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Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1

Portability
88
Imaging
40
Features
50
Overall
44
Olympus SZ-15 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 front
Portability
67
Imaging
32
Features
36
Overall
33

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 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
  • Launched June 2013
Sony HX1
(Full Review)
  • 9MP - 1/2.4" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1440 x 1080 video
  • 28-560mm (F2.8-5.2) lens
  • 544g - 115 x 83 x 92mm
  • Launched April 2009
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Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 Overview

Below is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the resolutions of the SZ-15 (16MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") feature different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-15 was manufactured 4 years later than the HX1 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving through a full comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SZ-15 grades against the HX1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-15 over the Sony HX1

 SZ-15 HX1 
LaunchedJune 2013April 2009More recent by 51 months
Display resolution460k230kCrisper display (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony HX1 over the Olympus SZ-15

 HX1 SZ-15 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Common features in the Olympus SZ-15 and Sony HX1

 SZ-15 HX1 
Manually focus Very precise focusing
Display dimension3"3"Identical display dimensions
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen
Touch display Lacking Touch display

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 Physical Comparison

For those who are going to lug around your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 enjoys physical measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") having a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) whilst the Sony HX1 has sizing of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") with a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the SZ-15 against the HX1.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-15 and HX1 is 88 and 67 respectively.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 Sensor Comparison

Oftentimes, it's difficult to picture the difference between sensor measurements only by going over specifications. The graphic below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-15 and HX1.

To sum up, both of those cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SZ-15 because of its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Olympus SZ-15 will offer you greater detail due to its extra 7MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The more recent SZ-15 provides a benefit in sensor technology.

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Portrait photography highlights
Sony HX1 Portrait photography highlights
44
manual focus
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
includes face detection focusing
can't use external flash
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
27
has manual focus
external flash not possible
low megapixels (9MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.4")
doesn't have RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 as a Street photography camera
Sony HX1 as a Street photography camera
60
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average (250g)
fixed screen
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
50
screen tilts up and down
image stabilization (Optical)
sensor is very small (1/2.4")
doesn't have RAW support
more heavy than competitors (544 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus SZ-15
Sports photography with Sony HX1
53
incredible zoom range (23-483mm 21.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
includes tracking autofocus
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect AF
36
great zoom range (28-560mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
low megapixels (9MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.4")
doesn't have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Travel photography features
Sony HX1 Travel photography features
68
lighter than average (250g)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
reasonably wide (23mm)
long reach (483mm)
no Timelapse recording
screen is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
48
flash built-in
really wide (28mm)
great reach (560mm)
missing Timelapse recording
more heavy than competitors (544 grams)
low megapixels (9MP)
screen is not selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus SZ-15
Landscape photography with Sony HX1
49
manual focus
reasonably wide (23mm)
pretty good screen size (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16MP)
can't swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
no Timelapse recording
39
has manual focus
really wide (28mm)
decent sized screen (3 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f2.8)
low megapixels (9MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.4")
doesn't have RAW support
missing Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-15 Vlogging advice
Sony HX1 Vlogging advice
34
reasonably wide (23mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than average (250g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
screen is not selfie friendly
no external microphone port
22
really wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
slow max aperture (f2.8)
screen is not selfie friendly
video resolution low (1440 x 1080 resolution)
missing microphone support
more heavy than competitors (544g)
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Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony HX1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-15 and Sony HX1
 Olympus SZ-15Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
General Information
Company Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus SZ-15 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2013-06-21 2009-04-22
Physical type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Processor - Bionz
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.4"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.104 x 4.578mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 27.9mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 9MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4608 x 3456 3456 x 2592
Max native ISO 3200 3200
Min native ISO 100 125
RAW files
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points - 9
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 23-483mm (21.0x) 28-560mm (20.0x)
Max aperture f/2.8-5.9 f/2.8-5.2
Macro focusing range 5cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.9
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Tilting
Screen sizing 3 inch 3 inch
Screen resolution 460 thousand dots 230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen tech LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic
Features
Lowest shutter speed 8 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 10.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 3.50 m 9.20 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Front Curtain, Rear Curtain
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
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) 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1440x1080
Video file format AVI MPEG4, Motion JPEG H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS BuiltIn None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 250g (0.55 lb) 544g (1.20 lb)
Dimensions 108 x 70 x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") 115 x 83 x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6")
DXO scores
DXO All around 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 NP-FH50
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Double) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, Internal
Card slots Single Single
Price at launch $200 $47,999