Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony RX100 II

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony RX100 II, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SZ-15 (16MP) and the RX100 II (20MP) is relatively similar but the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and RX100 II (1") boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-15 was brought out around the same time to the RX100 II which means that they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple overview of how the SZ-15 scores versus the RX100 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-15 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery & Sony RX100 II Gallery.

When you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-15 comes with exterior measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Sony RX100 II has measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony RX100 II in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the SZ-15 against the RX100 II.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-15 and RX100 II is 88 and 89 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to see the difference between sensor sizing purely by reviewing specs. The graphic here might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-15 and RX100 II.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-15 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony RX100 II will deliver greater detail having its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively.