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Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515

Portability
88
Imaging
40
Features
50
Overall
44
Olympus SZ-15 front
 
Olympus VH-515 front
Portability
95
Imaging
36
Features
34
Overall
35

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-15
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 23-483mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
  • 250g - 108 x 70 x 40mm
  • Introduced June 2013
Olympus VH-515
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 26-130mm (F2.8-6.5) lens
  • 152g - 102 x 60 x 21mm
  • Launched August 2012
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Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 Overview

Let's look more closely at the Olympus SZ-15 and Olympus VH-515, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are built by Olympus. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the SZ-15 (16MP) and VH-515 (12MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SZ-15 was introduced 11 months later than the VH-515 so they are both of a similar age. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before delving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple overview of how the SZ-15 scores against the VH-515 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-15 over the Olympus VH-515

 SZ-15 VH-515 
LaunchedJune 2013August 2012Fresher by 11 months
Focus manually Dial exact focus

Reasons to pick Olympus VH-515 over the Olympus SZ-15

 VH-515 SZ-15 
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus SZ-15 and Olympus VH-515

 SZ-15 VH-515 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display size3"3"Same display measurement
Display resolution460k460kExact same display resolution
Selfie screen Neither provides selfie screen

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera regularly, you will have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 provides physical dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Olympus VH-515 has sizing of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") with a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-15 and Olympus VH-515 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the SZ-15 and the VH-515.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-15 and VH-515 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizing merely by looking through specs. The graphic below should provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-15 and VH-515.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras come with the identical sensor size but different resolution. You can anticipate the Olympus SZ-15 to render more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The fresher SZ-15 should have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Portrait photography features
Olympus VH-515 Portrait photography features
44
has manual focus
megapixel count decent (16MP)
supports face detection focus
external flash not possible
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
27
supports face detect focus
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not available
can't use external flash
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Street photography information
Olympus VH-515 Street photography information
60
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors in class (250g)
screen does not articulate
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
62
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
boasts focus via touch
no articulating screen
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus SZ-15
Sports photography with Olympus VH-515
53
amazing zoom range (23-483mm 21.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
supports tracking autofocus
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus
32
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports tracking focus
continuous shooting slow (2.0 frames/s)
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor resolution low (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Travel photography details
Olympus VH-515 Travel photography details
68
lighter than competitors in class (250 grams)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
rather wide (23mm)
great reach (483mm)
no Timelapse function
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
62
boasts focus via touch
built-in flash
really wide (26mm)
missing Timelapse function
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 as a Landscape photography camera
Olympus VH-515 as a Landscape photography camera
49
has manual focus
rather wide (23mm)
decent sized screen (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
no Timelapse function
37
really wide (26mm)
pretty good screen size (3")
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
manual mode not available
sensor resolution low (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
missing Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 as a Vlogging camera
Olympus VH-515 as a Vlogging camera
34
rather wide (23mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detection focus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competitors in class (250 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
no external microphone port
35
really wide (26mm)
touchscreen capability
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports face detect focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
missing microphone support
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Olympus SZ-15 vs Olympus VH-515 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-15 and Olympus VH-515
 Olympus SZ-15Olympus VH-515
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Olympus
Model type Olympus SZ-15 Olympus VH-515
Type Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2013-06-21 2012-08-21
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - TruePic III+
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 4608 x 3456 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 3200 1600
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 23-483mm (21.0x) 26-130mm (5.0x)
Maximum aperture f/2.8-5.9 f/2.8-6.5
Macro focusing range 5cm 5cm
Focal length multiplier 5.8 5.8
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen sizing 3 inches 3 inches
Resolution of screen 460k dots 460k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen tech LCD TFT Color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Minimum shutter speed 8 secs 4 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shutter rate 10.0 frames per sec 2.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 3.50 m 4.70 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 480fps (176 x 128), 240fps (384 x 288) 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30,15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 180 (30,15 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format AVI MPEG4, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS BuiltIn None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 250 grams (0.55 pounds) 152 grams (0.34 pounds)
Physical dimensions 108 x 70 x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") 102 x 60 x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery ID SLB-10A LI-50B
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Double) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots 1 1
Cost at release $200 $648