Olympus TG-810 vs Sony A850

Here, we will be analyzing the Olympus TG-810 and Sony A850, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the TG-810 (14MP) and A850 (25MP) and the TG-810 (1/2.3") and A850 (Full frame) provide different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The TG-810 was launched 17 months later than the A850 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-810 being a Compact camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise overview of how the TG-810 scores vs the A850 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus TG-810 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-810 Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-810 has outer dimensions of 100mm x 65mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.6" x 1.0") with a weight of 215 grams (0.47 lbs) while the Sony A850 has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-810 and Sony A850 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at that time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the TG-810 against the A850.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the TG-810 and A850 is 92 and 54 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizing only by reviewing technical specs. The graphic here will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-810 and A850.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The TG-810 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A850 will offer more detail utilizing its extra 11 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more recent TG-810 should have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.