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Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V

Portability
95
Imaging
36
Features
34
Overall
35
Olympus VH-515 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V front
Portability
62
Imaging
45
Features
60
Overall
51

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V Key Specs

Olympus VH-515
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 26-130mm (F2.8-6.5) lens
  • 152g - 102 x 60 x 21mm
  • Launched August 2012
Sony HX400V
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-1200mm (F2.8-6.3) lens
  • 660g - 130 x 93 x 103mm
  • Revealed February 2014
  • Older Model is Sony HX300
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Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V Overview

Here is a in depth comparison of the Olympus VH-515 versus Sony HX400V, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a large difference between the sensor resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and HX400V (20MP) but they possess the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The VH-515 was introduced 18 months before the HX400V which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX400V being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the VH-515 scores versus the HX400V in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus VH-515 over the Sony HX400V

 VH-515 HX400V 
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Sony HX400V over the Olympus VH-515

 HX400V VH-515 
RevealedFebruary 2014August 2012Fresher by 18 months
Manually focus More precise focus
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution921k460kClearer screen (+461k dot)

Common features in the Olympus VH-515 and Sony HX400V

 VH-515 HX400V 
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen size
Selfie screen Neither provides selfie screen

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V Physical Comparison

If you're going to carry your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus VH-515 provides exterior dimensions of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") and a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) and the Sony HX400V has measurements of 130mm x 93mm x 103mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.1") accompanied by a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Check out the Olympus VH-515 versus Sony HX400V in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you select at that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the VH-515 and the HX400V.

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the VH-515 and HX400V is 95 and 62 respectively.

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V top view buttons comparison

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V Sensor Comparison

Oftentimes, it is tough to see the contrast between sensor sizing purely by reading through technical specs. The photograph underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the VH-515 and HX400V.

As you can tell, the two cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You can count on the Sony HX400V to give you more detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older VH-515 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V sensor size comparison

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus VH-515
Portrait photography with Sony HX400V
27
includes face detect autofocus
lack of manual focus
manual mode not available
external flash not possible
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
51
you can focus manually
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
includes face detect focus
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus VH-515 as a Street photography camera
Sony HX400V as a Street photography camera
62
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
comes with touch to focus
screen does not articulate
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
50
has a tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Optical)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
heavier than competition in class (660g)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus VH-515 Sports photography details
Sony HX400V Sports photography details
32
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes tracking focus
low fps (2.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect autofocus
55
amazing zoom range (24-1200mm 50.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
includes tracking focus
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus VH-515 Travel photography highlights
Sony HX400V Travel photography highlights
62
comes with touch to focus
has built in flash
fairly wide (26mm)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
MP count low (12MP)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.8)
53
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
built-in flash
really wide (24mm)
great reach (1200mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
heavier than competition in class (660g)
screen is not selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus VH-515
Landscape photography with Sony HX400V
37
fairly wide (26mm)
nice screen size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.8)
manual mode not available
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
doesn't have Timelapse recording
49
you can focus manually
really wide (24mm)
nice screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (20MP)
can't switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus VH-515 Vlogging highlights
Sony HX400V Vlogging highlights
35
fairly wide (26mm)
touchscreen functionality
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes face detect autofocus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.8)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
doesn't have microphone socket
29
really wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detect focus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
comes with mic port
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
screen is not selfie friendly
heavier than competition in class (660 grams)
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Olympus VH-515 vs Sony HX400V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus VH-515 and Sony HX400V
 Olympus VH-515Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus VH-515 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
Category Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2012-08-21 2014-02-12
Body design Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Processor TruePic III+ Bionz X
Sensor type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 20 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 5184 x 3888
Highest native ISO 1600 12800
Min native ISO 100 80
RAW images
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 26-130mm (5.0x) 24-1200mm (50.0x)
Largest aperture f/2.8-6.5 f/2.8-6.3
Macro focusing range 5cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.8
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Tilting
Screen size 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 460 thousand dot 921 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen technology TFT Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Features
Lowest shutter speed 4 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed 2.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 4.70 m 8.50 m (ISO Auto)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Flash Off / Autoflash / Fill-flash / Slow Sync. / Advanced Flash / Rear Sync. / Wireless (with optional compliant flash)
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30,15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 180 (30,15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 152 grams (0.34 lbs) 660 grams (1.46 lbs)
Dimensions 102 x 60 x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") 130 x 93 x 103mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 300 images
Type of battery - Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-50B NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, portrait)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots Single Single
Cost at launch $648 $448