Olympus TG-870 vs Sony S950

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus TG-870 and Sony S950, one being a Ultracompact and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the TG-870 (16MP) and S950 (10MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The TG-870 was brought out 6 years later than the S950 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony S950 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the TG-870 matches up versus the S950 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S950. The entire galleries are available at Olympus TG-870 Gallery and Sony S950 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera, you're going to have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-870 offers exterior dimensions 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 S950 has measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check out the Olympus TG-870 and Sony S950 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select at that moment. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the TG-870 compared to the S950.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the TG-870 and S950 is 91 and 94 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing purely by viewing specs. The visual underneath might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-870 and S950.

All in all, both cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Olympus TG-870 to provide you with greater detail having its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more modern TG-870 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.