Olympus TG-850 iHS vs Sigma DP2 Merrill

The following is a comprehensive review of the Olympus TG-850 iHS versus Sigma DP2 Merrill, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sigma. The sensor resolution of the TG-850 iHS (16MP) and the DP2 Merrill (15MP) is very comparable but the TG-850 iHS (1/2.3") and DP2 Merrill (APS-C) enjoy different sensor measurements.

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The TG-850 iHS was manufactured 2 years after the DP2 Merrill which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-850 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise summation of how the TG-850 iHS grades versus the DP2 Merrill when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-850 iHS and Sigma DP2 Merrill. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus TG-850 iHS Gallery and Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-850 iHS offers physical measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) whilst the Sigma DP2 Merrill has dimensions of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") along with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Compare the Olympus TG-850 iHS versus Sigma DP2 Merrill in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the TG-850 iHS compared to the DP2 Merrill.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-850 iHS and DP2 Merrill is 91 and 83 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions just by checking out a spec sheet. The image underneath will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-850 iHS and DP2 Merrill.

As you can see, both the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The TG-850 iHS featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more difficult and the Olympus TG-850 iHS will provide more detail due to its extra 1MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The more recent TG-850 iHS provides an edge with regard to sensor innovation.