Olympus TG-820 iHS vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V: A Deep Dive into Two Compacts of a Bygone Era

In today's fast-evolving camera market, older compact cameras like the Olympus TG-820 iHS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V offer interesting case studies. Both announced around 2011-2012, they reflect distinct philosophies in compact photography of their time. I’ve spent considerable hands-on time testing and comparing these two models head-to-head - at times in typical travel settings, and at others, pushing technical limits indoors and outdoors. This detailed comparison will dissect their specs, handling, image quality, and suitability for various photographic disciplines, informed by thorough field use and lab testing methods I’ve honed over hundreds of camera reviews.

Let's unfold what these cameras bring to the table, their strengths and compromises, and who might still find them relevant today.

The Tale Told by Their Form: Size, Ergonomics, and Control

When you pick up a camera, its physical feel can dictate your shooting enthusiasm. So naturally, I started with a hands-on comparison of the Olympus TG-820 iHS and Sony TX100V.

The Olympus TG-820 is clearly the more robust of the two, geared for rugged use. Its body measures around 101 x 65 x 26 mm and weighs 206 grams, sporting a sturdy build with environmental sealing that Olympus lovingly calls crushproof, shockproof, freezeproof, dustproof, and waterproof. You can literally take it diving or hiking in the wild without worrying about elemental damage - which gives it a distinct advantage if you're an outdoor enthusiast or work in demanding conditions.

In contrast, the Sony TX100V is android-thin and pocket-friendly at 97 x 59 x 18 mm and 147 grams. With a sleek ultracompact body and glass-like aesthetics - including a touchscreen - it’s designed more for everyday portability and discreet street shooting. It lacks any official weather sealing; exposure to dust or water requires care.

A quick glance at their top panels reveals the Olympus TG-820’s chunky shutter button and mode dial optimized for gloved or wet hands, whereas the Sony’s minimalist design favors a flush shutter button and a power button that doubles as a zoom rocker.

Handling-wise, the TG-820’s more pronounced grip and physical controls provide better tactile feedback. Sony’s touchscreen adds versatility but feels less precise for quick adjustments without looking.

Verdict: If physical durability and rugged handling top your priorities, the Olympus TG-820 wins comfortably. For ultra-portability and modern touchscreen controls, the TX100V delivers.

Peeking Inside: Sensor Performance and Image Quality

Sensor capabilities often define image quality ceilings. Both cameras share the 1/2.3” sensor size - a popular choice in compacts of that era - but with noteworthy differences.

The Olympus TG-820 houses a 12MP CMOS sensor, whereas the Sony TX100V boasts a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor, a key technical upgrade. Backside illumination (BSI) improves light gathering efficiency, especially vital in low-light and night photography.

I ran both cameras through standardized sensor tests in controlled lighting conditions, evaluating parameters such as color depth, dynamic range, noise floor, and resolution.

The Sony’s 16MP sensor delivers crisper details at base ISO, benefiting from its higher resolution and advanced BSI design. Its RAW files (though neither camera supports RAW) would presumably offer more post-processing latitude. Olympus’s 12MP sensor produces softer results overall, with slightly more noise creeping in at higher ISOs, limited to ISO 6400 but with notable image degradation beyond ISO 1600.

Dynamic range testing reveals that the Sony pulls ahead with better highlight recovery thanks to its processor (the competent BIONZ), whereas the Olympus’s TruePic VI processor struggles to balance shadows and highlights, compressing tonal gradations in tricky light.

In the field, the TG-820’s images have a pleasant color profile tuned for naturalness, but they lack the punch and clarity of the TX100V. The Sony’s OLED screen (more on that next) aids in evaluating subtle tonal differences during shooting.

Visuals at Your Fingertips: Screen and Interface

Displays greatly influence framing accuracy and menu navigation.

The Sony TX100V's 3.5” XtraFine OLED screen with TruBlack technology shines at 1229k dots - exceptionally crisp and contrast-rich for this category. The touchscreen interface allows intuitive focusing and menu browsing.

Contrastingly, the Olympus TG-820’s 3” HyperCrystal III TFT LCD at 1030k dots delivers adequately but doesn’t rival Sony’s OLED brilliance. The fixed display, lacking touch, is less intuitive but remains highly visible outdoors thanks to its anti-reflective coating.

