Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A560

Here, we will be reviewing the Olympus Tough-3000 and Sony A560, former is a Waterproof while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the Tough-3000 (12MP) and the A560 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the Tough-3000 (1/2.3") and A560 (APS-C) have totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The Tough-3000 was brought out 7 months prior to the A560 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera and the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a brief summation of how the Tough-3000 scores against the A560 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A560. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery & Sony A560 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus Tough-3000 features exterior dimensions of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") along with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony A560 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Look at the Olympus Tough-3000 and Sony A560 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the Tough-3000 versus the A560.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the Tough-3000 and A560 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to see the gap between sensor sizes only by checking specs. The image below will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the Tough-3000 and A560.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The Tough-3000 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh more challenging and the Sony A560 will give more detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged Tough-3000 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.