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Olympus TG-870

 
Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 6400 (Boost to 12800)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 21-105mm (F3.5-5.7) lens
  • 221g - 113 x 64 x 28mm
  • Launched January 2016
  • Earlier Model is Olympus TG-860
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
91
Imaging
41
Features
46
Overall
43

Olympus TG-870 overview

Olympus TG-870 is Olympus's Ultracompact camera originally launched on January of 2016. It has a 16 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456.

Olympus launched this camera as a way to improve the previous Olympus TG-860 (Read Full Comparison)

The TG-870 places at #5 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras & all round #576 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. Remember to use our Smart camera finder to find camera listings based on your personal criteria.

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Below is a chart of different criteria used in the scoring system.

Olympus TG-870 family

The Olympus TG-870 is part of a family of cameras. You can see the detailed range below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Olympus-Stylus-Tough-TG-870 front thumbnailOlympus TG-87021-105mm
F3.5-5.7
16MP1/2.3"2016
Olympus-Stylus-Tough-TG-860 front thumbnailOlympus TG-860
TG-870 vs TG-860
21-105mm
F3.5-5.7
16MP1/2.3"2015
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Olympus TG-870 Pros and Cons

Below is a shortlist of pros and cons of the Olympus TG-870 based on things that are generally viewed as important in a camera.

built-in flash
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decently wide (21mm)
good resolution (16 megapixels)
good zoom range (21-105mm 5.0 x zoom)
great battery (300 per charge)
has face detect focusing
has HDMI out
has tracking focus
high resolution screen (921 thousand dots)
screen is a good size (3")
tilting screen
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
weather proof
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
does not have headphone support
does not have microphone support
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
focusing manually not possible
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of manual mode
lack of phase detect AF
lack of RAW format
lack of shutter priority mode
max zoom aperture not good (f5.7)
more heavy than competition in class (221g)
no external flash support
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Olympus TG-870 Sensor details

The Olympus TG-870 features the TruePic VII processor chip. The sensor spec on the Olympus TG-870 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels at aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter can lead to cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 16 megapixels and has a native ISO range of 125 to 6400. This ISO can be extended digitally to a high of 12800. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not saved which means that you have less room to maneuver in post.

The picture below displays the TG-870's sensor dimensions compared to other common sizes. The TG-870 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is highlighted in green.

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 sensor size C500 Mark II gets new Cinema RAW Light modes from Canon

To get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Olympus TG-870 dimensions

Olympus TG-870 weighs about 0.49 lb (221 gr / 7.80 oz) & the over all size of the camera is 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1"). The weight of normal Ultracompact camera is 121 gr and the Olympus TG-870 is weightier compared with its rivals.

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Below is a visual of the Olympus TG-870 alongside a soda to help you get a feel for its scale.

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 dimensions scale

The top view directly below will provide the button arrangement on the TG-870.

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 topview buttons dials

Olympus TG-870 Lens specs

The TG-870 has a fixed lens and a focal range of 21-105mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which won't be significant but it could be useful in a few scenarios.

At the widest 21mm, it has an aperture of f3.5 making it kind of slow and not the best for low light events and you will likely struggle to get good bokeh. You will likely also have to up the ISO setting causing noisy photographs. At the tele end, 105mm comes at f5.7 making it very sluggish and you might need to set slow shutter speeds.

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Olympus TG-870 Connectivity

The TG-870 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes
  • GPS Yes

Cameras with NFC and / or Bluetooth compatibility can be used wirelessly through smartphones. You can send photos and usually change camera settings without the hassle of connecting directly to the camera.

Many applications even give a Liveview and click the shutter when you aren't close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it can be attached to an external monitor. Nearly all cameras will allow you to charge the battery through the USB socket.

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Olympus TG-870 Video specs

The maximum video resolution on the Olympus TG-870 is 1920 x 1080 and you can capture in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p resolution delivers a great balance between quality versus file sizes but FULL HD won't give you any room to downsample. The camera doesn't feature a microphone and / or headphone jack which means you get no control over the sound. It is probably best to take a look at a different camera in case you require better sound for your video clips.

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Olympus TG-870 Weather Sealing

Olympus TG-870 has weather sealing making it a fantastic option for use during tough climates. This can be particularly beneficial in case you are unsure about the elements you may face during outdoor photography.

Olympus TG-870 Display and Viewfinder

The Olympus TG-870 has a 3 inch tilting display screen boasting a resolution of 921 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the display screen is not a touch screen.

