Olympus VH-515 vs Sony RX100 II: An In-Depth Compact Camera Comparison for the Discerning Photographer

In an era saturated with compact digital cameras, the choice between models can feel overwhelming, particularly when the equipment spans different sensor sizes, feature sets, and intended use cases. Here, we juxtapose the Olympus VH-515, a small sensor compact announced in 2012, against the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II, a large sensor compact from mid-2013, aiming to provide a meticulous, hands-on informed analysis rooted in years of testing experience.

Both target enthusiasts and professionals seeking portability without sacrificing core photographic capabilities, yet their underlying architectures diverge fundamentally, influencing image quality, versatility, handling, and overall performance. This article dissects their specifications and real-world usability across major photography disciplines - with the goal of empowering your purchasing decision through comprehensive technical and practical evaluation.

Physical Design and Handling: Ergonomics Matter in a Compact

A camera’s physical interface significantly impacts user experience. The VH-515 and RX100 II share a similar footprint dimensionally but differ markedly in thickness and ergonomics. The Olympus measures approximately 102 × 60 × 21 mm and weighs 152 g, making it exceptionally pocketable and lightweight. Conversely, Sony's RX100 II is bulkier at 102 × 58 × 38 mm and heavier, tipping the scales at 281 g. The increased heft of the RX100 II translates directly to a more robust feel and generally better one-handed grip stability, thanks to a subtly sculpted body and textured grip surfaces.

Top plate layout further accentuates operational differences.

The RX100 II incorporates traditional photographic controls including manual exposure dials, a dedicated mode dial, and a customizable function button, facilitating quicker adjustments. The VH-515, on the other hand, opts for a highly simplified interface with minimal physical controls - geared more towards point-and-shoot casual use than tactile professional operation. Notably, Olympus forgoes manual control modes entirely, omitting shutter and aperture priority, which restricts nuanced exposure manipulation.

Practical Implication: For users prioritizing quick, precise manual adjustments and a controllable interface, the RX100 II’s design is decidedly more mature. However, if ultimate pocketability and simplicity govern priorities, the VH-515’s diminutive form is advantageous.

Sensor Technology: The Defining Factor in Image Quality

An examination of sensor size and technology is indispensable for understanding the cameras’ core imaging capabilities. The VH-515 employs a 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm with approximately 12 MP resolution. Comparatively, Sony’s RX100 II houses a significantly larger 1" CMOS sensor of 13.2 x 8.8 mm size and provides a much higher resolution of 20 MP.

Sensor size correlates strongly with factors such as dynamic range, noise performance, depth of field control, and high ISO usability. Sony’s sensor area is approximately 4.14 times larger than that of Olympus, yielding a marked advantage in native image quality - higher sensitivity, enhanced color depth, and broader tonal gradation.

Although the VH-515 does incorporate an anti-aliasing filter and back-illuminated sensor design, the small sensor imposes inherent limitations on achieving shallow depth of field or low noise performance at elevated ISO. Moreover, Olympus restricts maximum ISO to 1600 with no extended modes, whereas Sony pushes to an impressive native maximum ISO of 12,800 with extension up to 25,600, critical for low-light shooting and astrophotography.

Resulting Image Quality: Sony’s RX100 II consistently outperforms the VH-515 in dynamic range (12.4 EV vs. untested but expectedly lower on VH-515) and low-light ISO capabilities (DXOMark reports ~483 ISO score for RX100 II). While VH-515 images tend to be noisier and less detailed in challenging lighting, they remain adequate for casual snapshots and web sharing.

User Interface and Screen Functionality: Display and Touch Experience

Screen usability influences both composition and reviewing images on the fly. Both cameras sport a 3-inch LCD, but the implementation differs substantially. The VH-515 features a fixed, 460k dot TFT touchscreen with limited resolution and no tilting mechanism, which can restrict framing flexibility. The touchscreen interface partially compensates for the lack of physical controls by enabling some direct adjustments, albeit with sluggish responsiveness often reported in practice.

Sony enhances usability with its 3-inch, 1229k dot Xtra Fine WhiteMagic TFT LCD offering superior resolution, brightness, and color accuracy, vital for critical exposure and focus evaluation. The RX100 II’s screen tilts upward approximately 84° and downward 45°, providing versatile shooting angles - a boon for street, macro, and low-angle photography. However, the lack of touchscreen may displease users accustomed to tap-to-focus or simple menu navigation via touch.

The VH-515 lacks any form of electronic viewfinder whereas Sony’s RX100 II offers an optional accessory EVF, further extending compositional tools - especially under bright sunlight where LCD visibility diminishes.

Autofocus System: Precision and Speed Under the Hood

Autofocus (AF) performance can be a dealbreaker depending on shooting genres. Olympus VH-515 utilizes a contrast-detection AF system with face detection and center-weighted metering, capable mostly of single AF (AF-S) with some tracking. It lacks more sophisticated tracking like continuous AF or eye detection, potentially resulting in slower focus lock and less tracking accuracy on moving subjects.

Sony’s RX100 II deploys a hybrid contrast-detection system with 25 AF points supplemented by center-weighted metering and conventional face detection. It supports continuous AF (AF-C) and offers selective AF, center AF, and multi-area AF modes, crucial for reliable focus tracking when shooting dynamic subjects such as sports or wildlife. Manual focus is available in RX100 II, adding a layer of precision missing in the VH-515.

In practice, RX100 II’s faster autofocus acquisition and greater tracking reliability make it more suitable for demanding fast-action photography. VH-515, while adequate for still life and portraits with static subjects, may frustrate in variable or fast settings.

Lens Characteristics and Zoom Range: Versatility Versus Aperture

Both cameras feature fixed lenses without mount compatibility, reflecting their compact design ethos. The VH-515’s 26-130 mm (35mm equivalent) zoom offers a 5x optical zoom range with apertures varying from f/2.8-6.5. Sony’s RX100 II has a slightly narrower focal range, 28-100 mm equivalent, with a 3.6x zoom but with a far faster maximum aperture of f/1.8-4.9.

The wider aperture on the wide end for Sony’s lens lends itself to better low-light performance and controlled depth of field, yielding a more pronounced bokeh effect critical for portraiture. Olympus, despite a longer telephoto end, sacrifices aperture speed, which limits its background separation capabilities and low light reach.

Maximum macro focusing distances are comparable at 5 cm, but due to sensor size differences and lens construction, RX100 II produces higher resolution, tighter macro cropping with greater detail.

Olympus VH 515 front Olympus VH 515 screen back Sony RX100 II front Sony RX100 II screen back

Image Quality in Action: Review of Sample Images

Examining side-by-side images under varied conditions reveals clear performance distinctions:

• Portraits: RX100 II images exhibit superior skin tone rendering and highlight retention; smoother background blur with well-separated subjects. VH-515 produces flatter images with narrower tonal range and smaller aperture-caused deeper depth of field.

• Landscapes: The large sensor advantage of RX100 II delivers noticeable detail retention, better dynamic range enabling richer shadows and highlights recovery, and more realistic colors. VH-515 struggles in high-contrast scenes, exhibiting clipping and reduced sharpness.

• Wildlife and Sports: Thanks to faster AF and burst rate, RX100 II proves more adept at capturing sharp, well-focused action frames. VH-515’s slow 2 fps continuous shooting severely limits action photography usability.

• Night and Astro: RX100 II's sensitivity and low noise offer usable night shots and some astrophotography, while VH-515's sensor noise and limited ISO ceilings constrain low light shooting severely.

Performance Metrics and Overall Scoring: Authority in Numbers

According to third-party performance assessments (e.g., DXOMark), the RX100 II is significantly ahead in image quality category with an overall sensor score of 67, a raw color depth of 22.5 bits, and dynamic range of 12.4 EV. VH-515 remains untested by such rigs but given known hardware, it ranks considerably lower - a fact consistent with our hands-on results.

Breaking down scoring by photographic genre:

RX100 II leads substantially in landscapes, portraits, low light, and action; VH-515 maintains presence only in casual street shots due to its ultracompact size and straightforward operation.

Video Capabilities: Beyond Stills

Both cameras offer Full HD video recording, yet specifications differ:

• VH-515: Records 1080p at 30 fps (MPEG-4, H.264), fixed lens with sensor-shift image stabilization, no external microphone or headphone ports, limiting audio quality control.

• RX100 II: Supports 1080p at up to 60 fps (MPEG-4, AVCHD), with optical steadiness, external flash sync, and HDMI output (no microphone input), making it more versatile for casual video shooting but still below professional video standards.

RX100 II’s faster autofocus and higher frame rate recording also favor smoother focus transitions and subject tracking in video compared to VH-515.

Battery Life and Storage Considerations for Extended Use

Sony specifies about 350 shots per charge on the RX100 II’s NP-BX1 lithium battery, which aligns with typical large sensor compact cameras. Olympus does not specify battery life, but given smaller sensor and simpler processing, one can expect a similar or slightly higher range with its LI-50B battery. Practical usage tends to favor Sony slightly due to more efficient processor architecture and power management.

Both support SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, with Sony additionally supporting Memory Stick formats, offering greater flexibility.

Connectivity and Additional Features

Connectivity on VH-515 is limited to Eye-Fi wireless compatibility, lacking Bluetooth, NFC, or modern wireless standards. RX100 II incorporates built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, facilitating faster and simpler image transfer and remote shooting compatibility - a decisive edge in today’s connected environments.

Neither camera includes GPS or environmental sealing, reflecting their compact consumer-targeted design.

Lens Ecosystem and Expandability

Due to fixed lens design, neither camera offers native lens interchangeability.

However, Sony RX100 II supports an optional electronic viewfinder attachment, adding a useful compositional tool. Olympus VH-515 lacks such expandability entirely.

Summary of Major Differences and Recommendations

Which Camera Suits Your Needs?

Choose Olympus VH-515 if:

• Portability above all else: Its lightweight, slim profile eases pocket carrying.
• Casual shooting focus: Interface simplicity appeals for snapshots and travel diaries.
• Budget flexibility tolerates fewer features but demands respectable zoom range.

Choose Sony RX100 II if:

• Image quality is top priority: Larger sensor dramatically improves photo fidelity.
• Manual controls and speed matter: Quick AF, high burst rates, and exposure modes for pros.
• Videography is a consideration: Higher frame rate and better video codec plus connectivity.
• Connectivity and expandability: Wireless transfer and external EVF support enhance workflows.

Conclusion

The Sony RX100 II represents a clear technological and performance step up from the Olympus VH-515, particularly in sensor capability, autofocus sophistication, manual control access, and video performance, despite a larger form factor and modest weight increase. VH-515’s selling points primarily hinge on extreme portability and straightforward operation, suited for casual or travel-focused users unwilling to compromise convenience.

For enthusiasts or professionals requiring a compact companion that delivers superior image quality and operational flexibility, the RX100 II remains a benchmark, justifying its persistent popularity years after release. However, no camera is universally perfect - understanding your photographic priorities in light of these detailed evaluations ensures the investment aligns tightly with your creative and practical demands.

This analysis is drawn from extensive hands-on testing methodologies, sensor benchmarking, and side-by-side shooting comparisons typical of expert camera reviews. All assessments aim to provide objective technical insights balanced by real-world usability considerations, enabling informed purchasing decisions.