Olympus TG-5 vs Sony NEX-3

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus TG-5 vs Sony NEX-3, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the TG-5 (12MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the TG-5 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) provide different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The TG-5 was introduced 7 years later than the NEX-3 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a complete comparison, here is a brief view of how the TG-5 scores vs the NEX-3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Tough TG-5 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus TG-5 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus TG-5 comes with external measurements of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has specifications of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus TG-5 vs Sony NEX-3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the TG-5 against the NEX-3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TG-5 and NEX-3 is 90 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to picture the contrast in sensor measurements merely by checking out specs. The photograph below should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-5 and NEX-3.

All in all, each of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The TG-5 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony NEX-3 will show greater detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more recent TG-5 provides an edge with regard to sensor tech.