Olympus TG-6 vs Sony A9 II
The Olympus Tough TG-6 and the Sony Alpha A9 II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2019 and October 2019. The TG-6 is a fixed lens compact, while the A9 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (TG-6) and a full frame (A9 II) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12 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.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Tough TG-6 and the Sony Alpha A9 II? 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
The physical size and weight of the Olympus TG-6 and the Sony A9 II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The TG-6 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the A9 II 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 Sony A9 II is considerably larger (66 percent) than the Olympus TG-6. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments. More than that, the TG-6 is water-proof up to 15m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the TG-6 has a lens built in, whereas the A9 II is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the A9 II and their specifications in the Sony FE Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the TG-6 gets 340 shots out of its Olympus LI-92B battery, while the A9 II can take 690 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus TG-6 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 32 mm | 253 g | 340 | Y | May 2019 | 449 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A9 II | 129 mm | 96 mm | 76 mm | 678 g | 690 | Y | Oct 2019 | 4,499 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon SX740 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 40 mm | 299 g | 265 | n | Jul 2018 | 399 | amazon.com | |
4. | Nikon W300 | 112 mm | 66 mm | 29 mm | 231 g | 280 | Y | May 2017 | 389 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus TG-5 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 32 mm | 250 g | 340 | Y | May 2017 | 449 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus TG-4 | 112 mm | 66 mm | 31 mm | 247 g | 380 | Y | Apr 2015 | 379 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PM1 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 265 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus XZ-1 | 111 mm | 65 mm | 42 mm | 275 g | 320 | n | Jan 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | OM System TG-7 | 114 mm | 66 mm | 33 mm | 249 g | 330 | Y | Sep 2023 | 549 | amazon.com | |
10. | Panasonic TS7 | 117 mm | 76 mm | 37 mm | 319 g | 300 | Y | May 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
11. | Ricoh WG-6 | 118 mm | 66 mm | 33 mm | 246 g | 340 | Y | Feb 2019 | 399 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A7S III | 127 mm | 97 mm | 81 mm | 699 g | 600 | Y | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A7C | 124 mm | 71 mm | 60 mm | 509 g | 740 | Y | Sep 2020 | 1,799 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 129 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 665 g | 670 | Y | Jul 2019 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony HX99 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 242 g | 370 | n | Aug 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A9 | 127 mm | 96 mm | 63 mm | 673 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2017 | 4,499 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The TG-6 was launched at a lower price than the A9 II, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.
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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus TG-6 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony A9 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 II is 2925 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-6 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A9 II offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 24MP, the A9 II offers a higher resolution than the TG-6 (12MP), but the A9 II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 1.53μm for the TG-6) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A9 II is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the TG-6, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A9 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A9 II 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-6 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.
The A9 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Olympus Tough TG-6 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 II are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.
In terms of underlying technology, the TG-6 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A9 II uses a Stacked BSI-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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus TG-6 | 1/2.3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1127 | 52 | |
2. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 | |
3. | Canon SX740 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1050 | 51 | |
4. | Nikon W300 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.5 | 12.0 | 938 | 50 | |
5. | Olympus TG-5 | 1/2.3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 4K/30p | 20.5 | 11.9 | 934 | 50 | |
6. | Olympus TG-4 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 737 | 47 | |
7. | Olympus E-PM1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 21.0 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
8. | Olympus XZ-1 | 1/1.7 | 10.1 | 3664 | 2752 | 720/30p | 18.8 | 10.4 | 117 | 34 | |
9. | OM System TG-7 | 1/2.3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 4K/30p | 20.9 | 12.7 | 1553 | 54 | |
10. | Panasonic TS7 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1028 | 51 | |
11. | Ricoh WG-6 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1104 | 52 | |
12. | Sony A7S III | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/120p | 23.7 | 13.9 | 2520 | 86 | |
13. | Sony A7C | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3407 | 95 | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.8 | 3344 | 99 | |
15. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
16. | Sony HX99 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1058 | 51 | |
17. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A9 II has an electronic viewfinder (3686k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the TG-6 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus TG-6 and Sony A9 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | 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-6 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 20.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Sony A9 II | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon SX740 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/3200s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Nikon W300 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Olympus TG-5 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 20.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Olympus TG-4 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-PM1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
8. | Olympus XZ-1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 2.0/s | Y | Y | |
9. | OM System TG-7 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 20.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Panasonic TS7 | 1170 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/1300s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Ricoh WG-6 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 1.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Sony A7S III | 9440 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Sony A7C | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 922 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 5760 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony HX99 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A9 | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The TG-6 has one, while the A9 II does not. While the built-in flash of the TG-6 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A9 II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
The Olympus TG-6 and the Sony A9 II both have 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.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the TG-6 and the A9 II write their files to SDXC cards. The A9 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the TG-6 only has one slot. The A9 II supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the TG-6 can use UHS-I 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-6 and Sony Alpha A9 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus TG-6 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
2. | Sony A9 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon SX740 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
4. | Nikon W300 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
5. | Olympus TG-5 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
6. | Olympus TG-4 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
7. | Olympus E-PM1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus XZ-1 | Y | mono / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | OM System TG-7 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Panasonic TS7 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
11. | Ricoh WG-6 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Sony A7S III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
13. | Sony A7C | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony HX99 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y |
It is notable that the A9 II has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The TG-6 does not feature such a mic input.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 II (unlike the TG-6) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the TG-6 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.
