Olympus TG-810 vs Sony TX9

A Tale of Two Cameras: Olympus TG-810 vs. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9 - Which Suits You Best?

Choosing the right compact camera these days feels like a fine balancing act between ruggedness, image quality, and handling quirks tailored to your specific shooting needs. I've spent a good chunk of my career testing cameras that cater to niche uses - from waterproof trailblazers to sleek, ultra-compact shooters made for slipping into any pocket. Today, I want to take you on a detailed comparison between two such models from a decade ago that still offer fascinating insights into what camera design choices mean in practice.

On one side stands the Olympus TG-810, a rugged waterproof compact camera launched in 2011, tailored for adventure seekers who want durability without sacrificing versatility. On the other, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9, an ultracompact shooter introduced in 2010, emphasizing portability and image stabilization with a splash of style.

Let's unpack how each of these cameras stacks up in terms of core photographic disciplines, technical underpinnings, and real-world usability. I'll also share keen observations and testing highlights from my experience, so you can decide which of these vintage gems, if any, still deserve a place in your gear bag.

First Impressions: Size, Ergonomics, and Control Layout

Just holding a camera can tell you a lot about its intended use and user experience. The Olympus TG-810 measures roughly 100 x 65 x 26 mm and weighs about 215 grams, whereas the Sony TX9 is notably slimmer and lighter at 98 x 60 x 18 mm and just 149 grams. This difference may seem minor on paper, but it profoundly affects handling and pocketability.

The TG-810's chunkier body offers a confident grip, which is crucial for underwater or rugged terrain shooting. Rubberized sides and upfront textured grip pads keep your fingers planted even when wet or gloved. Meanwhile, the TX9 is designed with sleekness in mind - it’s more a mobile extension than an all-terrain tool, so the trade-off is less grip comfort in exchange for the ability to disappear into your pocket or purse.

Looking at the top controls, the TG-810 features a thoughtfully spaced set of buttons and a mode dial designed for quick access even when wearing gloves. The Sony TX9’s control scheme is minimalist, leaning heavily on its touchscreen for menus and settings navigation, reserving tactile buttons for just the essentials.

While touchscreens add versatility, I often find physical dials and buttons more reliable, especially when shooting outdoors or handling gloves. The TG-810 wins on that front, but the TX9’s touchscreen does make the interface feel modern and intuitive for day-to-day urban shooting.

Sensors and Image Quality: What's Behind the Glass

Both cameras sport 1/2.3" sensors sized at 6.17 x 4.55 mm, with an imaging area of approximately 28.07 mm². This common sensor size is typical for compact cameras, given the balance between cost, sensor capabilities, and compactness.

Where the TG-810 offers a higher pixel count at 14 MP and the Sony TX9 comes with 12 MP, the story is nuanced. The Olympus relies on a CCD sensor type - standard for cameras of its era - delivering decent color fidelity but often with reduced high ISO performance and somewhat longer noise handling times. On the other hand, Sony sports a backside-illuminated CMOS sensor (BSI-CMOS), providing advantages in low-light sensitivity and dynamic range.

In practice, this sensor difference manifests clearly. From my tests under varied lighting, the TX9 performs better at ISO ranges beyond 400, maintaining cleaner images with less luminance and chroma noise - crucial for evening or indoor shots. The TG-810’s max native ISO tops at 1600, but noise creeps in aggressively above 400, limiting its utility for low-light work unless you accept softness or graininess.

Color depth and dynamic range, though unmeasured by DxOmark here, also lean slightly in Sony’s favor because of the updated sensor technology. For landscapes, this means more detail retained in highlights and shadows with the TX9, giving you more room to work during post-processing.

Display and Interface: Seeing Your Shot Clearly

Display size and quality hugely affect live framing, focus checking, and overall satisfaction with your camera.

The TG-810 features a 3-inch TFT Hypercrystal III LCD with 920k dots, fixed in place. Details can appear crisp, and glare resistance is reasonable, which equips you well for outdoor use. However, there's no touchscreen functionality, meaning setting adjustments run through physical buttons.

The Sony TX9 ups the ante with a larger 3.5-inch screen boasting 922k dots and capacitive touchscreen controls - quite forward-thinking for 2010. This makes navigating menus and even selecting focus points a breeze, particularly for street or travel shooters wanting rapid adjustments on the go.

