Canon SD1200 IS vs Olympus VG-160

On this page, we will be reviewing the Canon SD1200 IS versus Olympus VG-160, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by companies Canon and Olympus. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the SD1200 IS (10MP) and VG-160 (14MP) but both cameras have the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SD1200 IS was announced 3 years prior to the VG-160 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a brief summation of how the SD1200 IS grades against the VG-160 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS and Olympus VG-160. The whole galleries are available at Canon SD1200 IS Gallery and Olympus VG-160 Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Canon SD1200 IS enjoys physical measurements of 86mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.4" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 160 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Olympus VG-160 has dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Examine the Canon SD1200 IS versus Olympus VG-160 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the SD1200 IS and the VG-160.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SD1200 IS and VG-160 is 95 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to visualise the gap between sensor measurements purely by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the SD1200 IS and VG-160.

As you can see, both the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Olympus VG-160 to give extra detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older SD1200 IS is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.