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Olympus TG-5 vs Nikon W300

The Olympus Tough TG-5 and the Nikon Coolpix W300 are two digital cameras that were announced in May 2017. Both the TG-5 and the W300 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 15.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus TG-5
versus
Nikon W300
Olympus TG-5   Nikon W300
Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
25-100mm f/2.0-4.9 24-120mm f/2.8-4.9
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor 15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 ISO 125-1,600 (125 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 460k dots 3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
20 shutter flaps per second 7 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
Waterproof body (15m)Waterproof body (30m)
340 shots per battery charge280 shots per battery charge
113 x 66 x 32 mm, 250 g 112 x 66 x 29 mm, 231 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Tough TG-5 and the Nikon Coolpix W300? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus TG-5 and the Nikon W300 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TG-5 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the W300 is available in three color-versions (black, orange, yellow).

Size Olympus TG-5 vs Nikon W300
Compare TG-5 versus W300 top
Comparison TG-5 or W300 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus TG-5 and the Nikon W300 are of equal size. However, the W300 is markedly lighter (8 percent) than the TG-5. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments. More than that, both cameras are water-proof and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the TG-5 gets 340 shots out of its Olympus LI-92B battery, while the W300 can take 280 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL12 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus TG-5 113 mm 66 mm 32 mm 250 g 340 Y May 2017 449ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon W300 112 mm 66 mm 29 mm 231 g 280 Y May 2017 389ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX740 110 mm 64 mm 40 mm 299 g 265 n Jul 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon SX730 110 mm 64 mm 40 mm 300 g 250 n Apr 2017 399ebay.com
5.
 
Fujifilm XP130 110 mm 71 mm 28 mm 207 g 240 Y Jan 2018 229ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus TG-6 113 mm 66 mm 32 mm 253 g 340 Y May 2019 449ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus TG-4 112 mm 66 mm 31 mm 247 g 380 Y Apr 2015 379ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PM1 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 265 g 330 n Jun 2011 499ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus XZ-1 111 mm 65 mm 42 mm 275 g 320 n Jan 2011 499ebay.com
10.
 
OM System TG-7 114 mm 66 mm 33 mm 249 g 330 Y Sep 2023 549 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic TS7 117 mm 76 mm 37 mm 319 g 300 Y May 2018 449ebay.com
12.
 
Ricoh WG-60 123 mm 62 mm 30 mm 193 g 300 Y Oct 2018 279ebay.com
13.
 
Sony WX800 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 233 g 370 n Oct 2018 399ebay.com
14.
 
Sony HX80 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 245 g 390 n Mar 2016 349ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The W300 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the TG-5, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Olympus TG-5 and Nikon W300 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the W300 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the TG-5. This megapixels advantage translates into a 15 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the W300 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 1.53μm for the TG-5). It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon W300 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the W300 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus TG-5 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus Tough TG-5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix W300 are ISO 125 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-6400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

TG-5 versus W300 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus TG-5 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30004K/30p20.511.993450
2.
 
Nikon W300 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34564K/30p20.512.093850
3.
 
Canon SX740 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38884K/30p20.612.1105051
4.
 
Canon SX730 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.511.992450
5.
 
Fujifilm XP130 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60p20.612.1100051
6.
 
Olympus TG-6 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30004K/30p20.712.2112752
7.
 
Olympus TG-4 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.211.673747
8.
 
Olympus E-PM1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i21.010.349952
9.
 
Olympus XZ-1 1/1.7 10.1 3664 2752720/30p18.810.411734
10.
 
OM System TG-7 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30004K/30p20.912.7155354
11.
 
Panasonic TS7 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38884K/30p20.612.1102851
12.
 
Ricoh WG-60 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60p20.612.2107251
13.
 
Sony WX800 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36724K/30p20.612.2107051
14.
 
Sony HX80 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36721080/60p20.411.882248
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The TG-5 and the W300 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus TG-5 and Nikon W300 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
# image Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus TG-5none n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/2000s 20.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Nikon W300none n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon SX740none n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/3200s 10.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Canon SX730none n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/3200s 5.9/s Y Y
5.
 