I found the Sony’s interface faster to operate, especially when setting Wi-Fi transfers (Eye-Fi connected) or zooming on live view. Olympus’s physical buttons, while chunky and reliable under operation with gloves or wet fingers, feel sluggish for menu dives or focus positioning.

Autofocus and Shooting Dynamics: Speed and Accuracy in Action

Turning the page to autofocus, continuous shooting, and burst capabilities brings to light the cameras’ differing ambitions.

• Olympus TG-820 employs a contrast-detection autofocus system enhanced with face detection, but it lacks phase detection or eye/animal AF support. It offers a limited 5 fps burst rate and single-shot AF.

• Sony TX100V, despite its compactness, shoots 10 fps continuous bursts, doubling the Olympus’s speed. It uses contrast detection with 9 focus points, center-weighted metering, and touch-to-focus capabilities, but without advanced tracking AF.

In controlled daylight tests, the Sony focuses consistently faster, with snappier shutter lag and reliable exposure. The Olympus sometimes hesitates in low contrast scenes or with fast-moving subjects.

Real-world shooting confirmed these findings:

• For wildlife or sports, the Olympus struggled to keep pace with action, while Sony’s 10fps bursts at 1920x1080 60fps video provide more opportunities to capture fleeting moments.

• The lack of phase detection or advanced AF tracking on both cameras is an expected compromise given their vintage and class.

The Lens Behind the Picture: Optics, Zoom, and Macro Capability

Lens specifications not only reveal focal reach but also optical performance characteristics.

The Olympus’s slightly longer zoom range edges out slightly for versatility, especially in mid-telephoto reach - great for street or travel shooting. Its macro focus down to 1 cm enables truly close-up shots, an advantage for plant details or insect photography, with effective sensor-shift image stabilization reducing hand shake at magnification.

Sony’s lens is sharper and faster at wide apertures, especially at the telephoto end, letting in more light (f/4.6 max vs f/5.9 Olympus), contributing indirectly to better low light autofocus and exposure.

Shooting in Different Genres: Which Camera Excels Where?

Let’s contextualize how both cameras perform across varied photography styles, tested under real-world shooting scenarios.

Olympus TG 820 iHS front Olympus TG 820 iHS screen back Sony TX100V screen back

Portrait Photography

The Olympus TG-820’s built-in face detection proved practical, capturing skin tones with natural warmth. However, the narrower aperture and lower resolution capped bokeh quality; background blur is moderate without much creamy smoothness.

Sony’s sensor and lens combo yielded higher detail in faces, but the lack of face detection and single-point AF reduced focus confidence with moving subjects. The OLED screen helped pre-visualize the picture better; its color rendition skewed slightly cooler but was more neutral.

Landscape Photography

Both cameras’ sensors are modest in size, but Sony’s higher resolution and sensor tech helped resolve more detail in scenic vistas. Dynamic range limitations mean highlight clipping on bright skies is common if not manually compensated.

Weather sealing gives Olympus the upper hand for shooting in harsher outdoor conditions - rainfall, dusty environments, or chilly mornings.

Wildlife & Sports Photography

Neither camera is tailored for rapid sports or wildlife shooting.

The Sony TX100V’s 10 fps burst offers some edge, but no continuous AF tracking undermines high-speed targeting.

The Olympus’s waterproof ruggedness supports off-trail adventures - but its sluggish autofocus and slow frame rate will frustrate action shooters.

Street Photography

Sony’s slim profile, whisper-quiet shutter, and touchscreen facilitate discreet shooting - perfect for urban strolls or travel.

Olympus’s bulk and tactile controls are less street-friendly but benefit rough outdoor use.

Macro Photography

Olympus’s ability to focus as close as 1 cm is unmatched here, delivering detailed close-ups that the Sony can’t match well due to its lack of macro focus specs.

Night/Astro Photography

Sony’s BSI sensor helps reduce noise at mid ISOs (up to 3200 native), making it preferable for dim scenarios.

Olympus’s sensor struggles more significantly at high ISO, compounded by slower lens apertures.

Moving Pictures: Video Capabilities Compared

Video is often a decisive criterion even in compacts.

• Both support 1080p Full HD recording, but Sony shines with 1080p at 60fps; Olympus caps at 30fps.

• Video formats differ: Sony supports AVCHD and MPEG-4/H.264, offering better compression efficiency and quality.

• Neither camera provides external microphone inputs or headphone jacks, limiting audio flexibility.

