Olympus TG-5 vs Sony A6500

Here is a thorough review of the Olympus TG-5 versus Sony A6500, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the TG-5 (12MP) and A6500 (24MP) and the TG-5 (1/2.3") and A6500 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The TG-5 was announced 8 months later than the A6500 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus TG-5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A6500 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the TG-5 matches up versus the A6500 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Tough TG-5 & Sony Alpha a6500. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus TG-5 Gallery & Sony A6500 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus TG-5 comes with outside dimensions of 113mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") along with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) whilst the Sony A6500 has dimensions of 120mm x 67mm x 53mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 453 grams (1.00 lbs).

Look at the Olympus TG-5 versus Sony A6500 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the TG-5 against the A6500.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the TG-5 and A6500 is 90 and 81 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizing just by looking through specs. The graphic underneath may provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the TG-5 and A6500.

All in all, the 2 cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The TG-5 having a smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh trickier and the Sony A6500 will result in more detail with its extra 12MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The newer TG-5 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.