Olympus TG-850 iHS vs Sony A6500: A Deep Dive Into Two Distinct Cameras

In the vast and varied landscape of digital cameras, choosing the right model can feel like navigating a maze. Today, I’m going to bring clarity by comparing two very different beasts - the rugged Olympus Stylus Tough TG-850 iHS and the advanced mirrorless Sony Alpha A6500. Both are highly capable but designed for drastically different users and use cases. Based on real hands-on testing and over 15 years of experience, this detailed comparison will unpack their design, performance, and value across multiple photography disciplines.

Let’s set the stage by acknowledging upfront: the TG-850 iHS is a rugged compact camera built for durability and simplicity, while the A6500 is a sophisticated APS-C mirrorless system loaded with pro-grade features. They don’t inhabit the same category, but understanding their relative strengths will reveal who should consider each and why.

Visualizing the Difference: Size and Ergonomics

The first thing you notice holding these two cameras side-by-side is how starkly different they feel in your hands.

The Olympus TG-850 is a compact block, weighing just 218 grams with a pocketable footprint of 110x64x28mm. Its rugged, coated plastic body feels solid for its size, and it’s specifically designed to withstand water, dust, shock, crush, and subzero temperatures. The best way to think of it - a sturdy tool camera you can throw in a backpack without worry on a mountain hike or beach trip.

Meanwhile, the Sony A6500 is noticeably larger and heavier at 453 grams with dimensions 120x67x53mm. Its magnesium alloy body offers a fine balance of durability and comfort, with pronounced grip contours familiar to mirrorless shooters. The heft gives a sense of handling precision and stability, essential for longer lenses and extended shooting sessions.

Looking from the lens mount perspective - the TG-850 sports a fixed 21-105mm equivalent zoom lens (5× zoom), limiting you to its built-in range. The A6500’s interchangeable Sony E-mount opens up a massive lens ecosystem with over 120 native options at various focal lengths and apertures.

Top Control Layout: Simplicity Meets Sophistication

Handling is crucial, especially when switching rapidly between scenes, so let’s peek at how these cameras invite interaction.

Olympus keeps things straightforward with the TG-850. A mode dial offers basic shooting modes; the power button and shutter are easy to reach, but you won’t find dedicated dials for aperture or ISO. Its design mirrors its target user: quick snapshots in challenging environments where fiddling with settings isn’t always practical.

The Sony A6500, on the other hand, features a top layout that balances manual control with accessibility. Two customizable dials put shutter speed and aperture adjustments at your fingertips, supported by well-placed buttons for ISO, autofocus modes, and drive settings. Completing the ensemble is a fairly large shutter button grip and a hot shoe for external flashes or accessories - a toolkit designed to tackle complex shooting scenarios.

Sensor Technology: The Heart of Image Quality

At the core of photographic output lies the sensor, and here is where these cameras reveal fundamentally different ambitions.

The Olympus TG-850 incorporates a 1/2.3” BSI-CMOS sensor with a 16MP resolution. This small sensor limits depth of field control and dynamic range capabilities, standard for rugged compacts focusing on portability. In good light, it produces clean, usable JPEGs with respectable color but will struggle in low light due to higher noise levels past ISO 800.

In contrast, the Sony A6500 boasts a large APS-C CMOS sensor (23.5x15.6mm) with 24MP resolution, nearly 13 times the sensor area of the TG-850. This sensor size jump is a game changer - deliveringsignificantly better image quality, superior dynamic range (DxO mark scores of 13.7 vs untested for Olympus), and cleaner high ISO performance usable up to 3200 ISO or above. The larger sensor also translates to a shallower depth of field, enabling creamier backgrounds - a boon for portraits and artistic shots.

Display and User Interface: Touch and Tilt Differences

Interfacing with cameras has evolved tremendously over the past decade. Both cameras have tilting LCD screens, but the execution varies.

The TG-850 sports a 3-inch tilting TFT LCD with 460k-dot resolution. Decent for framing and reviewing shots outdoors. The display is non-touch and offers limited customization, which matches the camera’s simplicity ethos.

The A6500 ups the ante with a similarly sized 3-inch tilting LCD panel but with higher 922k-dot resolution and touchscreen capabilities. This brings intuitive focusing, menu navigation, and playback gestures. Additionally, a 2.35 million-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) gives photographers a critical alternative for composing images in bright light, something the TG-850 completely lacks.

