Olympus TG-820 iHS vs Sony A55

Lets look a bit more closely at the Olympus TG-820 iHS versus Sony A55, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the TG-820 iHS (12MP) and A55 (16MP) and the TG-820 iHS (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The TG-820 iHS was launched 18 months later than the A55 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-820 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a thorough comparison, here is a concise summary of how the TG-820 iHS grades against the A55 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus TG-820 iHS and Sony SLT-A55. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-820 iHS Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus TG-820 iHS has external dimensions of 101mm x 65mm x 26mm (4.0" x 2.6" x 1.0") with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Examine the Olympus TG-820 iHS versus Sony A55 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with during that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the TG-820 iHS compared to the A55.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-820 iHS and A55 is 92 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements merely by looking at technical specs. The photograph below might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-820 iHS and A55.

As you can tell, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The TG-820 iHS featuring a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A55 will resolve greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more modern TG-820 iHS is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.