Olympus FE-5020 vs TG-820 iHS: Two Compact Cameras, Two Worlds of Photography

When you talk Olympus and compact cameras, the brand has always been synonymous with punchy colors, clever tech, and surprisingly portable design. But dive a bit deeper and you realize - these compacts aren’t all created equal. Today, I’m putting two Olympus models head-to-head: the FE-5020, a budget-friendly straightforward shooter from 2009, and the more adventurous TG-820 iHS, a rugged waterproof warrior released in 2012.

What’s it like to live with each camera day-to-day? How do their specs and performance stack up across real-world use cases - from portraiture to wildlife, travel to macro? After extensively testing both, here is a detailed, hands-on comparison designed to help you figure out which one is worth your hard-earned cash.

Size, Ergonomics & Design: Compactness vs Ruggedness

You’ll immediately notice the FE-5020’s slim trim build compared to the more robust, chunkier TG-820. Measuring 93x56x25mm and weighing a featherlight 137g, the FE-5020 is truly pocketable - ideal for street and casual travel photography when minimalism is the mantra. The TG-820, at 101x65x26mm and 206g carries noticeably more heft and girth, packed in a tough shell that's built to withstand the elements.

This size and build difference isn’t just cosmetic; it shapes how each camera feels in the hands and how easy they are to carry all day long.

While the FE-5020 feels quick and agile - perfect for spontaneous snaps - it doesn’t have much grip or tactile buttons. The TG-820 includes chunky rubberized areas and weather sealing that visibly boosts confidence in challenging environments.

On ergonomic layout, both cameras rely on simple, average-sized control buttons. The TG-820 has a slight edge with more illuminated controls that are easier to use underwater or with gloves, but neither can boast the refined dials or customizable buttons you get on high-end compacts or mirrorless models.

Interface and Handling: Seeing What You Shoot

The display is the photographer’s window into the camera’s soul, and here the TG-820 gleams. At 3 inches with a Super bright HyperCrystal III TFT LCD and a resolution over 1,000 dots, the TG-820’s screen seriously outperforms the FE-5020’s modest 2.7-inch, 230-dot display in sharpness and visibility. This makes a world of difference outdoors - especially in bright sunlight or wet conditions, where screen legibility can be a sore point.

Both cameras lack electronic viewfinders, which means you’ll be trusting the back screen through every shoot - not much of a surprise in this compact class, but worth noting if you prefer eye-level framing for steadiness or discretion. The FE-5020’s screen feels quite basic and offers no touch functionality; the TG-820 follows suit but its superior brightness compensates somewhat.

In daily use, the TG-820’s interface is enhanced by the TruePic VI processor, which delivers smoother menu navigation and quicker response times than the older TruePic III powering the FE-5020. If you often shoot on the go and value snappy feedback, this is a tangible perk.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Let’s nerd out a bit on sensors - no camera review would be complete without this! Both the FE-5020 and TG-820 use a 1/2.3" sensor measuring 6.17 x 4.55mm (about 28 mm² sensor area), sporting a 12MP resolution with an optical low-pass filter (aka antialias filter) to keep moiré at bay. However, the TG-820 employs a CMOS sensor compared to the FE-5020's CCD.

Why does this matter? CMOS sensors generally offer better noise handling and faster readout speeds, especially as ISO values increase, which comes into play for low-light, fast-action, and video duty. The FE-5020’s CCD sensor delivers respectable results under bright conditions but tends to struggle in dimmer settings due to inherent noise and slower operations.

Equipped with the newer TruePic VI processor, the TG-820 is capable of ISO sensitivity from 100 up to 6400 (native), while the FE-5020 maxes out at ISO 1600, starting at 64. This difference securely places the TG-820 ahead for low-light and night shooting.

Both max out at the same resolution - 3968x2976 pixels - and focal length multiplier is identical (5.8x crop factor), meaning the pixel density is comparable, but sensor tech and processing can influence detail rendering and color fidelity.

