Panasonic LF1 vs Olympus TG-5 Comparison

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Panasonic LF1

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus TG-5

12 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic LF1 vs Olympus TG-5 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic LF1, which was introduced in November 2013 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor whereas Olympus TG-5, which was introduced in May 2017 is a Waterproof camera with a 12.0MP sensor. As you can see, LF1 is 4 years older than TG-5. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic LF1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-11-26

12MP - 1/1.7-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400 ( expands to 12800)

28-200 mm F2.0-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

Electronic viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

192g. 103 x 62 x 28 mm

Olympus TG-5 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2017-05-17

12MP - BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800 ( expands to 100 - 12800)

25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

20.0fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

250g. 113 x 66 x 32 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Olympus Tough TG-4 Compare

Olympus TG-5 was replaced by Olympus Tough TG-6. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus Tough TG-6 vs Olympus Tough TG-5
Olympus Tough TG-6 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 over Olympus Tough TG-5

Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
LCD Screen Resolution	920k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	192 g vs 250 g	58 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	200mm vs 100mm	100 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	7.1× vs 4x	more flexible focal coverage
Sensor Pixel Area	3.46µm² vs 2.34µm²	47% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices

CHECK LF1 PRICE

Reasons to choose Olympus Tough TG-5 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1

Live Composite Mode	Yes vs No	Excellent help for long-exposure photography
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	25 vs 23	2 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	20.0fps vs 10.0fps	10 fps faster
Battery Life	340 shots vs 250 shots	90 more frames with a single charge
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video
Focus Bracketing	Yes vs No	Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking	Yes vs No	Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Max Video Bit rate	102mbps vs 20mbps	Higher bit rate for better video quality
UHS Card Support	UHS-I vs none	Read/Write in High Speeds

CHECK TG-5 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 and Olympus Tough TG-5

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
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
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 and Olympus Tough TG-5

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography

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Panasonic LF1 vs Olympus TG-5: 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 Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic LF1 has external dimensions of 103 x 62 x 28 mm (4.06 x 2.44 x 1.1″) and weighs 192 g (0.42 lb / 6.77 oz) (including batteries). Olympus TG-5 has external dimensions of 113 x 66 x 32 mm (4.45 x 2.6 x 1.26″) and weighs 250 g (0.55 lb / 8.82 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5. Panasonic LF1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Olympus TG-5.

Comparison image of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5.

Comparison image of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic LF1 is significantly lighter (58g ) than the Olympus TG-5 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

LF1

TG-5

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

LF1

TG-5

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Panasonic LF1 vs Olympus TG-5: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Panasonic LF1's sensor is 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) and Olympus TG-5's sensor is (1/2. ).

Since Panasonic LF1's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Olympus TG-5.

Below you can see the LF1 and TG-5 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 Cameras

As seen above, Panasonic LF1 has a 0.0x Larger sensor area than Olympus TG-5. 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.

Panasonic LF1 vs Olympus TG-5 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic LF1 features a 28-200 mm F2.0-5.9 7.1× zoom lens whereas Olympus TG-5 features a 25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 4x zoom lens.

Olympus TG-5 has 3mm wider coverage than the Panasonic LF1. Both cameras has a max aperture of f2.00 at the wide end. On the tele end, Panasonic LF1 has 100mm longer reach than the Olympus TG-5. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Olympus TG-5 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

LF1

TG-5

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

LF1

TG-5

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

LF1

TG-5

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

LF1

TG-5

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 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.

Panasonic LF1 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-5 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic LF1 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus TG-5 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic LF1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-5 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
200 mm Tele Lens
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
Environmental Sealings
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic LF1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus TG-5 for Daily Photography

GOOD

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
192g
7.1X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
250g
Environmental Sealings
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Panasonic LF1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-5 for Landscape Photography

POOR

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Panasonic LF1 vs Olympus TG-5: 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 Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Panasonic LF1 and Olympus TG-5 scores compare:

Panasonic LF1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #24 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #380 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Olympus TG-5

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #11 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #306 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Olympus TG-5 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic LF1 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus TG-5 vs Panasonic LF1 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1	Olympus Tough TG-5
Brand	Panasonic	Olympus
Announced	2013-11-26	2017-05-17
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	7.44 x 5.58 mm	1/2.
Area	41.52mm²	0.00mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	12800 ISO	12800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	100 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	23	25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-200 mm (7.1×)	25-100 mm (4x)
Max Aperture	F2.0-5.9	F2.0-4.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	920k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Optical	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	7.00 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	20.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	192g	250g
Dimensions	103 x 62 x 28mm	113 x 66 x 32mm
Battery Life	250 shots	340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	52	not tested
DxO Color Depth	20.8	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	11.6	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	211	not tested
	Report a correction	Report a correction