Olympus TG-5 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus TG-5 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill, one is a Waterproof and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Sigma. The resolution of the TG-5 (12MP) and the DP2 Merrill (15MP) is pretty comparable but the TG-5 (1/2.3") and DP2 Merrill (APS-C) use different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The TG-5 was brought out 5 years after the DP2 Merrill which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the TG-5 grades against the DP2 Merrill when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Tough TG-5 and Sigma DP2 Merrill. The entire galleries are available at Olympus TG-5 Gallery and Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-5 enjoys external dimensions of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Sigma DP2 Merrill has proportions of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") and a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Examine the Olympus TG-5 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the TG-5 versus the DP2 Merrill.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the TG-5 and DP2 Merrill is 90 and 83 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor dimensions just by seeing specifications. The picture here should offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-5 and DP2 Merrill.

To sum up, the two cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The TG-5 because of its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sigma DP2 Merrill will produce more detail having its extra 3MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more recent TG-5 provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.