Panasonic S3 vs Olympus TG-6 Comparison

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Panasonic S3

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

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Olympus TG-6

12 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic S3 vs Olympus TG-6 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic S3, which was introduced in January 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Olympus TG-6, which was introduced in May 2019 is a Waterproof camera with a 12.0MP sensor. As you can see, S3 is 8 years older than TG-6. 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 S3 and Olympus TG-6 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic S3 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-01-05

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

28-112 mm F3.1-5.6 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.70" Fixed Type Screen

2.0fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

117g. 99 x 59 x 21 mm

Olympus TG-6 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2019-05-22

12MP - BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 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

253g. 113 x 66 x 32 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Olympus Tough TG-5 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6 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-S3 over Olympus Tough TG-6

Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
Weight	117 g vs 253 g	136 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele	112mm vs 100mm	12 mm longer tele reach

CHECK S3 PRICE

Reasons to choose Olympus Tough TG-6 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Live Composite Mode	Yes vs No	Excellent help for long-exposure photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	25 vs 11	14 more focus points
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 230k dots	352% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	20.0fps vs 2.0fps	18 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 - Wide	2.00 vs 3.10	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.60	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.98µm²	18% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720	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
UHS Card Support	UHS-I vs none	Read/Write in High Speeds

CHECK TG-6 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 and Olympus Tough TG-6

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

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 and Olympus Tough TG-6

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR

Panasonic S3 vs Olympus TG-6: 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 S3 and Olympus TG-6 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic S3 has external dimensions of 99 x 59 x 21 mm (3.9 x 2.32 x 0.83″) and weighs 117 g (0.26 lb / 4.13 oz) (including batteries). Olympus TG-6 has external dimensions of 113 x 66 x 32 mm (4.45 x 2.6 x 1.26″) and weighs 253 g (0.56 lb / 8.92 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6. Panasonic S3 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 14mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 11mm thinner than Olympus TG-6.

Comparison image of Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6.

Comparison image of Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic S3 is significantly lighter (136g ) than the Olympus TG-6 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

TG-6

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

TG-6

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus TG-6's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic S3's 2.7" screen.

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

Panasonic S3 vs Olympus TG-6: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic S3 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine IV processor. On the other hand, Olympus TG-6 has a 12.0MP (1/2. ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features TruePic VIII processor.

Below you can see the S3 and TG-6 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6 Cameras

As seen above, Panasonic S3 has a 0.0x Larger sensor area than Olympus TG-6. 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 S3 vs Olympus TG-6 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic S3 features a 28-112 mm F3.1-5.6 4× zoom lens whereas Olympus TG-6 features a 25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 4x zoom lens.

Olympus TG-6 has 3mm wider coverage than the Panasonic S3. At f2.00, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic S3 has 12mm longer reach than the Olympus TG-6. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Olympus TG-6 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

TG-6

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

TG-6

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

TG-6

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

TG-6

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic S3 and Olympus TG-6 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 S3 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-6 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 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

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 S3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-6 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
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 S3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-6 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
11 Focus Points
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: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
112 mm Tele Lens
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 S3 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-6 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
117g
Body Thickness 21mm
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
253g
Environmental Sealings
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Panasonic S3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-6 for Landscape Photography

POOR

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
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 S3 vs Olympus TG-6: 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 S3 and Olympus TG-6, 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 S3 and Olympus TG-6 scores compare:

Panasonic S3

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #412 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1122 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Olympus TG-6

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #5 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #282 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Olympus TG-6 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic S3 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic S3. Otherwise, Olympus TG-6 is the better camera overall.

Olympus TG-6 vs Panasonic S3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3	Olympus Tough TG-6
Brand	Panasonic	Olympus
Announced	2011-01-05	2019-05-22
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	1/2.
Area	27.72mm²	0.00mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	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	11	25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-112 mm (4×)	25-100 mm (4x)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.6	F2.0-4.9
Macro Focus Range	5cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.70"	3.00"
Resolution	230k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1600s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Optical	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.30 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 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	1280 x 720	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	117g	253g
Dimensions	99 x 59 x 21mm	113 x 66 x 32mm
Battery Life	250 shots	340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction