Olympus TG-2 iHS vs Sony A57

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus TG-2 iHS versus Sony A57, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the TG-2 iHS (12MP) and A57 (16MP) and the TG-2 iHS (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The TG-2 iHS was released 10 months later than the A57 so they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick view of how the TG-2 iHS matches up vs the A57 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS and Sony SLT-A57. The complete galleries are available at Olympus TG-2 iHS Gallery and Sony A57 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-2 iHS provides physical measurements of 111mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.1") having a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) and the Sony A57 has measurements of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") with a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Examine the Olympus TG-2 iHS versus Sony A57 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilising at the time. The following is a front view size comparison of the TG-2 iHS vs the A57.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-2 iHS and A57 is 91 and 64 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reading specs. The visual underneath will provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-2 iHS and A57.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The TG-2 iHS because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Sony A57 will offer greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The newer TG-2 iHS is going to have a benefit in sensor technology.