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Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99

Portability
94
Imaging
35
Features
26
Overall
31
Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 front
 
Sony SLT-A99 front
Portability
57
Imaging
70
Features
88
Overall
77

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 Key Specs

Olympus Tough-3000
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-102mm (F3.5-5.1) lens
  • 159g - 96 x 65 x 23mm
  • Launched January 2010
  • Additionally Known as mju Tough 3000
Sony A99
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 812g - 147 x 111 x 78mm
  • Announced December 2012
  • Replaced the Sony A900
  • Successor is Sony A99 II
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Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 Overview

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the resolutions of the Tough-3000 (12MP) and A99 (24MP) and the Tough-3000 (1/2.3") and A99 (Full frame) offer different sensor size.

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The Tough-3000 was announced 3 years earlier than the A99 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera and the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the Tough-3000 matches up vs the A99 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus Tough-3000 over the Sony A99

 Tough-3000 A99 

Reasons to pick Sony A99 over the Olympus Tough-3000

 A99 Tough-3000 
AnnouncedDecember 2012January 2010More recent by 35 months
Manual focus More exact focus
Display typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating display
Display size3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution1229k230kSharper display (+999k dot)
Selfie screen Take selfies

Common features in the Olympus Tough-3000 and Sony A99

 Tough-3000 A99 
Touch display Missing Touch display

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 Physical Comparison

If you are planning to lug around your camera, you'll have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus Tough-3000 features outer measurements 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 A99 has proportions of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") having a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Look at the Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the Tough-3000 against the A99.

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the Tough-3000 and A99 is 94 and 57 respectively.

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 top view buttons comparison

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 Sensor Comparison

Often, it is very hard to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements only by looking at technical specs. The graphic underneath will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the Tough-3000 and A99.

As you have seen, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The Tough-3000 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony A99 will resolve extra detail with its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older Tough-3000 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 sensor size comparison

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus Tough-3000
Portrait photography with Sony A99
21
focusing manually not possible
no manual exposure
no external flash support
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
82
you can focus manually
decent sensor resolution (24 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
supports face detection focus
exports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus Tough-3000 as a Street photography camera
Sony A99 as a Street photography camera
62
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
environment sealing
no moving screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
75
screen articulates
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
exports RAW formats
environment sealing
great high ISO (25,600)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus Tough-3000 as a Sports photography camera
Sony A99 as a Sports photography camera
36
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports tracking autofocus
environment sealing
continuous shooting slow (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
78
high shutter speed (1/8,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor resolution (24 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
supports tracking autofocus
environment sealing
supports phase detect auto focus
not so great battery power (500 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus Tough-3000 Travel photography highlights
Sony A99 Travel photography highlights
61
environment sealing
built-in flash
rather wide (28mm)
missing Timelapse mode
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
does not have selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.5)
60
environment sealing
decent sensor resolution (24MP)
selfie friendly display
doesn't have Time Lapse function
not so great battery power (500 per charge)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus Tough-3000 Landscape photography features
Sony A99 Landscape photography features
35
rather wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
environment sealing
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
small screen (2.7 inches)
no manual exposure
low megapixels (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
missing Timelapse mode
75
you can focus manually
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
screen is a decent size (3")
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor resolution (24MP)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
great high ISO (25,600)
exports RAW formats
environment sealing
2 card slots
not so great battery power (500 shots)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus Tough-3000 Vlogging information
Sony A99 Vlogging information
28
rather wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
does not have selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
missing external microphone port
76
selfie friendly display
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detection focus
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
comes with external mic support
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Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony A99 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus Tough-3000 and Sony A99
 Olympus Stylus Tough-3000Sony SLT-A99
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 Sony SLT-A99
Also called mju Tough 3000 -
Category Waterproof Advanced DSLR
Launched 2010-01-07 2012-12-12
Physical type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic III Bionz
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Full frame
Sensor dimensions 6.08 x 4.56mm 35.8 x 23.8mm
Sensor surface area 27.7mm² 852.0mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 24 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 3968 x 2976 6000 x 4000
Highest native ISO 1600 25600
Min native ISO 64 100
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points - 19
Cross type focus points - 11
Lens
Lens support fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens zoom range 28-102mm (3.6x) -
Largest aperture f/3.5-5.1 -
Macro focusing range 2cm -
Amount of lenses - 143
Focal length multiplier 5.9 1
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fully Articulated
Screen diagonal 2.7" 3"
Resolution of screen 230k dots 1,229k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen technology - TFT Xtra Fine color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359k dots
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.71x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 4s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/8000s
Continuous shooting rate 1.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 4.00 m no built-in flash
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize - 1/250s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 24 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video data format MPEG-4 MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 159 grams (0.35 lbs) 812 grams (1.79 lbs)
Physical dimensions 96 x 65 x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") 147 x 111 x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 89
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 25.0
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 14.0
DXO Low light rating not tested 1555
Other
Battery life - 500 pictures
Form of battery - Battery Pack
Battery ID - NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 seconds) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC, Internal Memory Stick PRO Duo/Pro-HG Duo; SD, SDHC and SDXC
Card slots Single Two
Cost at launch $0 $1,998