Olympus E-PL5 vs Olympus TG-850 iHS

Its time to look a little more closely at the Olympus E-PL5 vs Olympus TG-850 iHS, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Waterproof and both are sold by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the TG-850 iHS (16MP) is very similar but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and TG-850 iHS (1/2.3") use different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL5 was announced 16 months earlier than the TG-850 iHS making the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-850 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a complete comparison, below is a concise summation of how the E-PL5 scores against the TG-850 iHS with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Olympus Stylus Tough TG-850 iHS. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Olympus TG-850 iHS Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL5 comes with outer measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Olympus TG-850 iHS has dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") having a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL5 vs Olympus TG-850 iHS in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. The following is the front view size comparison of the E-PL5 against the TG-850 iHS.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and TG-850 iHS is 88 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to picture the contrast between sensor measurements only by going over technical specs. The photograph below will offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and TG-850 iHS.

As you can tell, both cameras have got the exact same megapixel count but different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 has got the larger sensor which will make obtaining shallower depth of field less difficult. The older E-PL5 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.