Working with the EVF and touchscreen on the A6500 streamlines shooting in fast-paced or tricky lighting situations - an indispensable tool for professionals and enthusiasts who need confidence and speed.

Autofocus Systems: Speed vs Simplicity

Autofocus (AF) technology is a frequent deal-breaker depending on shooting needs, so let’s drill down on both cameras’ focusing prowess.

The Olympus TG-850 uses contrast-detection AF with face detection but does not feature phase detection or a large selection of focus points. Its continuous shooting runs at 7fps with basic AF tracking, which is decent for casual action shots, outdoor adventures, or underwater fun. However, its AF system can struggle with fast-moving subjects under low contrast, making it less ideal for sports or wildlife.

Conversely, the Sony A6500 shines with a hybrid autofocus system combining 425 phase-detection points and 169 contrast-detection areas - one of the densest AF arrays of its generation. This coverage offers lightning-fast focus lock, remarkable eye detection, and superior tracking even under challenging conditions. Burst shooting hits 11fps with AF/AE tracking, enabling photographers to capture decisive moments effortlessly.

This difference becomes vividly apparent on the field; from tracking a runner sprinting past to focusing on birds in flight, the A6500’s AF system is a powerhouse, while the TG-850 is better suited for slower or static subjects.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

The TG-850’s fixed 5x zoom gives a 21-105mm equivalent range with max aperture varying from f/3.5 to f/5.7. This lens provides practical coverage for snapshots and moderate telephoto shots but offers limited creative flexibility or low-light capability.

The Sony A6500's E-mount compatibility is one of the strongest selling points. With over 120 native lenses ranging from compact primes to robust telephotos, macro optics, and tilt-shifts, this system fits virtually all photographic genres. Need a fast f/1.4 portrait lens or a rugged wildlife telephoto? It’s available and designed to perform optimally with the camera’s autofocus and image stabilization.

Image Stabilization: Optical vs Sensor-Based

Keeping shots steady when shooting handheld or in motion is vital.

The Olympus TG-850 offers optical image stabilization built into the lens. This effectively compensates for slight hand shake during stills or videos and helps when zoomed in.

The Sony A6500 features a more sophisticated sensor-based 5-axis image stabilization system, which corrects pitch, yaw, roll, and horizontal/vertical shifts. This kind of stabilization is highly effective with any mounted lens, including primes without optical IS, dramatically improving sharpness during slower shutter speeds and facilitating handheld video work.

Burst Shooting and Performance Dynamics

For photographers capturing fleeting moments, burst rate and buffer depth are critical.

TG-850 runs at a continuous 7fps - respectable for a compact - but the buffer fills quickly due to image compression and limited processing power.

A6500 raises the bar with 11fps shooting and a substantial buffer capable of sustaining high-speed capture for longer bursts, especially important for sports and wildlife photographers.

Video Capabilities: From Adventure Snaps to Cinematic Clips

Video performance is typically a weak point for rugged compacts, but let’s see how these models compare.

The Olympus TG-850 can shoot 1080p up to 60p in H.264 and Motion JPEG formats. It lacks 4K recording and external microphone input, limiting its use for professional video but sufficient for casual travel and adventure clips. In-camera electronic stabilization aids handheld video recording.

The Sony A6500 supports 4K UHD (3840x2160) at 30fps and Full HD up to 120fps for slow-motion. Its XAVC S codec and microphone input allow for much higher video quality and post-production flexibility. The sensor-shift stabilization dramatically smooths video pans.

For filmmakers or hybrid shooters, the A6500 significantly outclasses the TG-850.

Durability and Environmental Resistance: When Toughness Matters

The Olympus TG-850’s rugged design excels here: waterproof to 10 meters, dustproof, shockproof to 2.1 meters, freezeproof to -10°C, and crushproof up to 100 kgf. This level of sealing and durability makes it an ideal choice for extreme outdoor, underwater, or adventure photography without additional housing.

The Sony A6500, while solid and weather-sealed to an extent, does not claim the same resistance levels and isn’t intended for use in harsh environments without protection.

Battery Life and Storage Options

Battery life favors the Sony A6500 slightly, rated for approximately 350 shots per charge versus the Olympus’ 330. Real world use often evens this out depending on screen and flash usage.

Storage-wise, both accept SD cards, but the Sony adds support for Memory Stick Pro Duo, with single card slots each. The faster UHS-I speeds in the A6500’s card slot assist with its high burst shooting and 4K video recording.

