Olympus TG-870 vs Sony W620

Choosing the right camera often boils down to understanding what you need from it in real-life shooting situations, beyond just spec sheets. With that in mind, today I’m putting two intriguing compact cameras head-to-head: the rugged Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 versus the budget-friendly Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620. Both share some common ground as fixed-lens point-and-shoots, but their design philosophies, capabilities, and performance aim at quite different users. Having tested thousands of cameras over the years in varied conditions, I’ll walk you through how these two stack up on ergonomics, sensor performance, autofocus, video, and more - so you can decide which suits your photographic lifestyle.

Let’s dive right in and first get a sense of their physical presence.

Feeling in the Hand: Ergonomics and Build Toughness

Handling experience is often overlooked but critically shapes your shooting ease, especially on the move.

The Olympus TG-870 is built to endure. This is an ultra-compact camera designed for rough outdoor use, with sealed weatherproofing against water (up to 15m), crushproof, shockproof (from 2.1m drops), and freezeproof down to -10°C. Its body measures 113x64x28 mm and weighs a solid 221 grams - noticeably chunky for an ultracompact but reassuringly sturdy. These tough credentials mean you don’t have to baby it around hiking trails or beaches.

On the flip side, the Sony W620 is much lighter and smaller, at 98x56x20 mm and a mere 116 grams. While its diminutive size lends excellent portability for pocket carry, expect a rather basic build without any environment sealing. It’s just a straightforward compact camera meant for casual use, which you’ll want to keep sheltered from harsh conditions.

This size and handling contrast is captured neatly in this side-by-side photo:

Ergonomically, the TG-870’s deeper grip feels more secure in hand, giving you confidence during extended shooting or in slippery conditions. Meanwhile, the Sony’s slim profile is convenient to slip into any bag or pocket, but it can feel a touch delicate, especially if you’re shooting outdoors.

Top-Down: Controls and User Interface

The way controls are laid out often determines how instinctively you can operate a camera - important if quick reaction is needed.

On the Olympus TG-870, the top panel presents a pragmatic design with dedicated buttons for power, zoom toggle, record, and mode dial, balancing simplicity with some manual control. The presence of a dedicated movie button is a practical plus if you often switch between stills and video. This view highlights that design:

The Sony W620 trims the complexity further. The buttons are minimal, with a single mode dial and zoom rocker, plus a shutter release. It also lacks any dedicated video button, requiring menu diving to alter modes, which may slow you down in spontaneous shooting.

Neither camera offers manual exposure controls or aperture/shutter priority modes, fitting their entry-level design ethos. However, the TG-870 compensates with features like custom white balance and multiple flash modes; the Sony offers just basic flash control.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality Insights

Sensors crucially affect image clarity, dynamic range, noise performance, and colour accuracy.

Both cameras utilize a 1/2.3” sensor size - the classic small-sensor compact dimension measuring roughly 6.17x4.55 mm, offering similar surface area (28.07 mm²), but the technologies differ markedly.

The TG-870 uses a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor, an advancement over traditional CMOS designs that improves light-gathering efficiency and low-light performance. In contrast, Sony’s W620 employs a 14MP CCD sensor, older technology known for good colour fidelity but generally inferior noise handling at high ISOs.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of their sensor sizes and specs:

In practical terms, the Olympus’s sensor delivers noticeably better dynamic range and cleaner images at ISO 400 or 800, which makes it more versatile in varied lighting. The Sony’s images can look softer and noisier even at moderate ISO due to the CCD’s limitations and fewer megapixels.

This matters especially if you shoot landscapes or situations with tricky contrast: shadows retain more detail in Olympus shots, and highlights are better controlled - vital for beautiful skies.

Viewing and Framing: LCD Screen and Interface

How you compose your shots greatly depends on the rear display, especially since neither camera has an electronic viewfinder.

The TG-870 sports a 3-inch tilting LCD with 921k dot resolution, noticeably sharper and larger than the Sony’s fixed 2.7-inch 230k dot Clear Photo TFT LCD. This makes framing more precise and reviewing detailed shots easier on the Olympus.

