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Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310 Comparison

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Canon G12

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD Sensor

Canon G12
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Olympus TG-310

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Olympus TG-310
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Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Canon G12, which was introduced in January 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 10.0MP 1/1.7" sensor whereas Olympus TG-310, which was introduced in January 2011 is a Waterproof camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3" sensor. Both G12 and TG-310 were launched within the same month so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and available technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon G12 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-01-19
  • 10MP - 1/1.7" CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 28-140 mm F2.8-4.5 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.8" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (tunnel) viewfinder
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 401g. 112 x 76 x 48 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot G11 Compare

Olympus TG-310 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-01-06
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 28-102 mm F3.9-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 155g. 96 x 63 x 23 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Canon G12 was replaced by Canon PowerShot G15. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot G15 vs Canon PowerShot G12
Canon PowerShot G15 vs Olympus TG-310

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G12 over Olympus TG-310
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max ISO
3.200 vs 1.600 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
2.8" vs 2.7" 0.1 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
461k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
370 shots vs 150 shots 220 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele
140mm vs 102mm 38 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
5× vs 3.6× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.90 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.50 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
7.0m vs 4.2m 2.8m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
4.16µm2 vs 2.04µm2 103% larger pixel area
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies


Reasons to choose Olympus TG-310 over Canon PowerShot G12
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 10 MP 39% more pixels
Weight
155 g vs 401 g 246 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot G12 and Olympus TG-310
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot G12 and Olympus TG-310
LCD Screen Size
2.8" vs 2.7" Small display
LCD Screen Resolution
461k dots vs 230k dots Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting
1.0fps vs 1.0fps Slow shooting speeds
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon G12 has external dimensions of 112 x 76 x 48 mm (4.41 x 2.99 x 1.89″) and weighs 401 g (0.88 lb / 14.14 oz) (including batteries). Olympus TG-310 has external dimensions of 96 x 63 x 23 mm (3.78 x 2.48 x 0.91″) and weighs 155 g (0.34 lb / 5.47 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310. Olympus TG-310 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 16mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 25mm thinner than Canon G12.

Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310.
Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus TG-310 is significantly lighter (246g ) than the Canon G12 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

G12
TG-310
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

G12
TG-310
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon G12's 2.8" LCD screen is slightly larger than Olympus TG-310's 2.7" screen.

Moreover, Canon G12 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Olympus TG-310 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to G12.
Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310: Sensor Comparison

Canon G12 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. On the other hand, Olympus TG-310 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III+ processor.

Below you can see the G12 and TG-310 sensor size comparison.

Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 Cameras


As seen above, Canon G12 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Olympus TG-310. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310 Lens Specs Comparison

Canon G12 features a 28-140 mm F2.8-4.5 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus TG-310 features a 28-102 mm F3.9-5.9 3.6× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 28mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Canon G12 is faster than Olympus TG-310 at this focal length. On the tele end, Canon G12 has 38mm longer reach than the Olympus TG-310. At f4.50, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

G12
TG-310
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

G12
TG-310
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

G12
TG-310
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

G12
TG-310
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon G12 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-310 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon G12 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus TG-310 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.90
Read the details

Canon G12 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-310 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
140 mm Tele Lens
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 150 shots
102 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Canon G12 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus TG-310 for Daily Photography

GOOD
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
401g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details
Compact Body
155g
Environmental Sealings
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
3.6X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Canon G12 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-310 for Landscape Photography

POOR
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Environmental Sealings
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Canon G12 vs Olympus TG-310: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon G12 and Olympus TG-310 scores compare:

Canon G12
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #29 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #396 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Olympus TG-310
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #132 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #632 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Canon G12 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus TG-310 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Canon G12.

Canon G12
Canon G12
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Olympus TG-310
Olympus TG-310
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Olympus TG-310 vs Canon G12 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot G12 Olympus TG-310
Brand Canon Olympus
Announced 2011-01-19 2011-01-06
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD CCD
Size 1/1.7" 1/2.3"
Dimensions 7.44 x 5.58 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 41.52mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 28-140 mm (5×) 28-102 mm (3.6×)
Max Aperture F2.8-4.5 F3.9-5.9
Macro Focus Range 1cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 2.8" 2.7"
Resolution 461k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (tunnel) None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.00 m 4.20 m
Max Flash Sync 1/2000s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1280 x 720
Video Formats H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 401g 155g
Dimensions 112 x 76 x 48mm 96 x 63 x 23mm
Battery Life 370 shots 150 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 47 not tested
DxO Color Depth 20.4 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 11.2 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 161 not tested
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