Olympus TG-870 vs Panasonic ZS40

Lets examine more in depth at the Olympus TG-870 vs Panasonic ZS40, one being a Ultracompact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the TG-870 (16MP) and the ZS40 (18MP) is pretty close and they feature the exact same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The TG-870 was introduced 2 years later than the ZS40 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the TG-870 matches up vs the ZS40 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The whole galleries are available at Olympus TG-870 Gallery and Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-870 has outside measurements of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS40 has measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus TG-870 vs Panasonic ZS40 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using during that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the TG-870 compared to the ZS40.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the TG-870 and ZS40 is 91 and 90 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to envision the difference in sensor measurements merely by viewing a spec sheet. The visual here should provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-870 and ZS40.

Clearly, both of these cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Panasonic ZS40 to provide you with extra detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures much more aggressively. The more modern TG-870 will have an advantage in sensor tech.