Panasonic ZS15 vs Olympus TG-4 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS15

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus TG-4

16 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS15 vs Olympus TG-4 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic ZS15, which was introduced in June 2012 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Olympus TG-4, which was introduced in April 2015 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, ZS15 is 3 years older than TG-4. 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 ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS15 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-06-29

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

24-384 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

208g. 105 x 58 x 33 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ25

Olympus TG-4 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2015-04-13

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

5.0 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

247g. 112 x 66 x 31 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Olympus Tough TG-3 Compare

Panasonic ZS15 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 (Lumix DMC-TZ25)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 vs Olympus Tough TG-4

Olympus TG-4 was replaced by Olympus Tough TG-5. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus Tough TG-5 vs Olympus Tough TG-4
Olympus Tough TG-5 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 (Lumix DMC-TZ25)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 over Olympus Tough TG-4

Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	208 g vs 247 g	39 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	384mm vs 100mm	284 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	16× vs 4x	more flexible focal coverage
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.76µm²	32% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Reasons to choose Olympus Tough TG-4 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Live Composite Mode	Yes vs No	Excellent help for long-exposure photography
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Number of Focus Points	25 vs 23	2 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	5.0fps vs 2.0fps	3 fps faster
Battery Life	380 shots vs 260 shots	120 more frames with a single charge
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	7.9m vs 6.4m	1.5m longer range
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

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 and Olympus Tough TG-4

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-ZS15 and Olympus Tough TG-4

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
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens

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Panasonic ZS15 vs Olympus TG-4: 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 ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS15 has external dimensions of 105 x 58 x 33 mm (4.13 x 2.28 x 1.3″) and weighs 208 g (0.46 lb / 7.34 oz) (including batteries). Olympus TG-4 has external dimensions of 112 x 66 x 31 mm (4.41 x 2.6 x 1.22″) and weighs 247 g (0.54 lb / 8.71 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4. Panasonic ZS15 is 7mm narrower and 8mm shorter than Olympus TG-4 but it is also 2mm thicker.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS15 is significantly lighter (39g ) than the Olympus TG-4 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

ZS15

TG-4

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

ZS15

TG-4

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

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

Panasonic ZS15 vs Olympus TG-4: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZS15 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Olympus TG-4 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features TruePic VII processor.

Below you can see the ZS15 and TG-4 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 Cameras

Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Panasonic ZS15 has 32% larger pixel area compared to Olympus TG-4, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Panasonic ZS15 vs Olympus TG-4 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS15 features a 24-384 mm F3.3-5.9 16× zoom lens whereas Olympus TG-4 features a 25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 4x zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS15 has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus TG-4. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.00, Olympus TG-4 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS15 has 284mm longer reach than the Olympus TG-4. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Olympus TG-4 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS15

TG-4

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS15

TG-4

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS15

TG-4

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS15

TG-4

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 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 ZS15 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-4 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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 ZS15 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-4 for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
24 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
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 ZS15 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-4 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
384 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
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 ZS15 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus TG-4 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
208g
16.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
247g
Environmental Sealings
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS15 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-4 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS15 vs Olympus TG-4: 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 ZS15 and Olympus TG-4, 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 Panasonic ZS15 and Olympus TG-4 scores compare:

Panasonic ZS15

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #209 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #787 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Olympus TG-4

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #18 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #336 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Olympus TG-4 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS15 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic ZS15. Otherwise, Olympus TG-4 is the better camera overall.

Olympus TG-4 vs Panasonic ZS15 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15	Olympus Tough TG-4
Brand	Panasonic	Olympus
Announced	2012-06-29	2015-04-13
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 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	23	25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-384 mm (16×)	25-100 mm (4x)
Max Aperture	F3.3-5.9	F2.0-4.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	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	6.40 m	7.90 m (at ISO 1600)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD	H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	208g	247g
Dimensions	105 x 58 x 33mm	112 x 66 x 31mm
Battery Life	260 shots	380 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction