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Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5

Portability
77
Imaging
44
Features
36
Overall
40
Olympus E-420 front
 
Olympus Tough TG-5 front
Portability
90
Imaging
38
Features
51
Overall
43

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 Key Specs

Olympus E-420
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 426g - 130 x 91 x 53mm
  • Revealed June 2008
  • Replaced the Olympus E-410
Olympus TG-5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Boost to 12800)
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 25-100mm (F2.0-4.9) lens
  • 250g - 113 x 66 x 32mm
  • Launched May 2017
  • Earlier Model is Olympus TG-4
  • Renewed by Olympus TG-6
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Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 Overview

On this page, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-420 versus Olympus TG-5, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Waterproof and both are built by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-420 (10MP) and the TG-5 (12MP) is pretty well matched but the E-420 (Four Thirds) and TG-5 (1/2.3") boast different sensor size.

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The E-420 was announced 10 years before the TG-5 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-420 grades against the TG-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-420 over the Olympus TG-5

 E-420 TG-5 

Reasons to pick Olympus TG-5 over the Olympus E-420

 TG-5 E-420 
LaunchedMay 2017June 2008More recent by 108 months
Screen dimensions3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution460k230kClearer screen (+230k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-420 and Olympus TG-5

 E-420 TG-5 
Manually focus More accurate focus
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither features selfie screen
Touch screen No Touch screen

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-420 enjoys outer dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") having a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Olympus TG-5 has dimensions of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-420 versus Olympus TG-5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the E-420 versus the TG-5.

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-420 and TG-5 is 77 and 90 respectively.

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 Sensor Comparison

Oftentimes, its difficult to picture the contrast between sensor measurements only by checking technical specs. The graphic here may provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and TG-5.

As you can tell, both cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-420 with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus TG-5 will give you greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots more aggressively. The older E-420 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-420 Portrait photography highlights
Olympus TG-5 Portrait photography highlights
56
you can focus manually
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
low MP (10MP)
39
you can focus manually
provides face detection focus
supports RAW formats
no manual control
cannot use external flash
low MP (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-420 as a Street photography camera
Olympus TG-5 as a Street photography camera
64
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
lighter than average (426 grams)
fixed screen
no image stabilization
64
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports RAW formats
weather proof
screen is fixed
small sensor size (1/2.3")
heavier than others in class (250 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-420 Sports photography details
Olympus TG-5 Sports photography details
38
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
has phase detect AF
slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames per second)
no image stabilization
low MP (10MP)
not so great battery power (500 CIPA)
46
high max frames per second (20.0 fps)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides tracking autofocus
weather proof
better than average battery pack (340 per charge)
lack of shutter priority mode
low MP (12 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-420 Travel photography information
Olympus TG-5 Travel photography information
52
lighter than average (426g)
flash built-in
no Timelapse recording
not so great battery power (500 CIPA)
low MP (10 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
68
better than average battery pack (340 per charge)
weather proof
built-in flash
really wide (25mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
heavier than others in class (250g)
low MP (12 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-420 Landscape photography info
Olympus TG-5 Landscape photography info
47
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
small screen (2.7")
no image stabilization
low MP (10 megapixels)
not so great battery power (500 per charge)
no Timelapse recording
57
you can focus manually
really wide (25mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports RAW formats
weather proof
better than average battery pack (340 shots)
can't switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
no manual control
low MP (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-420 Vlogging features
Olympus TG-5 Vlogging features
9
no video shooting
34
really wide (25mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides face detection focus
high res video (3840 x 2160 pixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
lack of external mic port
heavier than others in class (250 grams)
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Olympus E-420 vs Olympus TG-5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-420 and Olympus TG-5
 Olympus E-420Olympus Tough TG-5
General Information
Make Olympus Olympus
Model type Olympus E-420 Olympus Tough TG-5
Class Entry-Level DSLR Waterproof
Revealed 2008-06-23 2017-05-17
Body design Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic III TruePic VIII
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000
Maximum native ISO 1600 12800
Maximum enhanced ISO - 12800
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW format
Lowest enhanced ISO - 100
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points 3 25
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-100mm (4.0x)
Largest aperture - f/2.0-4.9
Macro focusing range - 1cm
Number of lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 2.7 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 230 thousand dot 460 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x -
Features
Min shutter speed 60 secs 4 secs
Max shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shutter speed 4.0 frames per sec 20.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 12.00 m (at ISO 100) -
Flash options Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, redeye reduction, slow sync, redeye slow sync, fill, manual, off
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Max flash sync 1/180 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Maximum video resolution None 3840x2160
Video file format - MPEG-4, H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Built-in
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 426 grams (0.94 pounds) 250 grams (0.55 pounds)
Physical dimensions 130 x 91 x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") 113 x 66 x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 56 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.5 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.4 not tested
DXO Low light rating 527 not tested
Other
Battery life 500 photographs 340 photographs
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID - LI-92B
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I compatible)
Storage slots 1 1
Cost at release $999 $449