If you prefer tactile buttons but still want sharp detail in your live view, TG-810’s screen is solid. But if a responsive touchscreen that aids composition excites you, TX9 is the clear victor.

Versatility Through the Lens: Zoom, Aperture, and Macro Capabilities

Lens specs are the unsung heroes of compact cameras, shaping everything from framing flexibility to background separation.

Olympus TG-810 sports a 5x optical zoom from 28 to 140 mm equivalent, with aperture ranging from f/3.9 to f/5.9. The Sony TX9 offers a slightly shorter zoom at 25 to 100 mm equivalent (4x zoom), but with a somewhat faster aperture range of f/3.5 to f/4.6.

Longer reach on the TG-810 benefits wildlife and travel enthusiasts wanting to get closer without lugging abridged telephotos. However, those slower apertures mean the camera struggles with low light and shallow depth-of-field effects - more on that shortly.

When it comes to macro photography, the TX9 steals the show with its astounding 1 cm minimum focus distance, ideal for close-up detail and texture-rich shots. Olympus’s 3 cm macro focus range is respectable but can’t match Sony’s finesse for tight close-ups.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Catch Every Moment or Savor the Details?

AF performance is critical - especially when photographing movement, be it wildlife or kids at play.

Both cameras utilize contrast-detection autofocus systems common at their release. The TG-810 supports face detection autofocus but lacks phase detection or animal eye tracking, limiting accuracy and speed on fast subjects.

In contrast, the TX9's AF system includes 9 focus points with center-weighted focus capabilities, and touch-to-focus on the LCD, which makes pinpointing subjects easier - even if overall focusing remains modestly paced.

Continuous shooting rates highlight a major divide. TG-810 delivers a postal-worker-like steady single shot at 1 fps; expect to take your time with composition unless you enjoy slow-motion action. The TX9, meanwhile, offers a brisk 10 fps burst mode, a fantastic advantage for street or sports photography scenarios where timing is everything.

Durability and Environmental Sealing: Built Tough vs. Built Stylish?

Need a camera that laughs in the face of water, dust, and temperature extremes? The Olympus TG-810 is the clear champion here.

Its waterproof design allows immersion up to 10 meters, plus it’s shockproof up to 2 meters, freezeproof to -10 °C, and dustproof. This makes it perfect for adventurers, hikers, or casual poolside photographers wanting peace of mind. In contrast, the Sony TX9 offers no environmental sealing - treat it more like a delicate companion for city streets and cafés than a trail warrior.

Video Capabilities: Capturing Moving Moments

The Olympus TG-810 records HD video at 1280 x 720 pixels/30 fps, encoded in MPEG-4 and H.264 - basic but serviceable for casual clips. No external mic input makes audio quality average.

Sony TX9 impresses with full HD video at 1920 x 1080 pixels/50 fps via AVCHD, offering smoother footage and higher resolution video. Though it lacks professional video tools, this makes it more versatile for social sharing or amateur vlogging.

Neither camera supports 4K or advanced video features, but the TX9’s sharper, higher frame rate footage holds up better under scrutiny.

Battery Endurance and Storage: How Long and How Much?

Battery life numbers tell a part of the story but real-world experience matters most. The TG-810 claims approximately 220 shots per charge with its proprietary LI-50B pack; Sony’s numbers aren’t official but generally fall into similar ‘one-day outing’ territory given their compact design.

Both cameras rely on single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots, though the TX9 also supports Memory Stick Duo formats - reflecting Sony’s ecosystem at the time.

If you plan long shooting days, the TG-810’s larger battery feels more reassuring, plus you might prefer spares for extended adventures. The TX9’s ultra-compact form comes with a smaller battery, nudging you to carry a charger or backup battery for longer trips.

Connectivity and Extras: Sharing Made Simple?

Both cameras have Eye-Fi Wireless SD card support for image transfer, USB 2.0 ports, and HDMI outputs, enabling straightforward connection to computers and displays. No Bluetooth, NFC, or Wi-Fi in either - not surprising given their release era.

The TG-810 benefits from built-in GPS - a bonus if you like geotagging your adventure shots.

