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Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500

Portability
90
Imaging
38
Features
51
Overall
43
Olympus Tough TG-5 front
 
Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 front
Portability
63
Imaging
52
Features
52
Overall
52

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 Key Specs

Olympus TG-5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Increase to 12800)
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 25-100mm (F2.0-4.9) lens
  • 250g - 113 x 66 x 32mm
  • Released May 2017
  • Earlier Model is Olympus TG-4
  • New Model is Olympus TG-6
Sony A500
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 630g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Released August 2009
  • Successor is Sony A560
Photography Glossary

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 Overview

Here is a extensive assessment of the Olympus TG-5 and Sony A500, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the TG-5 (12MP) and the A500 (12MP) is fairly similar but the TG-5 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The TG-5 was introduced 7 years later than the A500 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the TG-5 matches up versus the A500 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus TG-5 over the Sony A500

 TG-5 A500 
ReleasedMay 2017August 2009Fresher by 94 months
Display resolution460k230kClearer display (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony A500 over the Olympus TG-5

 A500 TG-5 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Common features in the Olympus TG-5 and Sony A500

 TG-5 A500 
Manually focus Very precise focus
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display sizing
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch display Neither contains Touch display

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 Physical Comparison

In case you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-5 has got 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) and the Sony A500 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Look at the Olympus TG-5 and Sony A500 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the TG-5 vs the A500.

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the TG-5 and A500 is 90 and 63 respectively.

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 top view buttons comparison

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, its tough to imagine the difference between sensor sizing merely by going over technical specs. The visual here might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the TG-5 and A500.

As you have seen, each of the cameras enjoy the same exact MP but different sensor sizing. The TG-5 includes the tinier sensor which is going to make getting shallower DOF trickier. The newer TG-5 should have an edge in sensor tech.

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 sensor size comparison

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus TG-5
Portrait photography with Sony A500
39
manual focus
offers face detection focusing
delivers RAW formats
manual exposure not possible
no external flash support
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
small sensor (1/2.3")
63
focusing manually
nice sensor size (APS-C)
provides face detect autofocus
exports RAW formats
low MP (12 megapixels)
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Street Comparison

Olympus TG-5 as a Street photography camera
Sony A500 as a Street photography camera
64
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
delivers RAW formats
weather proofing
screen is fixed
small sensor (1/2.3")
more heavy than average (250 grams)
74
screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
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Sports Comparison

Olympus TG-5 Sports photography info
Sony A500 Sports photography info
46
max frames per second high (20.0 fps)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers tracking autofocus
weather proofing
better than average battery life (340 shots)
no shutter priority mode
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
small sensor (1/2.3")
no phase detect AF
51
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
supports phase detect autofocus
slow continuous shooting (5.0 frames per second)
low MP (12 megapixels)
bad battery power (520 per charge)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus TG-5 Travel photography details
Sony A500 Travel photography details
68
better than average battery life (340 shots)
weather proofing
built-in flash
rather wide (25mm)
great max aperture (f2.0)
more heavy than average (250 grams)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
screen is not selfie friendly
43
flash built-in
no Timelapse function
bad battery power (520 CIPA)
low MP (12 megapixels)
doesn't feature selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus TG-5 Landscape photography features
Sony A500 Landscape photography features
57
manual focus
rather wide (25mm)
great max aperture (f2.0)
screen size is good (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
delivers RAW formats
weather proofing
better than average battery life (340 CIPA)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
manual exposure not possible
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
small sensor (1/2.3")
60
focusing manually
switch lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
screen is a good size (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
low MP (12MP)
bad battery power (520 CIPA)
no Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus TG-5 as a Vlogging camera
Sony A500 as a Vlogging camera
34
rather wide (25mm)
great max aperture (f2.0)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers face detection focusing
video res high (3840 x 2160 pxls)
screen is not selfie friendly
no external microphone support
more heavy than average (250 grams)
9
lack of video recording
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Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus TG-5 and Sony A500
 Olympus Tough TG-5Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus Tough TG-5 Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
Type Waterproof Entry-Level DSLR
Released 2017-05-17 2009-08-27
Body design Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Processor TruePic VIII Bionz
Sensor type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4000 x 3000 4272 x 2848
Max native ISO 12800 12800
Max boosted ISO 12800 -
Min native ISO 100 200
RAW files
Min boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points 25 9
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens zoom range 25-100mm (4.0x) -
Max aperture f/2.0-4.9 -
Macro focusing range 1cm -
Available lenses - 143
Crop factor 5.8 1.5
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display sizing 3 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 460k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage - 95 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.53x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 4 secs 30 secs
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting speed 20.0 frames/s 5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance - 12.00 m
Flash options Auto, redeye reduction, slow sync, redeye slow sync, fill, manual, off Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync - 1/160 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM -
Max video resolution 3840x2160 None
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264 -
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS Built-in None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 250 gr (0.55 lbs) 630 gr (1.39 lbs)
Dimensions 113 x 66 x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 64
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 21.8
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 11.6
DXO Low light rating not tested 772
Other
Battery life 340 shots 520 shots
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-92B NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I compatible) SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Price at launch $449 $638