Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus SZ-15

Here is a extended overview of the Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus SZ-15, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are manufactured by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the SZ-15 (16MP) is fairly close but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and SZ-15 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was released 5 months later than the SZ-15 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-M1 scores versus the SZ-15 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Olympus SZ-15. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Olympus SZ-15 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 features external dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-15 has dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") and a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus SZ-15 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the E-M1 compared to the SZ-15.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and SZ-15 is 71 and 88 respectively.

Usually, it is tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing purely by researching specs. The graphic underneath should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M1 and SZ-15.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature the identical MP but not the same sensor sizing. The E-M1 offers the larger sensor which is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult.