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Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870 Comparison

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Sony T900

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Sony T900
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Olympus TG-870

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Olympus TG-870
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Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing T900 and TG-870, two Ultracompact cameras from Sony and Olympus. Sony T900 was introduced to market in February 2009 and Olympus TG-870 was launched in January 2016. As you can see, T900 is 7 years older than TG-870. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony T900 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-02-17
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 35-140 mm F3.5-10.0 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.50" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 143g. 98 x 58 x 16 mm

Olympus TG-870 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-01-06
  • 16MP - 1/2.3' BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 6400 ( expands to 12800)
  • 21-105 mm F3.5-5.7 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 221g. 113 x 64 x 28 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 over Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
LCD Screen Size
3.5" vs 3" 0.5 inches larger display
Weight
143 g vs 221 g 78 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele
140mm vs 105mm 35 mm longer tele reach
Sensor Pixel Area
2.34µm2 vs 1.76µm2 32% larger pixel area
CHECK T900 PRICE


Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 2.0fps 5 fps faster
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide
21mm vs 35mm 14 mm wider coverage
Optical Zoom
5× vs 4× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele
5.70 vs 10.00 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
4.0m vs 2.9m 1.1m longer range
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
CHECK TG-870 PRICE

Common Strengths of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 and Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 921k dots High resolution screens
Common Weaknesses of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 and Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder
None vs None No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
Manual Exposure
No vs No No manual exposure control
Max Aperture - Tele
10.00 vs 5.70 Slow lenses at tele
Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony T900 has external dimensions of 98 x 58 x 16 mm (3.86 x 2.28 x 0.63″) and weighs 143 g (0.32 lb / 5.04 oz) (including batteries). Olympus TG-870 has external dimensions of 113 x 64 x 28 mm (4.45 x 2.52 x 1.1″) and weighs 221 g (0.49 lb / 7.80 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870. Sony T900 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 15mm narrower, 6mm shorter and 12mm thinner than Olympus TG-870.

Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870.

Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony T900 is significantly lighter (78g ) than the Olympus TG-870 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

T900
TG-870
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

T900
TG-870
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony T900's 3.50" LCD screen is slightly larger than Olympus TG-870's 3" screen.

Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870: Sensor Comparison

Sony T900 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Olympus TG-870 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features TruePic VII processor.

Below you can see the T900 and TG-870 sensor size comparison.

Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 Cameras


Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Sony T900 has 32% larger pixel area compared to Olympus TG-870, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870 Lens Specs Comparison

Sony T900 features a 35-140 mm F3.5-10.0 4× zoom lens whereas Olympus TG-870 features a 21-105 mm F3.5-5.7 5× zoom lens.

Olympus TG-870 has 14mm wider coverage than the Sony T900. Both cameras has a max aperture of f3.50 at the wide end. On the tele end, Sony T900 has 35mm longer reach than the Olympus TG-870. However, with a max aperture of f5.70, Olympus TG-870 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

T900
TG-870
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

T900
TG-870
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

T900
TG-870
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

T900
TG-870
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony T900 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-870 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony T900 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-870 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Sony T900 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-870 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
140 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1000s
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f10.00
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Focus Points
105 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Sony T900 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus TG-870 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
143g
Body Thickness 16mm
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Compact Body
221g
Environmental Sealings
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Sony T900 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus TG-870 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Sony T900 vs Olympus TG-870: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony T900 and Olympus TG-870 scores compare:

Sony T900
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #33 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #896 out of 1243 in all Cameras
Olympus TG-870
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #539 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Olympus TG-870 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony T900 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Sony T900. Otherwise, Olympus TG-870 is the better camera overall.

Sony T900
Sony T900
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Olympus TG-870
Olympus TG-870
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Olympus TG-870 vs Sony T900 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870
Brand Sony Olympus
Announced 2009-02-17 2016-01-06
Body Type Ultracompact Ultracompact
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3'
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 12800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 125 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 35-140 mm (4×) 21-105 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F3.5-10.0 F3.5-5.7
Macro Focus Range n/a 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3.50" 3.00"
Resolution 922k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/1000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 2.90 m (Auto ISO) 4.00 m (at ISO 1600)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps 7.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 143g 221g
Dimensions 98 x 58 x 16mm 113 x 64 x 28mm
Battery Life n/a 300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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