Olympus TG-820 iHS vs Sigma SD1 Merrill

Lets look more closely at the Olympus TG-820 iHS versus Sigma SD1 Merrill, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sigma. The sensor resolution of the TG-820 iHS (12MP) and the SD1 Merrill (15MP) is very well matched but the TG-820 iHS (1/2.3") and SD1 Merrill (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The TG-820 iHS was released 2 months earlier than the SD1 Merrill which means that they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-820 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sigma SD1 Merrill being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go into a full comparison, here is a simple overview of how the TG-820 iHS scores versus the SD1 Merrill in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus TG-820 iHS & Sigma SD1 Merrill. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus TG-820 iHS Gallery & Sigma SD1 Merrill Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-820 iHS features physical measurements of 101mm x 65mm x 26mm (4.0" x 2.6" x 1.0") and a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) whilst the Sigma SD1 Merrill has dimensions of 146mm x 113mm x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1") and a weight of 790 grams (1.74 lbs).

Compare the Olympus TG-820 iHS versus Sigma SD1 Merrill in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-820 iHS vs the SD1 Merrill.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-820 iHS and SD1 Merrill is 92 and 57 respectively.

Normally, its hard to visualise the gap between sensor measurements merely by looking at specs. The graphic below may provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-820 iHS and SD1 Merrill.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The TG-820 iHS because of its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sigma SD1 Merrill will give greater detail as a result of its extra 3MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos more aggressively.