Olympus VH-515 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus VH-515 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sigma. The image resolution of the VH-515 (12MP) and the DP2 Merrill (15MP) is fairly well matched but the VH-515 (1/2.3") and DP2 Merrill (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The VH-515 was revealed 7 months after the DP2 Merrill and they are of a similar age. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the VH-515 grades vs the DP2 Merrill with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VH-515 & Sigma DP2 Merrill. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus VH-515 Gallery & Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus VH-515 comes with outer measurements 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 Sigma DP2 Merrill has specifications of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

See the Olympus VH-515 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the VH-515 versus the DP2 Merrill.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VH-515 and DP2 Merrill is 95 and 83 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to envision the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading through technical specs. The pic here may give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the VH-515 and DP2 Merrill.

As you have seen, each of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The VH-515 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Sigma DP2 Merrill will give greater detail because of its extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The younger VH-515 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.