Olympus E-500 vs Olympus TG-820 iHS

In this article, we are analyzing the Olympus E-500 versus Olympus TG-820 iHS, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Waterproof and both of them are designed by Olympus. There exists a significant gap among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and TG-820 iHS (12MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and TG-820 iHS (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was unveiled 7 years earlier than the TG-820 iHS and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus TG-820 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a quick summation of how the E-500 matches up versus the TG-820 iHS with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Olympus TG-820 iHS. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Olympus TG-820 iHS Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 features exterior dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Olympus TG-820 iHS has sizing of 101mm x 65mm x 26mm (4.0" x 2.6" x 1.0") and a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-500 versus Olympus TG-820 iHS in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the E-500 and the TG-820 iHS.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and TG-820 iHS is 70 and 92 respectively.

Sometimes, its tough to picture the difference in sensor measurements merely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic below will offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and TG-820 iHS.

Clearly, each of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-500 having a larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh simpler and the Olympus TG-820 iHS will result in greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The older E-500 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.