See the screen difference here:

The TG-870’s tilting mechanism also helps in composing shots from tricky angles, such as low ground-level macro or overhead perspectives. The Sony’s fixed screen can be a limiting factor in creativity here.

From a usability standpoint, Olympus offers a more refined menu system, informed by its TruePic VII image processor, which quickens operation. Sony’s BIONZ processor is capable but limited by fewer physical controls and a more basic interface.

Real-World Photography Performance Across Genres

Let’s examine how these cameras perform in real photographic disciplines most enthusiasts experiment with, starting with portraiture.

Portrait Photography

Capturing flattering skin tones and expressive faces is paramount.

The Olympus TG-870’s 16MP sensor with its BSI technology reproduces skin tones with commendable warmth and detail. Its face detection autofocus is accurate and responsive, locking quickly even in lower light. While it lacks eye-detection autofocus (still uncommon at this tier), general AF tracking works well enough for casual portraits. Additionally, the longer 21-105mm zoom lens gives nice framing flexibility and a relatively smooth bokeh for a compact thanks to its aperture range.

Conversely, the Sony W620’s CCD sensor yields honest colours but tends toward cooler skin tones and less resolution, making portraits less crisp. Its autofocus is slower and less reliable on faces due to the older AF system and lower continuous shooting rate (only 1 fps), meaning you might miss fleeting smiles.

Landscape Photography

Here resolution, dynamic range, and weather sealing come into play.

The TG-870 shines with its superior sensor and RAW capability (though limited, as it does not shoot RAW officially), alongside environmental sealing that lets you shoot confidently in rain or dust. The 21mm equivalent wide angle is respectable, if not ultra-wide. The advanced image processing alleviates noise in shadow areas, important for expansive scenes.

Sony’s W620 struggles to keep up here, with lower resolution and dynamic range, and no protection against elements. Its 28mm equivalent wide angle is a touch tighter. It still works for casual snapshots in good weather but won’t satisfy landscape enthusiasts demanding finer detail and tonal latitude.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

These genres demand speedy AF, fast burst modes, and powerful zoom.

Olympus offers a continuous burst rate of 7 fps, decent for capturing motion in wildlife or action shots. Its contrast-detection autofocus supports continuous AF and tracking, again suitable for most casual wildlife scenes and slower sports. The lens’s 105mm short telephoto end gives moderate reach but isn’t ideal for skittish wildlife or stadium sports.

Sony W620’s 1 fps burst and slower autofocus pretty much rule it out for serious sports or wildlife use. The lens zoom reaches 140mm equivalent, but its overall responsiveness is limited.

Street and Travel Photography

Portability, discretion, and low-light handling are key here.

With a svelte 116g frame, Sony’s W620 wins on inconspicuousness and pocketability. It’s a classic grab-and-go compact. However, poor low-light ISO performance restricts nighttime street scene shooting.

Olympus TG-870’s tougher build and better sensor make it more versatile - you can shoot confidently around water, in rain, or adverse conditions. The 300 shot battery life is adequate but not outstanding for prolonged travel. Its 5x zoom covers most travel framing needs, and built-in GPS supports photo geotagging - essential for travel documentation.

Macro Photography

Close focusing ability and stabilization matter here.

TG-870 boasts a remarkable 1cm macro focus range with optical image stabilization - letting you capture detail-rich close-ups freehand effectively. Sony W620’s 5cm macro minimum focusing distance limits intimate detail capture.

Night and Astrophotography

Small sensor compacts rarely excel here, but some checkboxes are important.

The Olympus camera, aided by its BSI sensor and ISO up to 6400 (boosted to 12800), produce usable images at night with manageable noise. Timelapse recording also allows creative nightscapes. Although limited by no RAW output or special astro modes, it still beats the W620's maximum native ISO of 3200 with poorer high ISO noise control.

Sony’s W620 struggles in darkness; maximum burst rate and autofocus responsiveness are low, shutter speeds top at 1/1600 second, insufficient for astrophotography or indoor low-light work.

Video Capabilities

Video specs matter more as hybrid shooting trends grow.

