Olympus TG-860 vs Sony A100

Here, we are evaluating the Olympus TG-860 versus Sony A100, former is a Waterproof while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference among the image resolutions of the TG-860 (16MP) and A100 (10MP) and the TG-860 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The TG-860 was released 8 years after the A100 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-860 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short highlight of how the TG-860 matches up vs the A100 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The complete galleries are available at Olympus TG-860 Gallery & Sony A100 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-860 offers physical measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") having a weight of 224 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Sony A100 has proportions of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") along with a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Examine the Olympus TG-860 versus Sony A100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the TG-860 against the A100.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the TG-860 and A100 is 91 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor sizes merely by checking out technical specs. The image below will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-860 and A100.

As you can tell, both cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The TG-860 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF trickier and the Olympus TG-860 will produce greater detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The younger TG-860 should have a benefit in sensor technology.