Olympus TG-610 vs Panasonic FS42

Here is a complete review of the Olympus TG-610 vs Panasonic FS42, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Ultracompact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference between the sensor resolutions of the TG-610 (14MP) and FS42 (10MP) and the TG-610 (1/2.3") and FS42 (1/2.5") come with different sensor measurements.

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The TG-610 was unveiled 21 months later than the FS42 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-610 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a short introduction of how the TG-610 grades versus the FS42 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus TG-610 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The full galleries are provided at Olympus TG-610 Gallery & Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-610 features external measurements of 96mm x 65mm x 26mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 190 grams (0.42 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FS42 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

See the Olympus TG-610 vs Panasonic FS42 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using at the time. Following is the front view size comparison of the TG-610 versus the FS42.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the TG-610 and FS42 is 93 and 95 respectively.

Usually, it's difficult to picture the difference between sensor sizing purely by reading a spec sheet. The graphic here should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-610 and FS42.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The TG-610 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus TG-610 will deliver extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots much more aggressively. The younger TG-610 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.