Olympus TG-870 Review

Name: Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870
Brand: Olympus

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Main Features

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

FHD at 60fps and HD at 60fps Video Recording

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

221g. 113 x 64 x 28 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Replaced Olympus TG-860

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Olympus TG-870 Overview

Launched in January 2016 , Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 is a 16.0MP Ultracompact camera with a 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization, weather-sealed body, Tilting screen and 5.0x zoom 21-105 mm F3.5-5.7 lens. Olympus replaced the older TG-860 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 vs Olympus TG-860

Olympus TG-870 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Olympus TG-870 is the latest member of Olympus's TG-8X0 series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Olympus TG-8X0 Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Dimensions	Weight
Olympus TG-870	2016	16.0MP - 1/2.3'	113 x 64 x 28mm	221g
Olympus TG-860 Compare	2015	16.0MP - 1/2.3'	110 x 64 x 28mm	224g
Olympus TG-850 iHS Compare	2014	16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	110 x 64 x 28mm	218g
Olympus TG-830 iHS Compare	2013	16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	109 x 67 x 28mm	214g
Olympus TG-820 iHS Compare	2012	12.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	101 x 65 x 26mm	206g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side-by-side:
Olympus TG-870 vs TG-860 vs TG-850 iHS vs TG-830 iHS vs TG-820 iHS

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Olympus TG-870 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Olympus TG-870 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Water Proof down to 15m

Shock Proof up to 2.1m

Crush Proof up to 100kgf

Freeze Proof down to -10C

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

Full HD Video

Built-in GPS

Face Detection Focusing

921k dots LCD Resolution

7.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

221g Light Body

Environmental Sealing

37MB Internal Storage

Timelapse Recording

21mm Wide Angle Lens

Remote control with a smartphone

Report a correction

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CONs

No External Flash Shoe

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

No Manual Focusing

No Manual Exposure

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.50

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70

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Olympus TG-870 Physical Specs

Olympus TG-870 weighs 221 g (0.49 lb / 7.80 oz) and has external dimensions of 113 x 64 x 28 mm (4.45 x 2.52 x 1.1″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 28mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Olympus TG-870

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Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Olympus TG-870

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Here is the front and top view image of Olympus TG-870 with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Olympus TG-870 Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Olympus TG-870, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Olympus TG-870 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Now let's compare Olympus TG-870 size with the camera that it replaced: Olympus TG-860.

Comparison image of Olympus TG-870 and Olympus TG-860 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Olympus TG-870 with its main competitors:

Olympus TG-870 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs TG-870	Thickness	vs TG-870
Olympus TG-6 Compare	253g	32g heavier	32mm	4mm thicker
Olympus TG-860 Compare	224g	3g heavier	28mm	equal thickness
Olympus TG-4 Compare	247g	26g heavier	31mm	3mm thicker
Olympus TG-5 Compare	250g	29g heavier	32mm	4mm thicker
Olympus TG-850 iHS Compare	218g	3g lighter	28mm	equal thickness
Nikon W300 Compare	231g	10g heavier	29mm	1mm thicker
Olympus TG-3 Compare	247g	26g heavier	31mm	3mm thicker
Olympus TG-830 iHS Compare	214g	7g lighter	28mm	equal thickness

Weather Sealing

Olympus TG-870 has environmental sealings (waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof)

Olympus TG-870 Lens

Olympus TG-870 features a 21-105 mm F3.5-5.7 5× zoom lens. This camera offers exceptional wide angle capacity thanks to 21mm focal length on the wide end, while 105mm on the tele end means that the medium telephoto angle is also well covered, only lacking the reach for wildlife and sports.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

TG-870

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

TG-870

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f3.50 at 21mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f5.70.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

TG-870

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

TG-870

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

TG-870 is equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds.

Olympus TG-870 Sensor and Photography Features

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. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. TG-870 has a native ISO range of 125 - 6400 which can be boosted to 12800 but unfortunately, Olympus TG-870 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 (Lumix DMC-LX15) or Nikon Coolpix P7800 in the same price range.

