Olympus VH-515 vs Samsung PL170

In this write-up, we will be analyzing the Olympus VH-515 vs Samsung PL170, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Samsung. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and PL170 (16MP) but they come with the same exact sensor measurements (1/2.3").

President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

The VH-515 was introduced 20 months after the PL170 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Samsung PL170 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the VH-515 grades vs the PL170 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VH-515 and Samsung PL170. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus VH-515 Gallery and Samsung PL170 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus VH-515 provides exterior measurements of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") with a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) whilst the Samsung PL170 has measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs).

Check the Olympus VH-515 vs Samsung PL170 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the VH-515 vs the PL170.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VH-515 and PL170 is 95 and 99 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizes simply by going over a spec sheet. The picture below might give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the VH-515 and PL170.

As you can see, the two cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Samsung PL170 to deliver more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The more modern VH-515 will have a benefit in sensor technology.