Olympus TG-3 vs Sony A100

In this write-up, we will be comparing the Olympus TG-3 and Sony A100, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the TG-3 (16MP) and A100 (10MP) and the TG-3 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) use different sensor sizing.

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The TG-3 was announced 7 years after the A100 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus TG-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a simple overview of how the TG-3 matches up vs the A100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Tough TG-3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The whole galleries are available at Olympus TG-3 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-3 has external dimensions of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs) while the Sony A100 has measurements of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Look at the Olympus TG-3 and Sony A100 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the TG-3 and the A100.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the TG-3 and A100 is 90 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions only by looking at specifications. The picture underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-3 and A100.

To sum up, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The TG-3 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus TG-3 will give extra detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs far more aggressively. The younger TG-3 provides a benefit with regard to sensor tech.