Olympus TG-5 vs Sony NEX-5T

Below, we will be contrasting the Olympus TG-5 and Sony NEX-5T, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the TG-5 (12MP) and NEX-5T (16MP) and the TG-5 (1/2.3") and NEX-5T (APS-C) enjoy different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The TG-5 was announced 3 years later than the NEX-5T and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5T being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise summation of how the TG-5 matches up vs the NEX-5T in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Tough TG-5 & Sony Alpha NEX-5T. The whole galleries are available at Olympus TG-5 Gallery & Sony NEX-5T Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus TG-5 provides physical measurements of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5T has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

See the Olympus TG-5 and Sony NEX-5T in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilising at that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the TG-5 against the NEX-5T.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TG-5 and NEX-5T is 90 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements only by going through technical specs. The graphic underneath may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-5 and NEX-5T.

As you can tell, both of those cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TG-5 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony NEX-5T will provide greater detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots much more aggressively. The younger TG-5 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.