Olympus TG-310 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus TG-310 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both are manufactured by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the TG-310 (14MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) is pretty well matched but the TG-310 (1/2.3") and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") have different sensor sizes.

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The TG-310 was manufactured 23 months before the XZ-2 iHS which makes them a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a simple view of how the TG-310 grades vs the XZ-2 iHS in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus TG-310 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-310 Gallery and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera, you should take into account its weight and size. The Olympus TG-310 provides physical dimensions of 96mm x 63mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.5" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs) and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has specifications of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") and a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus TG-310 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose during that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-310 against the XZ-2 iHS.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-310 and XZ-2 iHS is 94 and 85 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to picture the gap between sensor sizing only by reading through technical specs. The visual below will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-310 and XZ-2 iHS.

As you can tell, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The TG-310 because of its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Olympus TG-310 will give you greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs more aggressively. The older TG-310 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.