Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5
85 Imaging
37 Features
67 Overall
49


80 Imaging
54 Features
50 Overall
52
Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
- 3" Tilting Screen
- ISO 100 - 12800
- Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
- 346g - 113 x 65 x 48mm
- Revealed December 2012
(Full Review)
- 15MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 3200
- 1280 x 720 video
- Samsung NX Mount
- 499g - 123 x 87 x 40mm
- Revealed June 2010

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 Overview
The following is a detailed review of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Samsung NX5, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Samsung. The resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the NX5 (15MP) is fairly well matched but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and NX5 (APS-C) offer different sensor measurements.

The XZ-2 iHS was announced 2 years after the NX5 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.
Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a short overview of how the XZ-2 iHS grades versus the NX5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 Gallery
Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Samsung NX5. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Samsung NX5 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Olympus XZ-2 iHS over the Samsung NX5
XZ-2 iHS | NX5 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Revealed | December 2012 | ![]() | June 2010 | Newer by 32 months |
Display type | Tilting | ![]() | Fixed | Tilting display |
Display resolution | 920k | ![]() | 230k | Clearer display (+690k dot) |
Touch friendly display | ![]() | Easily navigate |
Reasons to pick Samsung NX5 over the Olympus XZ-2 iHS
NX5 | XZ-2 iHS |
---|
Common features in the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Samsung NX5
XZ-2 iHS | NX5 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Manual focus | ![]() | Very exact focus | ||
Display dimensions | 3" | ![]() | 3" | Equal display measurements |
Selfie screen | ![]() | No selfie screen |
Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 Physical Comparison
For those who are looking to travel with your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has physical measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") along with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX5 has proportions of 123mm x 87mm x 40mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 1.6") with a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).
Look at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Samsung NX5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS versus the NX5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and NX5 is 85 and 80 respectively.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 Sensor Comparison
Often, it is difficult to picture the difference between sensor dimensions only by checking a spec sheet. The picture underneath might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and NX5.
Clearly, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The XZ-2 iHS having a tinier sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Samsung NX5 will resolve more detail with its extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The fresher XZ-2 iHS provides a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 Screen and ViewFinder


Photography Type Scores
Portrait Comparison

Street Comparison

Sports Comparison

Travel Comparison

Landscape Comparison

Vlogging Comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Samsung NX5 Specifications
Olympus XZ-2 iHS | Samsung NX5 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Brand Name | Olympus | Samsung |
Model | Olympus XZ-2 iHS | Samsung NX5 |
Class | Small Sensor Compact | Entry-Level Mirrorless |
Revealed | 2012-12-18 | 2010-06-01 |
Physical type | Compact | SLR-style mirrorless |
Sensor Information | ||
Processor | - | DRIM Engine |
Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor size | 1/1.7" | APS-C |
Sensor dimensions | 7.44 x 5.58mm | 23.4 x 15.6mm |
Sensor surface area | 41.5mm² | 365.0mm² |
Sensor resolution | 12 megapixel | 15 megapixel |
Anti aliasing filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 4:3 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
Full resolution | 3968 x 2976 | 4592 x 3056 |
Max native ISO | 12800 | 3200 |
Min native ISO | 100 | 100 |
RAW images | ||
Autofocusing | ||
Focus manually | ||
Autofocus touch | ||
Continuous autofocus | ||
Autofocus single | ||
Tracking autofocus | ||
Autofocus selectice | ||
Autofocus center weighted | ||
Autofocus multi area | ||
Live view autofocus | ||
Face detection focus | ||
Contract detection focus | ||
Phase detection focus | ||
Number of focus points | 35 | 15 |
Lens | ||
Lens mounting type | fixed lens | Samsung NX |
Lens focal range | 28-112mm (4.0x) | - |
Highest aperture | f/1.8-2.5 | - |
Macro focus distance | 1cm | - |
Available lenses | - | 32 |
Focal length multiplier | 4.8 | 1.5 |
Screen | ||
Screen type | Tilting | Fixed Type |
Screen diagonal | 3 inch | 3 inch |
Resolution of screen | 920 thousand dots | 230 thousand dots |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch operation | ||
Screen technology | - | Active Matrix OLED screen |
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder | Electronic (optional) | Electronic |
Viewfinder coverage | - | 100% |
Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.57x |
Features | ||
Lowest shutter speed | 60 secs | 30 secs |
Highest shutter speed | 1/2000 secs | 1/4000 secs |
Continuous shooting rate | - | 3.0 frames/s |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Manually set exposure | ||
Exposure compensation | Yes | Yes |
Change white balance | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Inbuilt flash | ||
Flash range | 8.60 m (ISO 800) | 11.00 m |
Flash options | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Wireless | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in, 1st/2nd Curtain, Smart Flash, Manual |
External flash | ||
AE bracketing | ||
WB bracketing | ||
Highest flash synchronize | - | 1/180 secs |
Exposure | ||
Multisegment | ||
Average | ||
Spot | ||
Partial | ||
AF area | ||
Center weighted | ||
Video features | ||
Supported video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) | 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) |
Max video resolution | 1920x1080 | 1280x720 |
Video format | MPEG-4, H.264 | H.264 |
Mic port | ||
Headphone port | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless | Eye-Fi Connected | None |
Bluetooth | ||
NFC | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
GPS | None | Optional |
Physical | ||
Environmental sealing | ||
Water proof | ||
Dust proof | ||
Shock proof | ||
Crush proof | ||
Freeze proof | ||
Weight | 346 grams (0.76 pounds) | 499 grams (1.10 pounds) |
Physical dimensions | 113 x 65 x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") | 123 x 87 x 40mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 1.6") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO All around score | 49 | not tested |
DXO Color Depth score | 20.4 | not tested |
DXO Dynamic range score | 11.3 | not tested |
DXO Low light score | 216 | not tested |
Other | ||
Battery life | 340 shots | 400 shots |
Form of battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery model | Li-90B | BP1130 |
Self timer | Yes (2 or 12 sec) | Yes (2 sec to 30 sec) |
Time lapse shooting | ||
Storage type | SD/SDHC/SDXC | SD/SDHC |
Card slots | One | One |
Launch pricing | $450 | $499 |