Olympus TG-3 vs Panasonic FS15

Here is a comprehensive analysis of the Olympus TG-3 versus Panasonic FS15, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the TG-3 (16MP) and FS15 (12MP) but they come with the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The TG-3 was released 5 years later than the FS15 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus TG-3 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a short introduction of how the TG-3 matches up against the FS15 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Tough TG-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-3 Gallery and Panasonic FS15 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-3 features exterior measurements of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") with a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FS15 has sizing of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") and a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus TG-3 versus Panasonic FS15 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the TG-3 versus the FS15.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the TG-3 and FS15 is 90 and 95 respectively.

Generally, its hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing merely by looking through technical specs. The graphic here should provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-3 and FS15.

As you have seen, both cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You should expect to see the Olympus TG-3 to result in extra detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images a little more aggressively. The more modern TG-3 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.