Olympus TG-5 vs Ricoh GR Digital III

In this article, we are comparing the Olympus TG-5 and Ricoh GR Digital III, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Ricoh. The sensor resolution of the TG-5 (12MP) and the GR Digital III (10MP) is fairly comparable but the TG-5 (1/2.3") and GR Digital III (1/1.7") feature different sensor sizes.

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The TG-5 was revealed 7 years after the GR Digital III which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a quick view of how the TG-5 scores against the GR Digital III with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Tough TG-5 and Ricoh GR Digital III. The full galleries are provided at Olympus TG-5 Gallery and Ricoh GR Digital III Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-5 has got outer dimensions of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") along with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) whilst the Ricoh GR Digital III has proportions of 109mm x 59mm x 26mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") and a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus TG-5 and Ricoh GR Digital III in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you select at that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the TG-5 against the GR Digital III.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the TG-5 and GR Digital III is 90 and 92 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through technical specs. The picture below will provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-5 and GR Digital III.

As you have seen, the two cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The TG-5 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Olympus TG-5 will produce greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics far more aggressively. The newer TG-5 should have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.