Olympus SH-50 vs Olympus TG-870

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Olympus SH-50 vs Olympus TG-870, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Ultracompact and both are manufactured by Olympus. The resolution of the SH-50 (16MP) and the TG-870 (16MP) is very comparable and they use the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SH-50 was brought out 4 years before the TG-870 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief overview of how the SH-50 grades against the TG-870 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SH-50 and Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SH-50 Gallery and Olympus TG-870 Gallery.

In case you're going to travel with your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-50 has outside measurements of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Olympus TG-870 has measurements of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SH-50 vs Olympus TG-870 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you select at the time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the SH-50 versus the TG-870.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SH-50 and TG-870 is 88 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to envision the difference in sensor dimensions only by going through a spec sheet. The image below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-50 and TG-870.

As you can see, each of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing and the same resolution and you should expect comparable quality of files however you should really consider the release date of the cameras into account. The more aged SH-50 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.