Olympus TG-820 iHS vs Panasonic FZ40

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus TG-820 iHS and Panasonic FZ40, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the TG-820 iHS (12MP) and the FZ40 (14MP) is pretty comparable and both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The TG-820 iHS was announced 19 months later than the FZ40 which makes them a generation apart from one another. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-820 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the TG-820 iHS scores versus the FZ40 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus TG-820 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The whole galleries are available at Olympus TG-820 iHS Gallery and Panasonic FZ40 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-820 iHS has physical measurements of 101mm x 65mm x 26mm (4.0" x 2.6" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ40 has dimensions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") having a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

Check out the Olympus TG-820 iHS and Panasonic FZ40 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at that moment. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-820 iHS against the FZ40.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the TG-820 iHS and FZ40 is 92 and 68 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing only by going through specs. The graphic underneath will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-820 iHS and FZ40.

All in all, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Panasonic FZ40 to produce more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures way more aggressively. The younger TG-820 iHS is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.