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 screen and viewfinder Photographer Triumphs in Lawsuit Over Creative Commons Image Rights

The View Finder details for Olympus TG-870 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are very useful during bright outdoor situations which may make the camera display washed out and very difficult to see.

Olympus TG-870 Shutter specs

Olympus TG-870 has the ability to shoot continuously at 7.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/2000s.

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Olympus TG-870 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Olympus TG-870 has only built-in flash lacking external flash ability.

Olympus TG-870 Autofocus specs

Olympus TG-870 has just Contrast Based AF & doesn't have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier & accurate compared with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera has Face detect which can be handy for portraits.

It also has Tracking AF for things that move. Olympus TG-870 does not have manual focusing. Manual focusing option can be useful during low light conditions or you want more accurate depth of field control.

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Olympus TG-870 Battery life

The battery (Li-50B) in the Olympus TG-870 is fashioned to last for 300 shots based on the CIPA standards which is above average for its category. The general Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 has the highest possible (320) battery life within this class of cameras.

Following is a number of Ultracompact cameras which have the strongest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Olympus-Stylus-Tough-TG-870 front thumbnailOlympus TG-870300 nonono
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Olympus TG-870 for different kinds of photography

The following illustration provides a summation of the Olympus TG-870 for different kinds of photography. To read more, have a look at the specific section below.

Olympus TG-870 Portrait photography info

The Olympus TG-870 receives a points total of 36 which is awful, meaning that it is just not good to use for portraits. Shooting portrait images favors heavily to sensor resolution, RAW support in addition to the capability to work with external flash.

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megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
comes with face detection focusing
manual focus not available
lack of manual mode
external flash not possible
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files

Olympus TG-870 as a Street photography camera

With a above average score of 65, the Olympus TG-870 is a very decent option to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

C500 Mark II gets new Cinema RAW Light modes from Canon
screen tilts up and down
image stabilization (Optical)
weather proof
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
heavier than competitors in class (221g)

Olympus TG-870 Sports photography details

A moderate sports photography score of 51 indicates the Olympus TG-870 is reasonably acceptable for taking pictures of sports. A camera should have very good focusing plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (16MP)
includes tracking focus
environment proofing
good battery power (300 CIPA)
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus

Olympus TG-870 Travel photography information

Weight is pretty critical when buying a camera for travel. All round, the Olympus TG-870 gets a above average 69 as a travelling camera which is a respectable choice to buy for your travels.

OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
better than average battery pack (300 shots)
environment sealing
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
flash built-in
really wide (21mm)
more heavy than competitors in class (221g)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)

Olympus TG-870 Landscape photography highlights

In case you're planning to buy a camera for landscape photography, the most critical aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Olympus TG-870 with it's reasonable rating of 50 as a landscape camera is fairly appropriate amongst its competition.

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fairly wide (21mm)
good sized screen (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16MP)
environment proofing
great battery (300 shots)
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.5)
no manual mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files

Olympus TG-870 Vlogging factors

A vlogging camera preferably should offer a articulating display screen, microphone input and ideally IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Olympus TG-870 is just not good as a vlog camera as it gets a awful score of 32.

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fairly wide (21mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
doesn't have mic socket
heavier than competitors in class (221g)

Olympus TG-870 Alternatives

If you are looking for replacements to the TG-870, below is a range of the highest rated cameras which fall in to the class of Ultracompact.

The diagram just below will give you an overview of the TG-870 compared to it's top rated competitors mentioned above.

These are some more cameras you might have a look at as alternate options. To review a thorough comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Olympus
Model type
Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870
Type
Ultracompact
Launched
2016-01-06
Physical type
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Processor
TruePic VII
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW data
Highest native ISO
6400
Highest boosted ISO
12800
Lowest native ISO
125
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
21-105mm (5.0x)
Maximal aperture
f/3.5-5.7
Macro focusing range
1cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Display type
Tilting
Display size
3"
Display resolution
921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
4 secs
Maximum shutter speed
1/2000 secs
Continuous shooting rate
7.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
4.00 m (at ISO 1600)
Flash modes
Auto, redeye reduction, fill flash, off, LED illuminator
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60p), 1280 x 720 (60p), 640 x 480 (60p)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
BuiltIn
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
221 grams (0.49 pounds)
Dimensions
113 x 64 x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1")
Other
Battery life
300 pictures
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery ID
Li-50B
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, custom)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots
1
Price at launch
$280