Olympus TG-830 iHS vs Panasonic GF3

The following is a thorough review of the Olympus TG-830 iHS vs Panasonic GF3, former is a Waterproof while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the TG-830 iHS (16MP) and GF3 (12MP) and the TG-830 iHS (1/2.3") and GF3 (Four Thirds) use totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The TG-830 iHS was announced 18 months after the GF3 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-830 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise overview of how the TG-830 iHS grades versus the GF3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus TG-830 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3. The whole galleries are available at Olympus TG-830 iHS Gallery & Panasonic GF3 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-830 iHS has got external dimensions of 109mm x 67mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1") and a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) while the Panasonic GF3 has proportions of 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 264 grams (0.58 lbs).

Compare the Olympus TG-830 iHS vs Panasonic GF3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have during that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the TG-830 iHS versus the GF3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-830 iHS and GF3 is 91 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to envision the difference between sensor dimensions just by checking technical specs. The image below should offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-830 iHS and GF3.

As you can tell, both of those cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The TG-830 iHS using its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Olympus TG-830 iHS will give you more detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The younger TG-830 iHS is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.