Olympus TG-870 vs Samsung GX-20

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus TG-870 vs Samsung GX-20, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Samsung. The sensor resolution of the TG-870 (16MP) and the GX-20 (15MP) is relatively comparable but the TG-870 (1/2.3") and GX-20 (APS-C) offer different sensor size.

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The TG-870 was brought out 8 years after the GX-20 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Samsung GX-20 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the TG-870 matches up versus the GX-20 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 and Samsung GX-20. The entire galleries are available at Olympus TG-870 Gallery and Samsung GX-20 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus TG-870 features exterior dimensions of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") and a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Samsung GX-20 has specifications of 142mm x 101mm x 72mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

See the Olympus TG-870 vs Samsung GX-20 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the TG-870 compared to the GX-20.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-870 and GX-20 is 91 and 58 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor sizes purely by going through specs. The picture here will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-870 and GX-20.

All in all, each of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The TG-870 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Olympus TG-870 will show greater detail having its extra 1MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots way more aggressively. The more modern TG-870 should have an edge in sensor innovation.