Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus VG-160

Below is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus VG-160, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are sold by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the VG-160 (14MP) is very comparable but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and VG-160 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1 was revealed 20 months before the VG-160 making them a generation apart from one another. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL1 matches up versus the VG-160 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Olympus VG-160. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Olympus VG-160 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera, you will want to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 features physical dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Olympus VG-160 has measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus VG-160 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the E-PL1 and the VG-160.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and VG-160 is 86 and 96 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements simply by seeing technical specs. The visual here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and VG-160.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus VG-160 will produce greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.