Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A380

Below is a in depth assessment of the Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A380, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the TG-5 (12MP) and the A380 (14MP) is relatively close but the TG-5 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor size.

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The TG-5 was unveiled 7 years later than the A380 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summary of how the TG-5 scores vs the A380 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Tough TG-5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The full galleries are available at Olympus TG-5 Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-5 has external dimensions 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 Sony A380 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Compare the Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A380 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the TG-5 against the A380.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the TG-5 and A380 is 90 and 68 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements merely by viewing a spec sheet. The visual underneath will provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-5 and A380.

Clearly, both the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TG-5 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony A380 will render greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The fresher TG-5 will have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.