Olympus TG-810 vs Sony A500

Here is a extensive analysis of the Olympus TG-810 vs Sony A500, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the TG-810 (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very comparable but the TG-810 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The TG-810 was manufactured 24 months later than the A500 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-810 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise view of how the TG-810 matches up versus the A500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus TG-810 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The entire galleries are available at Olympus TG-810 Gallery & Sony A500 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-810 comes with physical dimensions of 100mm x 65mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.6" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 215 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Sony A500 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-810 vs Sony A500 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose during that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the TG-810 and the A500.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-810 and A500 is 92 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizing only by going through specifications. The photograph below may provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-810 and A500.

Plainly, both of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The TG-810 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Olympus TG-810 will provide extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The fresher TG-810 should have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.