From extensive side-by-side shooting, expect the TG-820’s images to display crisper details in shadows and reduced noise at higher ISOs, whereas the FE-5020 images require strong light to look truly clean and vibrant.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: Versatility Lives Here

The FE-5020 offers a 24-120mm equivalent zoom lens (5x optical zoom) with an aperture range of f/3.3-5.8. The TG-820 is slightly less wide-angle with a 28-140mm equivalent (also 5x zoom) with f/3.9-5.9 apertures. Both support macro focusing as close as 1cm, a nice bonus for close-up enthusiasts.

While the FE-5020’s slightly wider 24mm upfront is useful for landscapes and tight indoor spaces, the TG-820’s longer final reach at 140mm favors outdoor wildlife and travel photography more. Neither lens is particularly fast (apertures don’t get any wider than ~f/3.3 at best), but that’s expected in ultra-compact zooms.

In real use, zoom quality tends to degrade similarly on both, with softness creeping in at the long end, but still perfectly usable for casual shooting. The TG-820 impresses with lens stabilization (sensor-shift type), where the FE-5020 offers none. This translates into steadier shots at telephoto and slower shutter speeds.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Speed Meets Precision?

Neither camera breaks autofocus speed records or sports the latest AI-driven focus tracking, but the TG-820 flexes more muscle here. It supports face detection autofocus and some form of subject tracking, which can vaguely aid in keeping moving targets reasonably sharp. The FE-5020 relies solely on contrast-detection, single-focus point, and lacks face detection.

As a result, the TG-820 is more comfortable tackling spontaneous street shots, family events, and mildly active subjects. Burst rates also differ: FE-5020 doesn’t offer continuous shooting; TG-820 supports 5 frames per second - a modest but tangible upgrade.

Building for Action: Durability Wins with TG-820

The TG-820’s hallmark is its rugged, waterproof construction - it’s waterproof to about 10 meters, dustproof, shockproof from drops up to around 2 meters, crushproof, and freezeproof. These crush and freeze specs mean it’s the camera you can legitimately throw in your backpack on a winter hiking trip or a beach snorkel session without worrying you’ll kill it.

In contrast, the FE-5020 is weather sealed but not waterproof or shockproof, so moisture and physical abuse remain clear no-go zones.

Battery, Storage, and Connectivity

The FE-5020 uses a Li-42B battery (no official rating available) and stores data on either xD-Picture Cards or microSD cards. The odd xD support places it squarely in legacy territory, as xD cards have long been outpaced by the SD standard for speed and cost.

TG-820 uses the more robust Li-50B battery delivering around 220 shots per charge and stores photos on SD, SDHC, or SDXC cards, offering better flexibility and future-proofing.

Neither offers wireless connectivity such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC - common in cameras of this era - meaning image transfer requires USB cable or card reader. HDMI output on the TG-820 is a useful plus for quick slideshow viewing on TVs.

Let’s Talk Image and Video Modes

The FE-5020 is simplicity personified - no raw shooting, no manual or aperture/shutter priority modes, no exposure compensation, no white balance controls. It’s essentially point-and-shoot with a few scene presets. Video tops out at a lowly 640x480 resolution at 30fps, saved as Motion JPEG - a format that eats storage and yields grainy output.

The TG-820 steps it up with 1080p full HD video at 30fps in efficient H.264 format, basic white balance bracketing, face detection for focusing in video mode, and some exposure control tweaks. No raw, no manual exposure modes here either, but digital shooters typically don’t crave those in this niche.

How Do They Perform Across Photography Genres?

Now the fun part - putting these two through their paces across key photography disciplines:

Portrait Photography

• FE-5020: Limited focus precision and no face or eye detection means missed focus is common, plus the smaller screen makes framing less intuitive. Bokeh and aperture control are minimal with tiny sensor and fixed fast lens.
• TG-820: Face detection autofocus helps nail focus on faces for clearer portraits, and image stabilization ensures sharper handheld shots, even with the longer zoom. Skin tones are more natural thanks to improved sensor and processing.

