Olympus SZ-15 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill

Below is a in-depth comparison of the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sigma. The resolution of the SZ-15 (16MP) and the DP1 Merrill (15MP) is fairly similar but the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and DP1 Merrill (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-15 was released 17 months later than the DP1 Merrill making them a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP1 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a short view of how the SZ-15 scores vs the DP1 Merrill in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-15 & Sigma DP1 Merrill. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery & Sigma DP1 Merrill Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 enjoys outside dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Sigma DP1 Merrill has sizing of 122mm x 67mm x 64mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.5") with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you use at that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the SZ-15 compared to the DP1 Merrill.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-15 and DP1 Merrill is 88 and 82 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to envision the difference between sensor measurements only by going over technical specs. The visual below will give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-15 and DP1 Merrill.

As you can tell, both of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-15 due to its tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Olympus SZ-15 will offer you greater detail as a result of its extra 1MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos more aggressively. The more modern SZ-15 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.