Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX1

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus VH-515 and Sony HX1, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the VH-515 (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

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The VH-515 was announced 3 years later than the HX1 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go through a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple summary of how the VH-515 grades against the HX1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VH-515 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus VH-515 Gallery and Sony HX1 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera, you should factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus VH-515 provides exterior 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) whilst the Sony HX1 has dimensions of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VH-515 and Sony HX1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the VH-515 compared to the HX1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VH-515 and HX1 is 95 and 67 respectively.

More often than not, it's hard to envision the gap in sensor measurements only by going through technical specs. The graphic underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the VH-515 and HX1.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The VH-515 with its larger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus VH-515 will show extra detail with its extra 3MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos far more aggressively. The fresher VH-515 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.