The A9 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the TG-6 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the TG-6 was succeeded by the OM System TG-7. Further information on the features and operation of the TG-6 and A9 II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus TG-6 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 II Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus TG-6 better than the Sony A9 II or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Reasons to prefer the Olympus Tough TG-6:
- Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the A9 II requires a separate lens.
- More compact: Is smaller (113x66mm vs 129x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the A9 II).
- Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 15m).
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2019).
Advantages of the Sony Alpha A9 II:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 44%.
- 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 live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 1040k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (690 versus 340) out of a single battery charge.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
- More modern: Was introduced somewhat (4 months) more recently.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 II is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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-6 and the Sony A9 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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-6 or the A9 II. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus TG-6 | 4/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 76/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | May 2019 | 449 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A9 II | .. | .. | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2019 | 4,499 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon SX740 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jul 2018 | 399 | amazon.com | |
4. | Nikon W300 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | May 2017 | 389 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus TG-5 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | May 2017 | 449 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus TG-4 | .. | + | .. | 79/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Apr 2015 | 379 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PM1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus XZ-1 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | OM System TG-7 | 4/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2023 | 549 | amazon.com | |
10. | Panasonic TS7 | .. | + | .. | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | May 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
11. | Ricoh WG-6 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Feb 2019 | 399 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A7S III | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A7C | 3.5/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | 86/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2020 | 1,799 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2019 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony HX99 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A9 | 5/5 | + + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2017 | 4,499 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 800D vs Sony A9 II
- Canon M5 vs Olympus TG-6
- Fujifilm X-E3 vs Sony A9 II
- Fujifilm X-T30 II vs Olympus TG-6
- Fujifilm X30 vs Olympus TG-6
- Olympus TG-6 vs Olympus XZ-2
- Olympus TG-6 vs Pentax 645Z
- Olympus TG-6 vs Sigma fp L
- Panasonic FZ1000 II vs Sony A9 II
- Panasonic TZ90 vs Sony A9 II
- Pentax K-70 vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A7C vs Sony A9 II
Specifications: Olympus TG-6 vs Sony A9 II
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Olympus TG-6 | Sony A9 II |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | 25-100mm f/2.0-4.9 | Sony E mount lenses |
Launch Date | May 2019 | October 2019 |
Launch Price | USD 449 | USD 4,499 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus TG-6 | Sony A9 II |
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | Stacked BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 35.6 x 23.8 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 847.28 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 42.8 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 12 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4000 x 3000 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.53 μm | 5.94 μm |
Pixel Density | 42.74 MP/cm2 | 2.83 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 12,800 ISO | 100 - 51,200 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 50 - 204,800 ISO |
Image Processor | TruePic VIII | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 93 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 25.0 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 14.0 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 3434 |
Screen Specs | Olympus TG-6 | Sony A9 II |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 1040k dots | 1440k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus TG-6 | Sony A9 II |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/2000s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 20 shutter flaps/s | 20 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/32000s |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Dual card slots |
UHS card support | UHS-I | Dual UHS-II |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus TG-6 | Sony A9 II |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.1 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Geotagging | GPS built-in | no internal GPS |
Body Specs | Olympus TG-6 | Sony A9 II |
Environmental Sealing | Waterproof body (15m) | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Olympus LI-92B | Sony NP-FZ100 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 340 shots per charge | 690 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
113 x 66 x 32 mm (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.3 in) |
129 x 96 x 76 mm (5.1 x 3.8 x 3.0 in) |
Camera Weight | 253 g (8.9 oz) | 678 g (23.9 oz) |
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