and 90 respectively.

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 top view buttons comparison

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 Sensor Comparison

Usually, it can be hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements purely by looking through technical specs. The photograph here should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-860 and ZS50.

As you can tell, both of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You can expect to see the Olympus TG-860 to provide you with more detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a little more aggressively.

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 sensor size comparison

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus TG-860 Portrait photography advice
Panasonic ZS50 Portrait photography advice
36
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
comes with face detect autofocus
focusing manually not possible
lack of manual exposure
external flash not possible
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
42
manual focus
has face detection focusing
exports RAW files
cannot use external flash
MP count low (12MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
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Street Comparison

Olympus TG-860 as a Street photography camera
Panasonic ZS50 as a Street photography camera
69
screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization (Optical)
environment sealing
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
68
image stabilization (Optical)
exports RAW files
lighter than competition in class (243g)
screen does not articulate
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus TG-860
Sports photography with Panasonic ZS50
49
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
comes with tracking focus
environment sealing
no shutter priority
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect autofocus
43
incredible zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
has tracking autofocus
MP count low (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus TG-860 as a Travel photography camera
Panasonic ZS50 as a Travel photography camera
71
environment sealing
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
really wide (21mm)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
66
lighter than competition in class (243 grams)
built-in flash
quite wide (24mm)
great zoom (720mm)
MP count low (12MP)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus TG-860
Landscape photography with Panasonic ZS50
48
really wide (21mm)
nice screen size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
environment sealing
focusing manually not possible
can't switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
lack of manual exposure
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
51
manual focus
quite wide (24mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
exports RAW files
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
MP count low (12MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus TG-860 Vlogging highlights
Panasonic ZS50 Vlogging highlights
33
really wide (21mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detect autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
missing mic support
34
quite wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
has face detection focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition in class (243g)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
does not have external microphone socket
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Olympus TG-860 vs Panasonic ZS50 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus TG-860 and Panasonic ZS50
 Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
General Information
Brand Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Also called - Lumix DMC-TZ70
Class Waterproof Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2015-02-06 2015-01-06
Physical type Ultracompact Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic VII -
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixel 12 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Maximum native ISO 6400 6400
Min native ISO 125 80
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points - 23
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 21-105mm (5.0x) 24-720mm (30.0x)
Highest aperture f/3.5-5.7 f/3.3-6.4
Macro focus range 1cm 3cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.8
Screen
Type of display Tilting Fixed Type
Display sizing 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 460k dots 1,040k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 1,166k dots
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.46x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 4s 4s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/2000s
Continuous shooting rate 7.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 4.00 m (at ISO 1600) 6.40 m
Flash modes Auto, redeye reduction, fill flash, off, LED illuminator Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p), 1280 x 720 (60p), 640 x 480 (60p) 1920 x 1080 (60p/60i/30p), 1280 x 720 (60p/30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS Yes None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 224g (0.49 pounds) 243g (0.54 pounds)
Dimensions 110 x 64 x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") 111 x 65 x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 44
DXO Color Depth score not tested 20.0
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 11.2
DXO Low light score not tested 138
Other
Battery life 300 pictures 300 pictures
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model Li-50B -
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots One One
Retail price $279 $350