Image Output and Sample Gallery: Real-World Results

Seen side-by-side, Olympus TG-810 images tend toward punchy colors with decent sharpness but fall short in low light due to noise and limited ISO flexibility. Sony TX9 delivers cleaner images with pleasant color balance and dynamic range that holds up better in shadows and highlights, thanks to its BSI-CMOS sensor.

Olympus TG 810 front Olympus TG 810 screen back Sony TX9 screen back

In particular, you’ll notice the TX9 better capturing fine textures and subtle tones, even at times challenging lighting.

Comparative Scores at a Glance: Performance Breakdown

Summarizing performance holistically:

• Olympus TG-810: Excels in durability and zoom range; limited by sensor tech and slow shooting speed. Great for rugged outdoor photography.
• Sony TX9: Stronger image quality, faster burst shooting, superior video mode; less rugged, better suited urban or casual use.

For specific photography genres:

The TG-810 shines in adventure, travel, and macro to some extent (though not as close as the TX9). Sony leads in street, sports, video, and low-light performance.

In Practice: How These Cameras Handle Major Photography Genres

Portraits: Both struggle with shallow depth of field - those small sensors and tighter apertures won’t give a creamy bokeh. However, Sony’s faster lens and more reliable AF make it easier to pin focus on eyes or faces, despite lacking face/eye-detection AF.

Landscapes: Olympus gives you longer reach and rugged reliability, great for remote locations. Sony’s improved dynamic range and higher resolution mean more post-processing latitude and finer detail in large prints.

Wildlife: The TG-810’s 5x zoom is tempting here. But autofocus sluggishness and slow continuous shooting limit capturing decisive wildlife moments. Sony’s focus system and 10 fps burst improves catch rate but shorter zoom range curtails subject framing.

Sports: The TX9 is your bet, with faster bursts and better AF accuracy. TG-810 is too slow and more for static subjects.

Street: TX9’s discreet size and quiet operation fit well, plus touch AF and burst shooting help candids. TG-810’s bulk and rugged styling might draw more attention than necessary.

Macro: Sony’s 1 cm macro focusing beats Olympus’s 3 cm minimum, offering finer detail shots - a real boon for flora and object close-ups.

Night/Astro: Neither is optimal, but TX9’s BSI-CMOS sensor and higher max ISO perform better. Olympus’s sensor noise and lower sensitivity restrict astrophotography quality.

Video: Sony’s Full HD 1080p and 50 fps frame rate give a noticeable edge for casual video content creators. Olympus HD 720p works but feels dated.

Travel: TG-810 for extreme conditions, dusty or wet trails, baths or snow. TX9 for everyday city travel, museums, cafes - easy carry, no environmental worries.

Professional Work: Neither camera meets high-end professional standards. No raw capture, slim editing latitude, basic lenses.

Final Thoughts: Which One Should You Choose?

When pushing pixels and reliability matter most, understanding where each camera thrives clarifies your choice.

• Opt for Olympus TG-810 if you want rugged durability and longer zoom for harsh outdoor environments or adventure travel. It’s your trusty companion for watersports, hiking, or snowy escapades, especially when image quality demands are moderate.

• Pick Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9 if image quality, compactness, and video capability excite you most. It’s ideal as a stylish street shooter or travel camera in safe urban/backcountry conditions where portability, fast shooting, and better low-light performance count.

At their price points - with TG-810 often available cheaper - your budget may also steer you. The Sony targets higher-end users desiring near point-and-shoot versatility, while the Olympus appeals to rugged, casual photographers less worried about megapixels but focused on toughness and reliability.

Methodology Note: How I Tested

My comparison drew on hands-on shooting sessions indoors and outdoors - practicing controlled color charts, macro florals, and dynamic sports/ wildlife simulations. Focus testing used static and moving subjects with various lighting and distances. Video tests emphasized smoothness, clarity, and audio pickup quality.

Environmental stress tests probed the TG-810’s waterproofing and shockproof ratings versus the delicate Sony. For image quality, I analyzed RAW-equivalent JPEGs with noise, sharpness, and color accuracy software alongside real-world viewing.

This combined approach balances technical measures with how the cameras actually feel and perform - because we know specifications never tell the whole story.

Choosing your next camera boils down to matching these strengths and weaknesses with your shooting style and priorities. Both the Olympus TG-810 and Sony TX9 have their place - and now, I hope you see where that is.

Happy shooting!