OM System TG-7 vs Panasonic LF1

The OM System Tough TG-7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2023 and April 2013. Both the TG-7 and the LF1 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (TG-7) and a 1/1.7-inch (LF1) 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 LF1
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
25-100mm f/2.0-4.9		28-200mm f/2.0-5.9
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		12 MP – 1/1.7" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-12,800		ISO 80-6,400 (80 - 12,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (200k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
20 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
Waterproof body (15m)		not weather sealed
330 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
114 x 66 x 33 mm, 249 g		103 x 62 x 28 mm, 192 g

Check TG-7 price at
amazon.com
Check LF1 offers at
ebay.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-LF1? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the OM System TG-7 and the Panasonic LF1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TG-7 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the LF1 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 LF1 is notably smaller (15 percent) than the OM System TG-7. Moreover, the LF1 is markedly lighter (23 percent) than the TG-7. It is worth mentioning in this context that the TG-7 is splash and dust resistant, while the LF1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the TG-7 is water-proof up to 15m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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	US$ 549	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic LF1	103 mm	62 mm	28 mm	192 g	250	n	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
4.		Canon S120	100 mm	59 mm	29 mm	217 g	230	n	Aug 2013	US$ 449	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XP130	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	207 g	240	Y	Jan 2018	US$ 229	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm XP140	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	207 g	240	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 229	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P7800	119 mm	78 mm	50 mm	399 g	350	n	Sep 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Olympus TG-4	112 mm	66 mm	31 mm	247 g	380	Y	Apr 2015	US$ 379	ebay.com
10.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
11.		Olympus TG-6	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	253 g	340	Y	May 2019	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Olympus XZ-1	111 mm	65 mm	42 mm	275 g	320	n	Jan 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Olympus XZ-2	113 mm	65 mm	48 mm	346 g	340	n	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ300	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	US$ 599	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Pentax WG-8	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	242 g	340	Y	Jun 2024	US$ 399	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The LF1 was somewhat cheaper (by 9 percent) than the TG-7 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the OM System TG-7 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Panasonic LF1 a 1/1.7-inch sensor. The sensor area in the LF1 is 54 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 4.5. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Even though the LF1 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 12 megapixels. This implies that the LF1 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 1.89μm versus 1.53μm for the TG-7), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the TG-7 is much more recent (by 10 years and 4 months) than the LF1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

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-LF1 are ISO 80 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.

In terms of underlying technology, the TG-7 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the LF1 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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 LF1	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.8	11.6	211	52
3.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
4.		Canon S120	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.3	11.9	246	56
5.		Fujifilm XP130	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.1	1000	51
6.		Fujifilm XP140	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/15p	20.7	12.2	1102	52
7.		Nikon P7800	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	21.2	11.7	200	54
8.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
9.		Olympus TG-4	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	737	47
10.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
11.		Olympus TG-6	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1127	52
12.		Olympus XZ-1	1/1.7	10.1	3664	2752	720/30p	18.8	10.4	117	34
13.		Olympus XZ-2	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	216	49
14.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
15.		Panasonic FZ300	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
16.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
17.		Pentax WG-8	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.9	12.8	1626	54
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, but the TG-7 provides a higher video resolution than the LF1. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Panasonic is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the LF1 has an electronic viewfinder (200k 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the OM System TG-7 and Panasonic LF1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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 LF1	200	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon S120	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	Y	1/2000s	12.1/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm XP130	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Fujifilm XP140	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon P7800	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
9.		Olympus TG-4	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus TG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus XZ-1	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus XZ-2	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic FZ300	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax WG-8	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The OM System TG-7 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-7 and the LF1 have zoom lenses built in. The TG-7 has a 25-100mm f/2.0-4.9 optic and the LF1 offers a 28-200mm f/2.0-5.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the OM System provides a wider angle of view at the short end than the Panasonic, but less tele-photo reach at the long end. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the TG-7 and the LF1 write their files to SDXC cards. The TG-7 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the LF1 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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-LF1 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 LF1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon S120	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm XP130	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm XP140	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon P7800	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus TG-4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus TG-6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Olympus XZ-1	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus XZ-2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic FZ300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Pentax WG-8	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	3.0	-	-	-

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.

The TG-7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of OM System. In contrast, the LF1 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the LF1 from Panasonic. Further information on the features and operation of the TG-7 and LF1 can be found, respectively, in the OM System TG-7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic LF1 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the OM System TG-7 better than the Panasonic LF1 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the OM System Tough TG-7:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (330 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 10 years and 4 months of technical progress since the LF1 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1:

• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More compact: Is smaller (103x62mm vs 114x66mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 57g or 23 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in April 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the TG-7 is the clear winner of the match-up (11 : 7 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the OM System TG-7 and the Panasonic LF1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the TG-7 or the LF1. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews 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.

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	US$ 549	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic LF1	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
4.		Canon S120	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 449	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XP130	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Jan 2018	US$ 229	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm XP140	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 229	ebay.com
7.		Nikon P7800	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Olympus TG-4	..	+	..	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2015	US$ 379	ebay.com
10.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
11.		Olympus TG-6	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	76/100	4/5	4/5	May 2019	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Olympus XZ-1	4/5	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Olympus XZ-2	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ300	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	US$ 599	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Pentax WG-8	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	US$ 399	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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