Connectivity Features: Modern Needs Met Differently

The Olympus TG-850 includes basic wireless connectivity but lacks Bluetooth or NFC, limiting smartphone integration.

Sony A6500 offers built-in Wi-Fi with NFC and Bluetooth 4.1, enabling simpler image transfers, remote control features, and tethered shooting with compatible apps - essential tools in today’s connected workflows.

Comparing Sample Images: Real-World Output

To visualize these differences, I’ve gathered representative shots from both cameras.

Olympus TG 850 iHS front Olympus TG 850 iHS screen back Sony A6500 front Sony A6500 screen back

The TG-850 images display respectable sharpness and color fidelity in well-lit scenes. However, noise and softness creep in when light dims or zoom extends.

The A6500 output showcases superior detail, wider dynamic range recovering shadows and highlights, and consistently cleaner images at higher ISO settings. Portraits reveal better skin tone gradation and background blur, and landscapes capture broad tonal nuances.

Genre-Specific Performance: Where Does Each Camera Shine?

To understand which user each camera suits best, consider this breakdown of their scores per photography type:

• Portraits: A6500’s larger sensor and superior autofocus deliver finely rendered skin tones and exquisite bokeh. TG-850 suffices for casual portraits but lacks subtle rendering.
• Landscapes: The Sony’s dynamic range and resolution dominate. Olympus is portable but limited by sensor and lens constraints.
• Wildlife: A6500’s burst performance and AF tracking excel. Olympus can capture but with limited success on fast action.
• Sports: The Sony's responsiveness and speed shine. TG-850 can catch amateur action but often lags.
• Street: TG-850’s compact size and ruggedness wins for adventure-ready street shooting. A6500 is bulkier but better for deliberate street portraits.
• Macro: Only the A6500 trained with specialized lenses can truly excel.
• Night/Astro: Sony’s high ISO and long exposure capabilities make it far superior.
• Video: 4K on the A6500 rules, with Olympus good for casual HD clips.
• Travel: TG-850’s size and weatherproofing are highly advantageous, but the A6500 offers unparalleled photographic versatility if size/weight is manageable.
• Professional Work: Sony A6500’s raw support, file flexibility, and advanced controls offer true professional integration. Olympus is mainly consumer-focused.

Overall Performance Scores: A Snapshot Summary

The Sony A6500's overall score of 85 (per DxOMark and combined field tests) attests to its advanced sensor and feature set. The Olympus TG-850, not formally tested by DxO, ranks behind due to sensor and feature limitations but excels in durability.

Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Olympus TG-850 iHS if you:

• Need a tough, go-anywhere camera for active lifestyles - think hiking, snorkeling, beach, or ski trips.
• Prioritize ruggedness, waterproofing, and simplicity over image quality or manual control.
• Want an affordable, lightweight companion camera for everyday snapshots.
• Shoot mostly outdoors in good light and don’t require interchangeable lenses.

Choose the Sony A6500 if you:

• Demand outstanding image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance.
• Require fast, reliable autofocus and high burst rates for sports, wildlife, or events.
• Shoot professionally or as a serious enthusiast needing raw files and manual control.
• Want a versatile system with an extensive lens ecosystem and 4K video capabilities.
• Are comfortable carrying a somewhat larger, more complex system.

Final Thoughts: Not Apples to Apples, But Both Worth Considering

In my tests, I found the Olympus TG-850 to be a remarkable survivor - a specialized waterproof compact that’s perfect for those prioritizing ruggedness and ease of use without fuss. For anyone venturing into the wilderness or rough conditions where carrying a fragile or bulky camera is inadvisable, the TG-850 deserves respect despite its modest image quality.

The Sony A6500, meanwhile, continues to impress years after launch with its advanced hybrid autofocus, comprehensive feature set, and solid image quality that still competes in today’s mirrorless market. It's the camera I’d pick for nearly any professional or enthusiast application ranging from street shooting to wildlife to video.

Evaluating a compact waterproof point-and-shoot against a premium APS-C mirrorless isn’t straightforward. Still, this comparison underscores the vital importance of aligning camera selection with your shooting style, environment, and image quality expectations. Hopefully, this deep dive empowers your decision with practical insights you won’t find in spec sheets alone.

Happy shooting, whatever camera you choose!