Olympus E-P1 vs Olympus VG-160

Below, we are looking at the Olympus E-P1 and Olympus VG-160, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both created by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the VG-160 (14MP) is very similar but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and VG-160 (1/2.3") use different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was announced 3 years before the VG-160 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-P1 scores vs the VG-160 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Olympus VG-160. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Olympus VG-160 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera regularly, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-P1 features physical dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") having a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Olympus VG-160 has specifications of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-P1 and Olympus VG-160 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-P1 compared to the VG-160.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P1 and VG-160 is 86 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizing purely by going over a spec sheet. The graphic here might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P1 and VG-160.

Clearly, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-P1 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Olympus VG-160 will offer extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The older E-P1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.