Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Sony A550
91 Imaging
36 Features
40 Overall
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63 Imaging
54 Features
65 Overall
58
Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Sony A550 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 6400
- Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 25-100mm (F2.0-4.9) lens
- 230g - 112 x 67 x 30mm
- Released May 2012
(Full Review)
- 14MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Tilting Screen
- ISO 200 - 12800
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- No Video
- Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
- 632g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
- Revealed December 2009
- Succeeded the Sony A100
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Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus TG-1 iHS versus Sony A550, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the TG-1 iHS (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is relatively similar but the TG-1 iHS (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizes.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe TG-1 iHS was released 2 years after the A550 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-1 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.
Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the TG-1 iHS grades against the A550 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.
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The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-1 iHS Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Olympus TG-1 iHS over the Sony A550
| TG-1 iHS | A550 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revealed | May 2012 |  | December 2009 | More modern by 30 months |
Reasons to pick Sony A550 over the Olympus TG-1 iHS
| A550 | TG-1 iHS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus manually |  | Very accurate focusing | ||
| Screen type | Tilting |  | Fixed | Tilting screen |
| Screen resolution | 922k |  | 610k | Sharper screen (+312k dot) |
Common features in the Olympus TG-1 iHS and Sony A550
| TG-1 iHS | A550 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen dimensions | 3" |  | 3" | Equal screen dimensions |
| Selfie screen |  | Absent selfie screen | ||
| Touch screen |  | Neither comes with Touch screen |
Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Sony A550 Physical Comparison
For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-1 iHS comes with physical dimensions of 112mm x 67mm x 30mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") having a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) and the Sony A550 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).
Check the Olympus TG-1 iHS versus Sony A550 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-1 iHS and the A550.
Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-1 iHS and A550 is 91 and 63 respectively.
Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Sony A550 Sensor Comparison
More often than not, it is difficult to see the difference between sensor sizes simply by going over technical specs. The picture below will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-1 iHS and A550.
As you can tell, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The TG-1 iHS featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Sony A550 will offer you extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots more aggressively. The fresher TG-1 iHS is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.
Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Sony A550 Screen and ViewFinder
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Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Sony A550 Specifications
| Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS | Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Brand | Olympus | Sony |
| Model type | Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS | Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 |
| Type | Waterproof | Entry-Level DSLR |
| Released | 2012-05-08 | 2009-12-09 |
| Body design | Compact | Compact SLR |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Processor Chip | TruePic VI | Bionz |
| Sensor type | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" | APS-C |
| Sensor measurements | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 23.4 x 15.6mm |
| Sensor surface area | 28.1mm² | 365.0mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 12MP | 14MP |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 and 16:9 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Highest Possible resolution | 3968 x 2976 | 4592 x 3056 |
| Maximum native ISO | 6400 | 12800 |
| Lowest native ISO | 100 | 200 |
| RAW support | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Manual focusing | ||
| Touch focus | ||
| Continuous autofocus | ||
| Single autofocus | ||
| Tracking autofocus | ||
| Autofocus selectice | ||
| Center weighted autofocus | ||
| Autofocus multi area | ||
| Live view autofocus | ||
| Face detection autofocus | ||
| Contract detection autofocus | ||
| Phase detection autofocus | ||
| Total focus points | - | 9 |
| Cross type focus points | - | - |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mount type | fixed lens | Sony/Minolta Alpha |
| Lens zoom range | 25-100mm (4.0x) | - |
| Largest aperture | f/2.0-4.9 | - |
| Total lenses | - | 143 |
| Crop factor | 5.8 | 1.5 |
| Screen | ||
| Range of screen | Fixed Type | Tilting |
| Screen sizing | 3" | 3" |
| Screen resolution | 610k dot | 922k dot |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch display | ||
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder | None | Optical (pentamirror) |
| Viewfinder coverage | - | 95 percent |
| Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.53x |
| Features | ||
| Min shutter speed | 4 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Max shutter speed | 1/2000 seconds | 1/4000 seconds |
| Continuous shutter speed | 3.0 frames per sec | 7.0 frames per sec |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Manual exposure | ||
| Exposure compensation | - | Yes |
| Set white balance | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Inbuilt flash | ||
| Flash distance | - | 12.00 m |
| Flash options | - | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless |
| Hot shoe | ||
| Auto exposure bracketing | ||
| White balance bracketing | ||
| Max flash sync | - | 1/160 seconds |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment | ||
| Average | ||
| Spot | ||
| Partial | ||
| AF area | ||
| Center weighted | ||
| Video features | ||
| Supported video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 | - |
| Maximum video resolution | 1920x1080 | None |
| Video format | H.264 | - |
| Microphone jack | ||
| Headphone jack | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | None | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | BuiltIn | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environment seal | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 230g (0.51 lbs) | 632g (1.39 lbs) |
| Physical dimensions | 112 x 67 x 30mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") | 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO Overall rating | not tested | 66 |
| DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | 21.9 |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | 11.8 |
| DXO Low light rating | not tested | 807 |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | 350 pictures | 480 pictures |
| Battery form | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery ID | LI90B | NP-FM500H |
| Self timer | Yes (2 and 12 sec) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Time lapse recording | ||
| Storage media | - | SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo |
| Storage slots | One | One |
| Cost at release | $399 | $749 |