Olympus TG-870 vs Pentax K100D

Its time to examine more closely at the Olympus TG-870 versus Pentax K100D, former is a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. There is a substantial difference between the sensor resolutions of the TG-870 (16MP) and K100D (6MP) and the TG-870 (1/2.3") and K100D (APS-C) use totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The TG-870 was released 9 years after the K100D which is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief view of how the TG-870 grades against the K100D in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 & Pentax K100D. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-870 Gallery & Pentax K100D Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus TG-870 features outside measurements of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Pentax K100D has specifications of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") with a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Look at the Olympus TG-870 versus Pentax K100D in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the TG-870 versus the K100D.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the TG-870 and K100D is 91 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions just by looking at technical specs. The pic here might provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-870 and K100D.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The TG-870 due to its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Olympus TG-870 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The younger TG-870 is going to have a benefit in sensor innovation.