Olympus VH-515 vs Pentax Q7

In this write-up, we are evaluating the Olympus VH-515 versus Pentax Q7, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the VH-515 (12MP) and the Q7 (12MP) is fairly similar but the VH-515 (1/2.3") and Q7 (1/1.7") come with different sensor sizing.

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The VH-515 was manufactured 11 months earlier than the Q7 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting through a in depth comparison, below is a brief view of how the VH-515 matches up vs the Q7 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VH-515 and Pentax Q7. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus VH-515 Gallery and Pentax Q7 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus VH-515 has outer measurements of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") having a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) while the Pentax Q7 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

See the Olympus VH-515 versus Pentax Q7 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the VH-515 and the Q7.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the VH-515 and Q7 is 95 and 92 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to imagine the difference between sensor sizing merely by reading a spec sheet. The photograph below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the VH-515 and Q7.

As you can see, the 2 cameras enjoy the same exact resolution but different sensor sizing. The VH-515 features the tinier sensor which will make obtaining shallow depth of field harder. The older VH-515 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.