Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A550

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus TG-5 versus Sony A550, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the TG-5 (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the TG-5 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The TG-5 was introduced 7 years after the A550 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a in depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the TG-5 scores versus the A550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Tough TG-5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are available at Olympus TG-5 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus TG-5 enjoys exterior 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 A550 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus TG-5 versus Sony A550 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 are using at the time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the TG-5 vs the A550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the TG-5 and A550 is 90 and 63 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizes merely by checking out a spec sheet. The picture below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-5 and A550.

Clearly, each of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The TG-5 with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony A550 will show greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The newer TG-5 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.