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Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1

Portability
88
Imaging
40
Features
50
Overall
44
Olympus SZ-15 front
 
Sony Alpha QX1 front
Portability
90
Imaging
63
Features
48
Overall
57

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-15
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 23-483mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
  • 250g - 108 x 70 x 40mm
  • Announced June 2013
Sony QX1
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - APS-C Sensor
  • " Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 16000
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 216g - 74 x 70 x 53mm
  • Released September 2014
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Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 Overview

Let's look a little more in depth at the Olympus SZ-15 and Sony QX1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Lens-style by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SZ-15 (16MP) and the QX1 (20MP) is fairly close but the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and QX1 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-15 was brought out 14 months earlier than the QX1 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX1 being a Lens-style camera.

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the SZ-15 scores against the QX1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-15 over the Sony QX1

 SZ-15 QX1 
Display size3""Larger display (+3")
Display resolution460k0kSharper display (+460k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony QX1 over the Olympus SZ-15

 QX1 SZ-15 
ReleasedSeptember 2014June 2013More recent by 14 months
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus SZ-15 and Sony QX1

 SZ-15 QX1 
Manually focus Very precise focusing
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Neither offers selfie screen

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 Physical Comparison

When you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you should factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 offers external 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 Sony QX1 has sizing of 74mm x 70mm x 53mm (2.9" x 2.8" x 2.1") having a weight of 216 grams (0.48 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-15 and Sony QX1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ-15 and the QX1.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-15 and QX1 is 88 and 90 respectively.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it's hard to see the contrast in sensor measurements merely by viewing specs. The photograph here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-15 and QX1.

As you can plainly see, both cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SZ-15 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony QX1 will result in more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older SZ-15 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Photography Glossary

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Portrait photography features
Sony QX1 Portrait photography features
44
has manual focus
decent MP (16MP)
has face detect focus
can't use external flash
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
66
has manual focus
megapixel count good (20MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
comes with face detect focus
exports RAW files
lack of manual mode
can't use external flash
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Street photography information
Sony QX1 Street photography information
60
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors in class (250 grams)
screen does not articulate
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
69
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW files
offers touch focus
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
more heavy than competition in class (216 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus SZ-15
Sports photography with Sony QX1
53
long zoom range (23-483mm 21.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
has tracking focus
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus
56
megapixel count good (20MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
great battery power (440 shots)
continuous shooting slow (4.0 frames per second)
does not have image stabilization
no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Travel photography info
Sony QX1 Travel photography info
68
lighter than competitors in class (250g)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
rather wide (23mm)
great zoom (483mm)
missing Timelapse function
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
71
great battery power (440 CIPA)
offers touch focus
megapixel count good (20MP)
flash built-in
does not have Timelapse mode
more heavy than competition in class (216g)
display isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony QX1 as a Landscape photography camera
49
has manual focus
rather wide (23mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
cannot switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
missing Timelapse function
64
has manual focus
switch lenses (Sony E mount)
megapixel count good (20 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW files
great battery power (440 shots)
tiny screen ( inch)
lack of manual mode
does not have image stabilization
does not have Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Vlogging info
Sony QX1 Vlogging info
34
rather wide (23mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
has face detect focus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competitors in class (250 grams)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
missing microphone support
32
touchscreen
comes with face detect focus
good video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
does not have microphone socket
more heavy than competition in class (216g)
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Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony QX1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-15 and Sony QX1
 Olympus SZ-15Sony Alpha QX1
General Information
Make Olympus Sony
Model Olympus SZ-15 Sony Alpha QX1
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Lens-style
Announced 2013-06-21 2014-09-03
Physical type Compact Lens-style
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - Bionz X
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.2 x 15.4mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 357.3mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 3:2
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 5456 x 3632
Highest native ISO 3200 16000
Minimum native ISO 100 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points - 25
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Sony E
Lens focal range 23-483mm (21.0x) -
Maximal aperture f/2.8-5.9 -
Macro focus range 5cm -
Focal length multiplier 5.8 1.6
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 3" -
Display resolution 460k dots 0k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Display tech LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 8s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting rate 10.0fps 4.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 3.50 m 4.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync Off, auto, fill, slow sync, rear sync
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported 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 (30p)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format AVI MPEG4, Motion JPEG MPEG-4
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS BuiltIn None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 250 gr (0.55 lb) 216 gr (0.48 lb)
Physical dimensions 108 x 70 x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") 74 x 70 x 53mm (2.9" x 2.8" x 2.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 440 images
Battery type - Battery Pack
Battery model SLB-10A NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Double) Yes (2, 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, Memory Stick Micro
Card slots 1 1
Price at launch $200 $500