Olympus TG-6 vs Panasonic LZ30

Following is a detailed assessment of the Olympus TG-6 and Panasonic LZ30, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the TG-6 (12MP) and LZ30 (16MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The TG-6 was announced 6 years after the LZ30 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-6 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple overview of how the TG-6 grades versus the LZ30 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Tough TG-6 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-6 Gallery and Panasonic LZ30 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus TG-6 provides outer measurements of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 253 grams (0.56 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LZ30 has specifications of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") having a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-6 and Panasonic LZ30 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-6 and the LZ30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-6 and LZ30 is 90 and 66 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizes purely by reading through specifications. The image below might give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-6 and LZ30.

Plainly, both the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different megapixels. You should count on the Panasonic LZ30 to give you extra detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The more recent TG-6 provides an edge when it comes to sensor technology.