Landscape Photography

• FE-5020: Decent wide angle but average dynamic range and noisy shadows limit landscape appeal.
• TG-820: Slightly narrower wide end but higher max ISO and better sensor handling lead to richer details and less noise in shadows. Rugged build means you can shoot in rain or dust with less worry.

Wildlife Photography

• FE-5020: Slow autofocus and no continuous shooting kill chances for fast critters.
• TG-820: 5fps burst and subject tracking autofocus open up casual wildlife opportunities, although it’s no professional telephoto rig - reach and AF speed are limited.

Sports Photography

• Both cameras are generally too slow and basic, but TG-820’s 5fps and decent AF tracking give it a slight edge for low-stakes sports.

Street Photography

• FE-5020: Small size and silent-ish shutter make it excellent for candid shots.
• TG-820: Bulkier and louder but sturdy, offering more reliability if you frequently shoot in rough city environments.

Macro Photography

• Both cameras support very close focusing (1 cm), but TG-820’s stabilization helps capture sharper ultra close-ups handheld. The FE-5020 is decent but clumsier to operate in macro mode.

Night and Astrophotography

• FE-5020 max sensitivity ISO1600 with noisy shadows; basically not ideal.
• TG-820’s CMOS sensor and ISO6400 range improve chances, though their small sensor size still limits starry sky shots.

Video Capabilities

• FE-5020’s VGA Motion JPEG is practically unusable by today’s standards.
• TG-820 shoots full HD (1920x1080) in efficient H.264, with face detection, smoother video autofocus, and HDMI output. Great for casual multimedia.

Travel Photography

• FE-5020’s slim design and responsiveness are handy for everyday snaps but limited zoom range and poor low-light sensitivity restrict versatility.
• TG-820’s rugged build, extended zoom, image stabilization, and better ISO range offer a much more versatile tool whether you’re hiking, snorkeling, or exploring cities.

Professional Work

Neither camera is suitable for professional critical work offers - no raw output, limited controls, small sensors. However, TG-820’s durability and quality leap make it a robust backup or trail camera for rugged conditions.

Raw Technical Scores & Final Performance Overview

Though neither camera has DxO Mark scores, our practical testing reveals:

• TG-820 outperforms FE-5020 in noise control, autofocus, and video quality.
• FE-5020 is basic but solid for budget buyers focused on simple point-and-shoot use.

Olympus FE 5020 front Olympus FE 5020 screen back Olympus TG 820 iHS front Olympus TG 820 iHS screen back

In Summary: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Olympus FE-5020 if:

• Your budget is tight (around $160 new or less secondhand).
• You want the smallest, simplest compact camera for casual travel, snapshots, or street photography.
• You’re okay with modest image quality and no video ambitions.
• You prefer a straightforward, no-fuss camera without extra bells and whistles.

Opt for the Olympus TG-820 iHS if:

• You want a camera that isn’t afraid of getting wet, dusty, dropped, or frozen - great for outdoorsy types.
• You desire improved image quality, higher ISO flexibility, and image stabilization.
• Video recording matters - full HD 1080p in a compact body.
• You appreciate better ergonomics, faster autofocus, and higher continuous shooting speeds.
• Willing to invest around $500 for a versatile, rugged everyday companion.

Final Thoughts

The FE-5020 and TG-820 may look related by brand, but their DNA is fundamentally divergent. The FE-5020 leans heavily into basic, budget-friendly simplicity - a trusty if unremarkable photographic sidekick. In contrast, the TG-820 stands as a durable, all-weather compact powerhouse for enthusiasts seeking flexibility without lugging heavy gear.

For those hunting their next camera investment, it comes down to how and where you shoot. Dive into the TG-820 for adventures where terrain and conditions test your gear, or keep it simple with the FE-5020 for casual urban and family photography at a very keen price.

I’ve spent hundreds of hours testing cameras across all genres, and Olympus’s compacts, though often overshadowed by mirrorless giants, prove that thoughtful design tailored for specific lifestyles still holds its charm - and functional value.

Happy shooting!