Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A9

Here is a detailed overview of the Olympus Tough-3000 and Sony A9, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the Tough-3000 (12MP) and A9 (24MP) and the Tough-3000 (1/2.3") and A9 (Full frame) use different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The Tough-3000 was launched 8 years before the A9 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a full comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the Tough-3000 scores versus the A9 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 and Sony Alpha A9. The complete galleries are available at Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery and Sony A9 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus Tough-3000 has exterior dimensions of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony A9 has proportions of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).

Look at the Olympus Tough-3000 and Sony A9 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at the time. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the Tough-3000 and the A9.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the Tough-3000 and A9 is 94 and 65 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to picture the difference in sensor sizing purely by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic below may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the Tough-3000 and A9.

Clearly, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The Tough-3000 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A9 will result in greater detail utilizing its extra 12MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots far more aggressively. The older Tough-3000 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.