Olympus E-500 vs Olympus TG-5

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus E-500 versus Olympus TG-5, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Waterproof and both of them are built by Olympus. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and TG-5 (12MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and TG-5 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was introduced 12 years earlier than the TG-5 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief summation of how the E-500 grades against the TG-5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Olympus Tough TG-5. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Olympus TG-5 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-500 offers exterior measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) whilst the Olympus TG-5 has measurements of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-500 versus Olympus TG-5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-500 against the TG-5.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and TG-5 is 70 and 90 respectively.

Often, its hard to envision the gap between sensor sizing only by checking technical specs. The graphic below will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and TG-5.

As you can tell, both cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-500 having a larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus TG-5 will resolve greater detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The older E-500 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.