Olympus VH-515 vs Panasonic GH2

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus VH-515 versus Panasonic GH2, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and GH2 (16MP) and the VH-515 (1/2.3") and GH2 (Four Thirds) boast totally different sensor sizes.

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The VH-515 was unveiled 18 months later than the GH2 making them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH2 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a complete comparison, here is a simple view of how the VH-515 grades versus the GH2 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VH-515 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus VH-515 Gallery and Panasonic GH2 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus VH-515 offers outer dimensions of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") along with a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) while the Panasonic GH2 has sizing of 124mm x 90mm x 76mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 3.0") along with a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VH-515 versus Panasonic GH2 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the VH-515 compared to the GH2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the VH-515 and GH2 is 95 and 70 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements only by looking through specifications. The visual below will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the VH-515 and GH2.

Plainly, each of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The VH-515 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Panasonic GH2 will render greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The younger VH-515 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.