Olympus TG-5 vs Samsung Galaxy NX

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus TG-5 and Samsung Galaxy NX, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Samsung. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the TG-5 (12MP) and Galaxy NX (20MP) and the TG-5 (1/2.3") and Galaxy NX (APS-C) posses totally different sensor size.

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The TG-5 was revealed 3 years later than the Galaxy NX and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Samsung Galaxy NX being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise summary of how the TG-5 scores against the Galaxy NX when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Tough TG-5 & Samsung Galaxy NX. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-5 Gallery & Samsung Galaxy NX Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-5 enjoys outside measurements of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Samsung Galaxy NX has sizing of 137mm x 101mm x 26mm (5.4" x 4.0" x 1.0") along with a weight of 495 grams (1.09 lbs).

Look at the Olympus TG-5 and Samsung Galaxy NX in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-5 and the Galaxy NX.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the TG-5 and Galaxy NX is 90 and 82 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor measurements purely by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-5 and Galaxy NX.

As you can see, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TG-5 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Samsung Galaxy NX will render extra detail because of its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The more recent TG-5 will have an edge in sensor tech.