Olympus TG-870 vs Panasonic FZ2500

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus TG-870 and Panasonic FZ2500, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the TG-870 (16MP) and the FZ2500 (20MP) is pretty similar but the TG-870 (1/2.3") and FZ2500 (1") possess different sensor dimensions.

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The TG-870 was revealed 8 months earlier than the FZ2500 which means that they are of a similar generation. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic FZ2500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a short summation of how the TG-870 matches up against the FZ2500 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500. The full galleries are provided at Olympus TG-870 Gallery and Panasonic FZ2500 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-870 comes with external measurements of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ2500 has proportions of 138mm x 102mm x 135mm (5.4" x 4.0" x 5.3") with a weight of 915 grams (2.02 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus TG-870 and Panasonic FZ2500 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at the time. Here is the front view size comparison of the TG-870 and the FZ2500.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-870 and FZ2500 is 91 and 53 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading specs. The pic below should give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-870 and FZ2500.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The TG-870 with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Panasonic FZ2500 will offer more detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The more aged TG-870 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.