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Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30

Portability
90
Imaging
40
Features
46
Overall
42
Olympus Tough TG-3 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30 front
Portability
91
Imaging
45
Features
37
Overall
41

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 Key Specs

Olympus TG-3
(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
  • Renewed by Olympus TG-4
Sony QX30
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • " Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.5-6.3) lens
  • 193g - 68 x 65 x 58mm
  • Released September 2014
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Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 Overview

Let's look more closely at the Olympus TG-3 versus Sony QX30, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Lens-style by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the TG-3 (16MP) and the QX30 (20MP) is relatively comparable and both cameras posses the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The TG-3 was unveiled 5 months before the QX30 and they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX30 being a Lens-style camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the TG-3 matches up against the QX30 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus TG-3 over the Sony QX30

 TG-3 QX30 
Screen size3""Bigger screen (+3")
Screen resolution460k0kClearer screen (+460k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony QX30 over the Olympus TG-3

 QX30 TG-3 
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Common features in the Olympus TG-3 and Sony QX30

 TG-3 QX30 
ReleasedMarch 2014September 2014Same age
Focus manually No manual focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 Physical Comparison

When you are intending to carry your camera, you will have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-3 has outside measurements of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") having a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs) while the Sony QX30 has proportions of 68mm x 65mm x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3") having a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-3 versus Sony QX30 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the TG-3 and the QX30.

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the TG-3 and QX30 is 90 and 91 respectively.

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 top view buttons comparison

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, it's tough to visualize the gap in sensor sizing purely by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-3 and QX30.

Clearly, both of these cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit different resolution. You can count on the Sony QX30 to show more detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively.

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 sensor size comparison

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus TG-3 Portrait photography details
Sony QX30 Portrait photography details
37
MP count decent (16MP)
features face detection focus
manual focus not available
cannot use external flash
very small sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
38
resolution is good (20 megapixels)
offers face detect autofocus
no manual focus
no manual control
external flash not possible
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus TG-3 Street photography info
Sony QX30 Street photography info
59
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
weather sealing
fixed screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
heavier than average in class (247g)
62
has image stabilization (Optical)
provides touch focus
no articulating screen
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
Photography Glossary

Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus TG-3
Sports photography with Sony QX30
47
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
features tracking autofocus
weather sealing
great battery (330 CIPA)
low fps (5.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority
very small sensor (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus
47
long zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (20MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
not so great battery pack (200 shots)
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus TG-3
Travel photography with Sony QX30
74
great battery (330 per charge)
weather sealing
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
really wide (25mm)
great maximum aperture (f2.0)
heavier than average in class (247 grams)
screen isn't selfie friendly
65
provides touch focus
resolution is good (20MP)
quite wide (24mm)
long reach (720mm)
no Time Lapse function
not so great battery pack (200 shots)
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus TG-3
Landscape photography with Sony QX30
56
really wide (25mm)
great maximum aperture (f2.0)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
weather sealing
great battery (330 per charge)
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
39
quite wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (20 megapixels)
no manual focus
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
small screen (")
no manual control
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
not so great battery pack (200 shots)
no Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus TG-3 Vlogging advice
Sony QX30 Vlogging advice
34
really wide (25mm)
great maximum aperture (f2.0)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
features face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
screen isn't selfie friendly
no external mic support
heavier than average in class (247g)
35
quite wide (24mm)
built-in touchscreen
has image stabilization (Optical)
offers face detect autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
display is not selfie friendly
no mic port
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Olympus TG-3 vs Sony QX30 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus TG-3 and Sony QX30
 Olympus Tough TG-3Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30
General Information
Company Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus Tough TG-3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30
Class Waterproof Lens-style
Introduced 2014-03-31 2014-09-03
Body design Compact Lens-style
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic VII Bionz X
Sensor type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 4608 x 3456 5184 x 3888
Max native ISO 6400 3200
Minimum native ISO 100 80
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 25-100mm (4.0x) 24-720mm (30.0x)
Max aperture f/2.0-4.9 f/3.5-6.3
Macro focusing distance 1cm -
Focal length multiplier 5.8 5.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3" -
Resolution of display 460 thousand dot 0 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Display technology TFT-LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Min shutter speed 4 seconds 4 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 5.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance - no built-in flash
Flash options Auto, redeye reduction, fill-in, off, LED None
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Built-In
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 247 gr (0.54 lb) 193 gr (0.43 lb)
Physical dimensions 112 x 66 x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") 68 x 65 x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 330 images 200 images
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-92B NP-BN,
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom) Yes (2, 10 secs)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media SD, SDHC, SDXC, Internal Memory microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, Memory Stick Micro
Storage slots One One
Retail cost $350 $348