Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5

Its time to examine more closely at the Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Samsung. The resolution of the TG-2 iHS (12MP) and the NX5 (15MP) is fairly well matched but the TG-2 iHS (1/2.3") and NX5 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizing.

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The TG-2 iHS was released 3 years after the NX5 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the TG-2 iHS scores against the NX5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS and Samsung NX5. The complete galleries are available at Olympus TG-2 iHS Gallery and Samsung NX5 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to travel with your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-2 iHS offers external measurements of 111mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.1") with a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX5 has dimensions of 123mm x 87mm x 40mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 1.6") having a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the TG-2 iHS vs the NX5.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the TG-2 iHS and NX5 is 91 and 80 respectively.

Often, its tough to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions just by checking specs. The image below might provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-2 iHS and NX5.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The TG-2 iHS featuring a tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh harder and the Samsung NX5 will give greater detail as a result of its extra 3MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more recent TG-2 iHS is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.