Olympus TG-810 vs Pentax ist DL2

On this page, we will be comparing the Olympus TG-810 versus Pentax ist DL2, former is a Waterproof while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a considerable difference among the sensor resolutions of the TG-810 (14MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the TG-810 (1/2.3") and ist DL2 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The TG-810 was launched 5 years after the ist DL2 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-810 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the TG-810 scores against the ist DL2 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus TG-810 & Pentax ist DL2. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-810 Gallery & Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera regularly, you will have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus TG-810 offers outside dimensions of 100mm x 65mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.6" x 1.0") with a weight of 215 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Pentax ist DL2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

See the Olympus TG-810 versus Pentax ist DL2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the TG-810 and the ist DL2.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the TG-810 and ist DL2 is 92 and 69 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to imagine the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by going through specs. The image here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-810 and ist DL2.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The TG-810 because of its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Olympus TG-810 will show greater detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The fresher TG-810 should have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.