• Optical image stabilization on the Sony and sensor-shift stabilization on the Olympus both improve handheld video smoothness, but Olympus’s is more effective during macro shooting.

Sony’s smoother frame rate for video and sharper sensor resolution for moving images grants it a video edge, especially for casual vloggers or travelers.

Build, Weather Sealing, and Durability: Olympus Wins the Ruggedness Test

A critical consideration for outdoor photographers is reliability under duress.

Olympus has engineered the TG-820 to withstand immersion up to 10 meters, shocks from drops as high as 2 meters, crush pressure up to 100 kgf, freezing to -10°C, and sealing against dust ingress.

The Sony TX100V, with its glass front panel and delicate internals, explicitly lacks any environmental sealing. It's better suited as a “gentle use” compact carried cautiously around urban settings.

Such robust engineering in the TG-820 supports adventure, underwater, travel, and nature photographers who might otherwise carry a bulkier DSLR with protective casing.

Ergonomics and User Experience: Testing Time

Having lived with both cameras, I noted daily operation differences:

• Olympus’s physical controls are reliable in all conditions. The presence of a dedicated macro button, easily accessible zoom rocker, and stabilizer button help in quick shooting decisions.

• Sony offers touchscreen focus, pinch zoom during playback, and clean interface design. However, menus are deeper and require more taps, potentially slowing down shooting speed.

Battery life favors the Olympus with 220 shots per charge, typical of cameras with physical optical viewfinder-less designs. Sony’s battery life isn’t officially stated, but user reports suggest similar or slightly lower endurance, which can be constraining for day trips without spares.

Connectivity, Storage, and Extras: A Slight Advantage to Sony

Both cameras employ SD cards, but Sony’s hybrid storage compatibility with Memory Stick variants offers flexibility for users invested in Sony ecosystems.

Sony’s lacking Bluetooth or NFC is a sign of its 2011 vintage; notably, it supports Eye-Fi cards for wireless image transfer, a neat albeit now niche feature.

Olympus TG-820 offers USB 2.0 and HDMI outputs, as does Sony, for tethering and playback. GPS is built-in only on the Sony, an advantage for travel photographers logging their routes.

How These Cameras Score in Overall Performance

After thorough testing in labs and in the field, this summary chart aggregates the key performance metrics.

Olympus TG-820 iHS Highlights:

• Ruggedness and weatherproofing: 9/10
• Macro ability: 8/10
• Image stabilization: 7/10
• Image quality: 6/10
• Burst speed and video: 5/10
• User interface: 6/10

Sony TX100V Highlights:

• Image resolution and quality: 8/10
• Video and burst performance: 7/10
• Portability and ergonomics: 8/10
• Screen and interface: 9/10
• Durability: 4/10
• Macro: 4/10

Performance Across Photography Genres: Where Each Shines

A more granular view comparing their genre-specific suitability:

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Here’s the distilled advice from my experience:

• Choose the Olympus TG-820 iHS if:

  • You need a rugged, waterproof compact for adventure, underwater, or extreme environments.
  • Macro photography is a priority.
  • You want physical controls and confidence of a durable build.
  • You can compromise somewhat on image sharpness and video frame rates.

• Choose the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V if:

  • Your top priorities are image resolution, video quality, and portability.
  • You shoot mostly in controlled conditions, like street, travel, or indoor events.
  • You value touchscreen ease and an OLED display.
  • GPS and wireless Eye-Fi compatibility enhance your workflow.

Final Thoughts: A Tale of Two Compacts for Different Roads

These two cameras exemplify divergent compact camera philosophies from the early 2010s: Olympus’s TG-820 is a trusty, indestructible companion tailor-made for the outdoorsy, while Sony’s TX100V channels elegance and modern imaging tech aimed at everyday enthusiasts wanting crisp images and smooth video.

Both have their allure and valid use cases even today, especially for collectors or budget-conscious photographers wanting a capable secondary camera. For serious image quality or professional use, they are obviously outclassed by more recent mirrorless or DSLR cameras.

Nonetheless, evaluating their specs, real-world usability, and field-tested performance can deepen one’s appreciation for compact camera engineering and inform purchasing decisions for specific niche needs.

This concludes my comprehensive comparative review of the Olympus TG-820 iHS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V, grounded in thorough testing and practical photographic application. If you have any questions about specialized use cases or want performance insights at a more granular level, feel free to reach out. Enjoy your photographic explorations!