Olympus TG-870 shoots Full HD 1080p video at 60fps with MPEG-4/H.264 compression, plus has electronic image stabilization for smoother handheld clips. The built-in mic is basic but fine for casual use.

The Sony W620 records only up to 720p at 30 fps with Motion JPEG, which results in larger files and lower video quality. No image stabilization or mic input means limited video flexibility.

Professional and Workflow Considerations

Neither camera targets professional photographers, but if you need reliable travel back-up or field camera options, here’s how they measure.

Olympus’s TG-870, though ultracompact, handles tough conditions and offers GPS geotagging, custom white balance, and Wi-Fi for quick workflow integration. Battery lasts a solid 300 shots, and it accepts SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards.

Sony’s W620 supports an array of storage formats including Memory Stick Duo (less common now), but no wireless connectivity, shorter battery life, and no environmental sealing limit reliability in varied professional uses.

Connectivity and Power

Both cameras use USB 2.0 for file transfer; Olympus adds built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, enhancing instant sharing and location tagging. Sony instead supports Eye-Fi card wireless, which is now largely outdated.

Battery life favors Olympus (300 shots vs 220 shots), important if you’re out shooting all day.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Neither user can change lenses, obviously (fixed lens models), but zoom range and sharpness matter.

Olympus’s 21-105mm f/3.5-5.7 lens offers versatile framing from wide angle to moderate telephoto, well suited to travel and everyday use. It includes optical image stabilization to reduce blur.

Sony’s 28-140mm f/3.2-6.5 lens covers a similar zoom range but starts narrower and reaches slightly further telephoto, albeit at a slower aperture and no stabilization, making handheld shooting trickier.

Image Samples - On the Field and In the Frame

Let’s have a look at real images from both cameras side-by-side for practical perspective:

Olympus TG 870 front Olympus TG 870 screen back Sony W620 front Sony W620 screen back

You can see the TG-870 delivers sharper details, better colour nuance, and improved low-light clarity, while Sony’s W620 images feel a bit softer with less dynamic range.

Overall Performance Scores

Aggregating technical specs and real-world use, the following ratings reflect their strengths and weaknesses:

The TG-870 scores higher across nearly every category, especially durability, image quality, and video.

Which To Choose? Tailored Recommendations

Finally, what camera should you pick? Let me break it down by user profiles.

• For Adventure and Outdoor Enthusiasts: Olympus TG-870 is the clear choice, thanks to its rugged build, waterproofing, and better sensor performance. It takes hits and keeps shooting - crucial for hikes, snorkeling, or camping trips.

• For Casual Everyday Shooters and Travelers on a Budget: Sony W620 offers a compact, lightweight solution at a very low price. If you mostly shoot in good light and want easy point-and-shoot convenience, this fits.

• For Beginners Wanting Versatile Zoom and Video: Olympus’s superior zoom range, HD video, and Wi-Fi connectivity make it more future-proof and enjoyable.

• For Macro and Close-up Shooters: The TG-870’s 1cm macro and stabilization provide a better experience.

• For Video Hobbyists: Olympus wins again with 1080p60 video and image stabilization, rewarding casual videography.

• For Professional Backup or Travel: Olympus, with GPS and Wi-Fi, is more reliable and better integrated.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Wins the Day?

Comparing these two reveals a classic trade-off between rugged capability and compact convenience. The Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 impresses with a tough, weatherproof build, refined controls, better sensor tech, more flexible zoom, and DSP power, well suited to enthusiastic amateurs wanting durability without sacrificing image quality.

Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-W620 is an unabashed entry-level compact aimed at casual shoots mostly in benign conditions. It appeals if you want the lightest camera for snapshots and don’t demand much from autofocus, low light, or video.

If your photography is more serious than casual, I’d wholeheartedly recommend investing in the Olympus TG-870. Its versatile features, real-world performance, and robust design make it a dependable companion for a variety of photographic adventures. But if your priority is simply fitting a camera in a tiny purse or pocket for occasional shooting, and budget is tight, the Sony W620 still gets the job done - just don’t expect miracles in challenging environments.

See how that fits with your needs, and you’ll be set for many rewarding shots ahead.