Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Sony A9

Its time to look a little more closely at the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Sony A9, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference between the image resolutions of the TG-2 iHS (12MP) and A9 (24MP) and the TG-2 iHS (1/2.3") and A9 (Full frame) offer totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The TG-2 iHS was unveiled 4 years prior to the A9 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a in depth comparison, here is a quick summary of how the TG-2 iHS scores vs the A9 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS & Sony Alpha A9. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-2 iHS Gallery & Sony A9 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-2 iHS offers exterior measurements of 111mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.1") and a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) and the Sony A9 has sizing of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") and a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).

Compare the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Sony A9 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using at that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the TG-2 iHS against the A9.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the TG-2 iHS and A9 is 91 and 65 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to envision the contrast between sensor measurements purely by going over a spec sheet. The visual below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-2 iHS and A9.

As you can see, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TG-2 iHS with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony A9 will offer you extra detail having an extra 12MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older TG-2 iHS is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.