Olympus VH-515 vs Panasonic ZS45

Lets look closer at the Olympus VH-515 and Panasonic ZS45, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference between the image resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and ZS45 (16MP) but they come with the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The VH-515 was launched 3 years before the ZS45 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the VH-515 grades against the ZS45 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VH-515 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus VH-515 Gallery & Panasonic ZS45 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus VH-515 features external dimensions of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS45 has measurements of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VH-515 and Panasonic ZS45 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are using at that time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the VH-515 compared to the ZS45.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the VH-515 and ZS45 is 95 and 91 respectively.

Often, its hard to see the difference between sensor sizing only by reading technical specs. The photograph below might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the VH-515 and ZS45.

As you can tell, each of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Panasonic ZS45 to offer you greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older VH-515 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.