OM System TG-7 vs Panasonic FZ300

The OM System Tough TG-7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 (labelled Panasonic FZ330 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2023 and July 2015. Both the TG-7 and the FZ300 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 12 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

OM System TG-7		Panasonic FZ300
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
25-100mm f/2.0-4.9		25-600mm f/2.8
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800		ISO 100-6,400
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
20 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
Waterproof body (15m)		Weathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
114 x 66 x 33 mm, 249 g		132 x 92 x 117 mm, 691 g

Check TG-7 price at
amazon.com
Check FZ300 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the OM System Tough TG-7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300? 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.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the OM System TG-7 and the Panasonic FZ300. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TG-7 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the FZ300 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic FZ300 is considerably larger (61 percent) than the OM System TG-7. Moreover, the FZ300 is substantially heavier (178 percent) than the TG-7. 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, the TG-7 is water-proof up to 15m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the TG-7 gets 330 shots out of its OM System LI-92B battery, while the FZ300 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 power pack. The power pack in the TG-7 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		OM System TG-7	114 mm	66 mm	33 mm	249 g	330	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 549	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic FZ300	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	EUR 449	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	EUR 529	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	EUR 449	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	EUR 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus TG-4	112 mm	66 mm	31 mm	247 g	380	Y	Apr 2015	EUR 399	ebay.com
7.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
8.		Olympus TG-6	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	253 g	340	Y	May 2019	EUR 479	ebay.com
9.		Olympus XZ-1	111 mm	65 mm	42 mm	275 g	320	n	Jan 2011	EUR 480	ebay.com
10.		Olympus XZ-2	113 mm	65 mm	48 mm	346 g	340	n	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	EUR 529	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	EUR 529	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ330	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	EUR 449	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	EUR 529	ebay.com
16.		Pentax MX-1	122 mm	61 mm	51 mm	391 g	290	n	Jan 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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 TG-7 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the FZ300 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 12 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the TG-7 and the FZ300 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the TG-7 is much more recent (by 8 years and 2 months) than the FZ300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the FZ300 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The OM System Tough TG-7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		OM System TG-7	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.9	12.7	1553	54
2.		Panasonic FZ300	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
3.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
4.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
5.		Olympus E-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
6.		Olympus TG-4	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	737	47
7.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
8.		Olympus TG-6	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1127	52
9.		Olympus XZ-1	1/1.7	10.1	3664	2752	720/30p	18.8	10.4	117	34
10.		Olympus XZ-2	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	216	49
11.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
12.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
13.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
14.		Panasonic FZ330	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
15.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
16.		Pentax MX-1	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	208	49
17.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the FZ300 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the TG-7 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the OM System TG-7 and Panasonic FZ300 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		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.		OM System TG-7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic FZ300	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
5.		Olympus E-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
6.		Olympus TG-4	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus TG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus XZ-1	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus XZ-2	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ330	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Pentax MX-1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/8000s	1.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The FZ300 has a touchscreen, while the TG-7 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the FZ300 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The OM System TG-7 and the Panasonic FZ300 both have 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-7 and the FZ300 have zoom lenses built in. The TG-7 has a 25-100mm f/2.0-4.9 optic and the FZ300 offers a 25-600mm f/2.8-2.8 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the OM System and Panasonic provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Panasonic has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The TG-7 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the TG-7 and the FZ300 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 OM System Tough TG-7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		OM System TG-7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Panasonic FZ300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus TG-4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus TG-6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus XZ-1	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus XZ-2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ330	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax MX-1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the FZ300 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The TG-7 does not feature such a mic input.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the TG-7 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the TG-7 and the FZ300 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The FZ300 replaced the earlier Panasonic FZ200, while the TG-7 followed on from the Olympus TG-6. Further information on the features and operation of the TG-7 and FZ300 can be found, respectively, in the OM System TG-7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ300 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the OM System TG-7 better than the Panasonic FZ300 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the OM System Tough TG-7:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.0 vs f/2.8).
• More compact: Is smaller (114x66mm vs 132x92mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 442g or 64 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 15m).
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 2 months of technical progress since the FZ300 launch.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (380 versus 330) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in July 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the FZ300 emerges as the winner of the match-up (12 : 9 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the OM System TG-7 and the Panasonic FZ300 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the TG-7 and the FZ300 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		OM System TG-7	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2023	EUR 549	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic FZ300	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	EUR 449	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 529	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	EUR 449	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus TG-4	..	+	..	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2015	EUR 399	ebay.com
7.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
8.		Olympus TG-6	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	76/100	4/5	4/5	May 2019	EUR 479	ebay.com
9.		Olympus XZ-1	4/5	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	EUR 480	ebay.com
10.		Olympus XZ-2	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	EUR 529	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	EUR 529	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ330	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	EUR 449	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	EUR 529	ebay.com
16.		Pentax MX-1	3/5	..	..	74/100	4/5	4/5	Jan 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check TG-7 price at
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Check FZ300 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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