Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Sony NEX-7

Here, we are looking at the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Sony NEX-7, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the image resolutions of the TG-2 iHS (12MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the TG-2 iHS (1/2.3") and NEX-7 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The TG-2 iHS was revealed 19 months later than the NEX-7 making them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a in depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the TG-2 iHS grades against the NEX-7 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS & Sony Alpha NEX-7. The full galleries are available at Olympus TG-2 iHS Gallery & Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus TG-2 iHS has 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 Sony NEX-7 has specifications of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-2 iHS and Sony NEX-7 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at the time. Following is a front view size comparison of the TG-2 iHS compared to the NEX-7.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the TG-2 iHS and NEX-7 is 91 and 84 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very difficult to envision the contrast in sensor measurements purely by looking through technical specs. The photograph here should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-2 iHS and NEX-7.

As you can tell, each of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TG-2 iHS using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Sony NEX-7 will render greater detail because of its extra 12MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more modern TG-2 iHS will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.