Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Olympus TG-870

Below is a thorough review of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Olympus TG-870, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact and they are both created by Olympus. The image resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the TG-870 (16MP) is pretty close and both cameras boast the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SZ-16 iHS was manufactured 4 years before the TG-870 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the SZ-16 iHS scores against the TG-870 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Olympus TG-870 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS provides outside dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Olympus TG-870 has specifications of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Olympus TG-870 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the SZ-16 iHS against the TG-870.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and TG-870 is 89 and 91 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to envision the difference in sensor measurements purely by viewing a spec sheet. The visual here may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-16 iHS and TG-870.

As you can see, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions and the same exact megapixels and you can expect comparable quality of pictures however you need to consider the age of the cameras into account. The older SZ-16 iHS will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.