Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Panasonic FZ80

Let's look more in depth at the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Panasonic FZ80, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the TG-2 iHS (12MP) and FZ80 (18MP) but both cameras have the same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The TG-2 iHS was released 4 years prior to the FZ80 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going straight to a complete comparison, here is a simple summation of how the TG-2 iHS scores versus the FZ80 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The complete galleries are available at Olympus TG-2 iHS Gallery & Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-2 iHS provides outside dimensions of 111mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.1") having a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ80 has proportions of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") having a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Look at the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Panasonic FZ80 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at the time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-2 iHS vs the FZ80.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the TG-2 iHS and FZ80 is 91 and 63 respectively.

Generally, its hard to see the contrast in sensor sizing purely by seeing technical specs. The photograph here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-2 iHS and FZ80.

As you can tell, both the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Panasonic FZ80 to produce more detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop pictures more aggressively. The older TG-2 iHS will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.