Olympus TG-3 vs Sony A290
90 Imaging
40 Features
46 Overall
42
66 Imaging
54 Features
47 Overall
51
Olympus TG-3 vs Sony A290 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 6400
- Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 25-100mm (F2.0-4.9) lens
- 247g - 112 x 66 x 31mm
- Introduced March 2014
- Updated by Olympus TG-4
(Full Review)
- 14MP - APS-C Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- No Video
- Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
- 549g - 128 x 97 x 86mm
- Revealed June 2010
- Old Model is Sony A230
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Following is a comprehensive assessment of the Olympus TG-3 and Sony A290, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the TG-3 (16MP) and the A290 (14MP) is pretty similar but the TG-3 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) posses different sensor dimensions.
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD CardsThe TG-3 was released 3 years after the A290 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.
Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise overview of how the TG-3 grades versus the A290 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.
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Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Tough TG-3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-3 Gallery and Sony A290 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Olympus TG-3 over the Sony A290
| TG-3 | A290 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revealed | March 2014 |  | June 2010 | More modern by 47 months |
| Screen size | 3" |  | 2.7" | Bigger screen (+0.3") |
| Screen resolution | 460k |  | 230k | Crisper screen (+230k dot) |
Reasons to pick Sony A290 over the Olympus TG-3
| A290 | TG-3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual focus |  | Very accurate focusing |
Common features in the Olympus TG-3 and Sony A290
| TG-3 | A290 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen type | Fixed |  | Fixed | Fixed screen |
| Selfie screen |  | Neither features selfie screen | ||
| Touch friendly screen |  | Lacking Touch friendly screen |
Olympus TG-3 vs Sony A290 Physical Comparison
For those who are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-3 enjoys exterior measurements of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") with a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs) while the Sony A290 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") and a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).
See the Olympus TG-3 and Sony A290 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view size comparison of the TG-3 and the A290.
Using size and weight, the portability rating of the TG-3 and A290 is 90 and 66 respectively.
Olympus TG-3 vs Sony A290 Sensor Comparison
Usually, it is very tough to picture the difference between sensor sizes purely by going over a spec sheet. The picture below might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-3 and A290.
Clearly, the two cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The TG-3 due to its tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh harder and the Olympus TG-3 will offer extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The newer TG-3 provides an edge in sensor technology.
Olympus TG-3 vs Sony A290 Screen and ViewFinder
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Olympus TG-3 vs Sony A290 Specifications
| Olympus Tough TG-3 | Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Make | Olympus | Sony |
| Model type | Olympus Tough TG-3 | Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 |
| Type | Waterproof | Entry-Level DSLR |
| Introduced | 2014-03-31 | 2010-06-09 |
| Body design | Compact | Compact SLR |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Powered by | TruePic VII | Bionz |
| Sensor type | BSI-CMOS | CCD |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" | APS-C |
| Sensor measurements | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 23.5 x 15.7mm |
| Sensor area | 28.1mm² | 369.0mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 16MP | 14MP |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 3:2 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Full resolution | 4608 x 3456 | 4592 x 3056 |
| Max native ISO | 6400 | 3200 |
| Minimum native ISO | 100 | 100 |
| RAW format | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Focus manually | ||
| Touch to focus | ||
| AF continuous | ||
| AF single | ||
| AF tracking | ||
| Selective AF | ||
| Center weighted AF | ||
| Multi area AF | ||
| AF live view | ||
| Face detect focusing | ||
| Contract detect focusing | ||
| Phase detect focusing | ||
| Total focus points | - | 9 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens support | fixed lens | Sony/Minolta Alpha |
| Lens zoom range | 25-100mm (4.0x) | - |
| Highest aperture | f/2.0-4.9 | - |
| Macro focusing distance | 1cm | - |
| Number of lenses | - | 143 |
| Focal length multiplier | 5.8 | 1.5 |
| Screen | ||
| Display type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
| Display size | 3 inches | 2.7 inches |
| Display resolution | 460 thousand dot | 230 thousand dot |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch capability | ||
| Display tech | TFT-LCD | - |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | None | Optical (pentamirror) |
| Viewfinder coverage | - | 95% |
| Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.55x |
| Features | ||
| Slowest shutter speed | 4 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/2000 seconds | 1/4000 seconds |
| Continuous shooting speed | 5.0fps | 3.0fps |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Expose Manually | ||
| Exposure compensation | Yes | Yes |
| Set WB | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Integrated flash | ||
| Flash distance | - | 10.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| Flash options | Auto, redeye reduction, fill-in, off, LED | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless |
| External flash | ||
| Auto exposure bracketing | ||
| WB bracketing | ||
| Maximum flash sync | - | 1/160 seconds |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment exposure | ||
| Average exposure | ||
| Spot exposure | ||
| Partial exposure | ||
| AF area exposure | ||
| Center weighted exposure | ||
| Video features | ||
| Video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30 fps) | - |
| Max video resolution | 1920x1080 | None |
| Video format | H.264, Motion JPEG | - |
| Microphone input | ||
| Headphone input | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | Built-In | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | BuiltIn | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environmental seal | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 247g (0.54 pounds) | 549g (1.21 pounds) |
| Physical dimensions | 112 x 66 x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") | 128 x 97 x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO All around rating | not tested | 66 |
| DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | 22.6 |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | 11.5 |
| DXO Low light rating | not tested | 615 |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | 330 photographs | 290 photographs |
| Style of battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery ID | LI-92B | NP-FH50 |
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Time lapse shooting | ||
| Type of storage | SD, SDHC, SDXC, Internal Memory | Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo, SD/SDHC |
| Storage slots | 1 | 1 |
| Retail price | $350 | $600 |