Olympus TG-630 iHS vs Sigma DP1 Merrill

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus TG-630 iHS vs Sigma DP1 Merrill, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sigma. The image resolution of the TG-630 iHS (12MP) and the DP1 Merrill (15MP) is very close but the TG-630 iHS (1/2.3") and DP1 Merrill (APS-C) boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The TG-630 iHS was unveiled 12 months later than the DP1 Merrill and they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-630 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP1 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving right into a full comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the TG-630 iHS scores versus the DP1 Merrill in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus TG-630 iHS & Sigma DP1 Merrill. The full galleries are available at Olympus TG-630 iHS Gallery & Sigma DP1 Merrill Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-630 iHS provides outside dimensions of 98mm x 66mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.6" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) while the Sigma DP1 Merrill has dimensions of 122mm x 67mm x 64mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.5") and a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus TG-630 iHS vs Sigma DP1 Merrill in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are using during that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the TG-630 iHS versus the DP1 Merrill.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the TG-630 iHS and DP1 Merrill is 94 and 82 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to envision the difference in sensor measurements simply by looking through specs. The visual underneath should offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-630 iHS and DP1 Merrill.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The TG-630 iHS using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Sigma DP1 Merrill will result in more detail having an extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics a bit more aggressively. The newer TG-630 iHS is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.