Fujifilm XP130none n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus TG-6none n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/2000s 20.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus TG-4none n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/2000s 5.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Olympus E-PM1optional n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus XZ-1optional n3.0 / 614 fixed n 1/2000s 2.0/s Y Y
10.
 
OM System TG-7none n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/2000s 20.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Panasonic TS71170 n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/1300s 10.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Ricoh WG-60none n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 8.0/s Y n
13.
 
Sony WX800none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
14.
 
Sony HX80638 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The Olympus TG-5 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Both the TG-5 and the W300 have zoom lenses built in. The TG-5 has a 25-100mm f/2.0-4.9 optic and the W300 offers a 24-120mm f/2.8-4.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Nikon provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Olympus. The TG-5 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the TG-5 and the W300 write their files to SDXC cards. The TG-5 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the W300 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus Tough TG-5 and Nikon Coolpix W300 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus TG-5-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
2.
 
Nikon W300-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Canon SX740-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Canon SX730-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
5.
 
Fujifilm XP130-mono / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
6.
 
Olympus TG-6-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus TG-4-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus E-PM1Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Olympus XZ-1Ymono / ---mini2.0---
10.
 
OM System TG-7-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
11.
 
Panasonic TS7-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Ricoh WG-60-mono / mono--micro2.0---
13.
 
Sony WX800-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony HX80-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
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Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that both cameras feature internal geolocalization sensors and can record GPS coordinates in their EXIF data.

Both the TG-5 and the W300 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The TG-5 was replaced by the Olympus TG-6, while the W300 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the TG-5 and W300 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus TG-5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon W300 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus TG-5 better than the Nikon W300 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Advantages of the Olympus Tough TG-5:

  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.0 vs f/2.8).
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (340 versus 280) on a single battery charge.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.

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Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W300:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 15%.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
  • Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
  • More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the W300 emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

TG-5 05:07 W300

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus TG-5 and the Nikon W300 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the TG-5 and the W300 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus TG-5..+ +4.5/5..4/54/5 May 2017 449ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon W300..+....4/54/5 May 2017 389ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX740..+3.5/5..4/54/5 Jul 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon SX730..+....4/54/5 Apr 2017 399ebay.com
5.
 
Fujifilm XP130..o....3.5/54/5 Jan 2018 229ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus TG-64/5+ +4.5/576/1004/54/5 May 2019 449ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus TG-4..+..79/1004/54/5 Apr 2015 379ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PM1..86/100..71/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2011 499ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus XZ-14/5....74/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2011 499ebay.com
10.
 
OM System TG-74/5..4.5/5..4/54/5 Sep 2023 549 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic TS7..+......3.5/5 May 2018 449ebay.com
12.
 
Ricoh WG-60............ Oct 2018 279ebay.com
13.
 
Sony WX800............ Oct 2018 399ebay.com
14.
 
Sony HX80............ Mar 2016 349ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Olympus TG-5 vs Nikon W300

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens 25-100mm f/2.0-4.9 24-120mm f/2.8-4.9
    Launch Date May 2017 May 2017
    Launch Price USD 449 USD 389
    Sensor Specs Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format 1/2.3" Sensor 1/2.3" Sensor
    Sensor Size 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 28.0735 mm2 28.0735 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 7.7 mm 7.7 mm
    Crop Factor 5.6x 5.6x
    Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixels 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4000 x 3000 pixels 4608 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 1.53 μm 1.33 μm
    Pixel Density 42.74 MP/cm2 56.73 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 12,800 ISO 125 - 1,600 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 125 - 6,400 ISO
    Screen Specs Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder no viewfinder
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots 921k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 20 shutter flaps/s 7 shutter flaps/s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I no
    Connectivity Specs Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300
    External Flash no Hotshoe no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Geotagging GPS built-in GPS built-in
    Body Specs Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300
    Environmental SealingWaterproof body (15m)Waterproof body (30m)
    Battery Type Olympus LI-92B Nikon EN-EL12
    Battery Life (CIPA)340 shots per charge280 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 113 x 66 x 32 mm
    (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.3 in)
    112 x 66 x 29 mm
    (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.1 in)
    Camera Weight 250 g (8.8 oz) 231 g (8.1 oz)
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