Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Panasonic ZS100

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Panasonic ZS100, former is a Waterproof while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the TG-1 iHS (12MP) and ZS100 (20MP) and the TG-1 iHS (1/2.3") and ZS100 (1") boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The TG-1 iHS was announced 4 years prior to the ZS100 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-1 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a brief overview of how the TG-1 iHS grades vs the ZS100 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100. The whole galleries are available at Olympus TG-1 iHS Gallery & Panasonic ZS100 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-1 iHS offers physical measurements of 112mm x 67mm x 30mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") along with a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS100 has proportions of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs).

Compare the Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Panasonic ZS100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-1 iHS and the ZS100.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-1 iHS and ZS100 is 91 and 87 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes simply by viewing technical specs. The picture underneath may give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-1 iHS and ZS100.

As you can tell, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The TG-1 iHS using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic ZS100 will provide you with more detail with its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged TG-1 iHS will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.