Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus TG-850 iHS

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus E-M1 versus Olympus TG-850 iHS, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Waterproof and both of them are manufactured by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the TG-850 iHS (16MP) is very close but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and TG-850 iHS (1/2.3") have different sensor sizing.

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The E-M1 was introduced 3 months before the TG-850 iHS which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-850 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-M1 grades versus the TG-850 iHS for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Olympus Stylus Tough TG-850 iHS. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Olympus TG-850 iHS Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M1 comes with physical measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Olympus TG-850 iHS has proportions of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M1 versus Olympus TG-850 iHS in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-M1 versus the TG-850 iHS.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and TG-850 iHS is 71 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, its difficult to picture the gap in sensor sizing just by researching technical specs. The graphic here will give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 and TG-850 iHS.

As you can tell, the two cameras have the same MP but different sensor sizing. The E-M1 comes with the larger sensor which is going to make obtaining shallower depth of field easier.