Olympus TG-3 vs Samsung SL820

In this article, we will be contrasting the Olympus TG-3 and Samsung SL820, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Samsung. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the TG-3 (16MP) and SL820 (12MP) but they come with the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The TG-3 was manufactured 5 years later than the SL820 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a simple overview of how the TG-3 matches up against the SL820 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Tough TG-3 & Samsung SL820. The entire galleries are available at Olympus TG-3 Gallery & Samsung SL820 Gallery.

In case you're intending to lug around your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-3 offers outside measurements of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs) whilst the Samsung SL820 has measurements of 95mm x 59mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 168 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check out the Olympus TG-3 and Samsung SL820 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the TG-3 compared to the SL820.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-3 and SL820 is 90 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The visual underneath might give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-3 and SL820.

As you can see, each of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same resolution. You can expect the Olympus TG-3 to produce more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The younger TG-3 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.