Olympus TG-870 vs Sony QX100

Let's look a little more in depth at the Olympus TG-870 and Sony QX100, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Lens-style by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the TG-870 (16MP) and the QX100 (20MP) is fairly comparable but the TG-870 (1/2.3") and QX100 (1") use totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The TG-870 was revealed 2 years later than the QX100 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony QX100 being a Lens-style camera.

Before getting straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summary of how the TG-870 scores vs the QX100 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100. The full galleries are available at Olympus TG-870 Gallery and Sony QX100 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-870 features exterior dimensions of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Sony QX100 has proportions of 63mm x 63mm x 56mm (2.5" x 2.5" x 2.2") having a weight of 179 grams (0.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus TG-870 and Sony QX100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using during that time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the TG-870 compared to the QX100.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-870 and QX100 is 91 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements just by seeing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-870 and QX100.

As you can see, the two cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TG-870 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony QX100 will produce more detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The younger TG-870 will have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.