Olympus TG-610 vs Sony NEX-5R

Below is a complete analysis of the Olympus TG-610 and Sony NEX-5R, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the TG-610 (14MP) and the NEX-5R (16MP) is very close but the TG-610 (1/2.3") and NEX-5R (APS-C) boast different sensor sizes.

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The TG-610 was unveiled 20 months earlier than the NEX-5R making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-610 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a brief summation of how the TG-610 matches up vs the NEX-5R when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus TG-610 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The full galleries are provided at Olympus TG-610 Gallery and Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera, you will have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus TG-610 provides outside dimensions of 96mm x 65mm x 26mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 1.0") having a weight of 190 grams (0.42 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5R has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

See the Olympus TG-610 and Sony NEX-5R in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at the time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the TG-610 versus the NEX-5R.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the TG-610 and NEX-5R is 93 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to picture the difference in sensor measurements purely by viewing a spec sheet. The photograph here should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-610 and NEX-5R.

Clearly, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TG-610 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Sony NEX-5R will provide you with greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older TG-610 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.