Olympus TG-1 iHS vs Sony NEX-3N

Its time to examine more closely at the Olympus TG-1 iHS versus Sony NEX-3N, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the TG-1 iHS (12MP) and NEX-3N (16MP) and the TG-1 iHS (1/2.3") and NEX-3N (APS-C) use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The TG-1 iHS was brought out 9 months earlier than the NEX-3N so they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-1 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a full comparison, below is a simple overview of how the TG-1 iHS grades vs the NEX-3N in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS and Sony Alpha NEX-3N. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-1 iHS Gallery and Sony NEX-3N Gallery.

For those who are going to carry your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-1 iHS offers physical dimensions of 112mm x 67mm x 30mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") and a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3N has sizing of 110mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.4") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus TG-1 iHS versus Sony NEX-3N in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the TG-1 iHS compared to the NEX-3N.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the TG-1 iHS and NEX-3N is 91 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizing simply by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph here might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-1 iHS and NEX-3N.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The TG-1 iHS featuring a tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Sony NEX-3N will resolve more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The older TG-1 iHS is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.