Olympus TG-4 vs Sony RX1R

The Olympus Tough TG-4 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2015 and June 2013. Both the TG-4 and the RX1R are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (TG-4) and a full frame (RX1R) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Olympus TG-4		Sony RX1R
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
25-100mm f/2.0-4.9		35mm f/2.0
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		no shake reduction
Waterproof body (15m)		not weather sealed
380 shots per battery charge		270 shots per battery charge
112 x 66 x 31 mm, 247 g		113 x 65 x 70 mm, 482 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Tough TG-4 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus TG-4 and the Sony RX1R is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TG-4 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the RX1R is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus TG-4 and the Sony RX1R are of equal size. However, the RX1R is substantially heavier (95 percent) than the TG-4. It is worth mentioning in this context that the TG-4 is splash and dust resistant, while the RX1R does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the TG-4 is water-proof up to 15m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the TG-4 gets 380 shots out of its Olympus LI-92B battery, while the RX1R can take 270 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus TG-4	112 mm	66 mm	31 mm	247 g	380	Y	Apr 2015	379	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm XP140	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	207 g	240	Y	Feb 2019	229	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XP130	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	207 g	240	Y	Jan 2018	229	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm XP120	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	203 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	229	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Typ 113	133 mm	73 mm	78 mm	486 g	350	n	Sep 2014	2,295	ebay.com
8.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
9.		Olympus TG-6	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	253 g	340	Y	May 2019	449	ebay.com
10.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	449	ebay.com
11.		OM System TG-7	114 mm	66 mm	33 mm	249 g	330	Y	Sep 2023	549	amazon.com
12.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The TG-4 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 86 percent) than the RX1R, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus TG-4 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony RX1R a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the RX1R is 2957 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.0. The sensor in the TG-4 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the RX1R offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 24MP, the RX1R offers a higher resolution than the TG-4 (15.9MP), but the RX1R nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.97μm versus 1.33μm for the TG-4) due to its larger sensor. However, the TG-4 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the RX1R, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the RX1R has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony RX1R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the RX1R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus TG-4 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus Tough TG-4 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the TG-4 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the RX1R uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus TG-4	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	737	47
2.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
3.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
4.		Fujifilm XP140	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/15p	20.7	12.2	1102	52
5.		Fujifilm XP130	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.1	1000	51
6.		Fujifilm XP120	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	900	49
7.		Leica X Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1491	78
8.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
9.		Olympus TG-6	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1127	52
10.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
11.		OM System TG-7	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.9	12.7	1553	54
12.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
13.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
14.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
15.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
16.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
17.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RX1R provides a faster frame rate than the TG-4. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The TG-4 and the RX1R are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the RX1R can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-EV1MK. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus TG-4 and Sony RX1R in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Olympus TG-4	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm XP140	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm XP130	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Fujifilm XP120	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Leica X Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus TG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
11.		OM System TG-7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
16.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Olympus TG-4 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The TG-4 is equipped with a zoom lens, while the RX1R comes with a built-in prime. The TG-4 has a 25-100mm f/2.0-4.9 optic and the RX1R offers a 35mm f/2.0 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Olympus provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Sony. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The TG-4 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX1R uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The TG-4 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the RX1R cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus Tough TG-4 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus TG-4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Fujifilm XP140	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm XP130	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm XP120	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Leica X Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Olympus TG-6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		OM System TG-7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the TG-4 offers wifi support, while the RX1R does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the TG-4 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the TG-4 and the RX1R have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX1R was replaced by the Sony RX1R II, while the TG-4 was followed by the Olympus TG-5. Further information on the features and operation of the TG-4 and RX1R can be found, respectively, in the Olympus TG-4 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX1R Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus TG-4 better than the Sony RX1R or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Olympus Tough TG-4:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 235g or 49 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (380 versus 270) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 15m).
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (86 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 9 months after the RX1R).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the match-up finishes in a tie (13 points each). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus TG-4 and the Sony RX1R place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the TG-4 or the RX1R. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus TG-4	..	+	..	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2015	379	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm XP140	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	229	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XP130	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Jan 2018	229	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm XP120	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Jan 2017	229	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2014	2,295	ebay.com
8.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
9.		Olympus TG-6	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	76/100	4/5	4/5	May 2019	449	ebay.com
10.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	449	ebay.com
11.		OM System TG-7	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2023	549	amazon.com
12.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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