Olympus TG-870 vs Sony NEX-3

Below, we will be matching up the Olympus TG-870 versus Sony NEX-3, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the TG-870 (16MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is pretty close but the TG-870 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) possess different sensor dimensions.

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The TG-870 was brought out 5 years after the NEX-3 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting through a more detailed comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the TG-870 matches up vs the NEX-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-870 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-870 enjoys outside measurements of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3 has measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

See the Olympus TG-870 versus Sony NEX-3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Below is the front view size comparison of the TG-870 compared to the NEX-3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-870 and NEX-3 is 91 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to picture the gap in sensor sizes only by researching specifications. The pic underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-870 and NEX-3.

To sum up, each of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The TG-870 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Olympus TG-870 will render extra detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs much more aggressively. The more recent TG-870 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.