Olympus TG-870 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Canon SX740 HS with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Olympus TG-870 vs Canon SX740 HS or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Olympus TG-870's 1/2.3' sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Olympus TG-870 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Olympus TG-870 LCD

Olympus TG-870 has a Tilting 3.00-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 921k dots. Tilting screens are more photography oriented while Fully articulated screens are highly preferred by videographers. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

Unfortunately Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

TG-870 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Canon PowerShot G5 X (Compare) or Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

Olympus TG-870 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Thanks to the built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity feature, Olympus TG-870 lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our TG-870. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect TG-870 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Olympus TG-870 Battery

Olympus TG-870 is powered by Li-50B battery which provides a battery life of 300 shots according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 256 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Ultracompact Cameras

Olympus TG-870

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Average

Max

Nikon L32 with its 320shots is the model with longest battery life among Ultracompact cameras. Check the comparison of Olympus TG-870 vs Nikon L32 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Olympus TG-870 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Olympus TG-6 Compare	3840 x 2160	340shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus TG-860 Compare	1920 x 1080	300shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus TG-4 Compare	1920 x 1080	380shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus TG-5 Compare	3840 x 2160	340shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus TG-850 iHS Compare	1920 x 1080	330shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon W300 Compare	3840 x 2160	280shots	Yes	Yes	No
Olympus TG-3 Compare	1920 x 1080	330shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus TG-830 iHS Compare	1920 x 1080	300shots	No	No	No

Olympus TG-870 Video Features

With Olympus TG-870, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60p fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Olympus TG-870 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

Microphones, Speaker and Headphone Connections

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. On the other hand, Olympus TG-870 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Olympus XZ-2 iHS in a similar price range.

Olympus TG-870 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Olympus TG-870 can shoot continuously at max speed of 7.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately TG-870 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing

Olympus TG-870 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

Olympus TG-870 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Olympus TG-870 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Olympus TG-870 in 5 different photography areas.

Olympus TG-870 for Portrait Photography

Olympus TG-870 has a score of 22 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theTG-870.

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 of how we scored Olympus TG-870 for Portrait Photography

Olympus TG-870 for Street Photography

Olympus TG-870 has a score of 58 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Image Stabilization
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Small Body
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Olympus TG-870 for Street Photography

Olympus TG-870 for Sports Photography

Olympus TG-870 has a score of 22 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theTG-870.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Wireless Connection
Image Stabilization
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Focus Points
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

No Manual Exposure Mode
No Manual Focus Mode
No Built-in Viewfinder
No External Flash Shoe
105 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Olympus TG-870 for Sports Photography

Olympus TG-870 for Daily Photography

Olympus TG-870 has a score of 62 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

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 of how we scored Olympus TG-870 for Daily Photography

Olympus TG-870 for Landscape Photography

Olympus TG-870 has a score of 22 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theTG-870.

Built-in GPS
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP

No Manual Exposure Mode
No Manual Focus Mode
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Olympus TG-870 for Landscape Photography

Olympus TG-870 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Olympus TG-870 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Olympus TG-870 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Olympus TG-870

Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Olympus TG-870 amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Olympus TG-870 Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Olympus TG-870 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Olympus TG-870's price range.

Olympus TG-870 Conclusion and Scores

Currently, Olympus TG-870 has an Overall Score of 49/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 is ranked #76 out of 631 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #556 out of 1268 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#556 out of 1268 in Top Ranking Cameras
#76 out of 631 in Top Ranking Compact Cameras
#3 out of 152 in Top Ranking Ultracompact Cameras
#111 out of 740 in Top Ranking Small Sensor Sensor Cameras
#413 out of 536 in Lightest Compact Cameras with Small Sensor sensor(221g)
#169 out of 195 in Top Ranking Cameras with Tilting Screen
Geek Score: 0

Olympus TG-870

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Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Frequently Asked Questions about Olympus TG-870

Does the Olympus TG-870 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Olympus TG-870 have RAW support?
Does the Olympus TG-870 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Olympus TG-870 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Olympus TG-870?
What is the Sensor Size of Olympus TG-870?
is the Olympus TG-870 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Olympus TG-870 have Touch Screen?
Does the Olympus TG-870 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Olympus TG-870?
What is the Weight of Olympus TG-870?
What are the Dimensions of Olympus TG-870?

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Olympus
Model	Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870
Announced	2016-01-06
Body Type	Ultracompact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	21-105 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.7
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Tilting
Screen Size	3.00"
Screen Resolution	921k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	4s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/2000s
Max Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m (at ISO 1600)
Flash Modes	Auto, redeye reduction, fill flash, off, LED illuminator
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	BSI-CMOS
Sensor Size	1/2.3'
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	16 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4608 x 3456
Max Native ISO	6,400
Max Boosted ISO	12800
Min Native ISO	125
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
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (60p), 1280 x 720 (60p), 640 x 480 (60p)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	221g
Physical Dimensions	113 x 64 x 28mm
Battery Life	300 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	Li-50B
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, custom)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage Slots	1