Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Sony A380

The following is a in depth comparison of the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Sony A380, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the TG-2 iHS (12MP) and the A380 (14MP) is fairly close but the TG-2 iHS (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The TG-2 iHS was revealed 3 years after the A380 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the TG-2 iHS scores versus the A380 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The full galleries are provided at Olympus TG-2 iHS Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera often, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-2 iHS offers physical dimensions of 111mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.1") having a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) while the Sony A380 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Compare the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Sony A380 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-2 iHS against the A380.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the TG-2 iHS and A380 is 91 and 68 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions purely by researching specs. The picture underneath may offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-2 iHS and A380.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The TG-2 iHS using its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A380 will result in extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images more aggressively. The more modern TG-2 iHS will have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.