Olympus E-PL1s vs Olympus VG-120

The following is a extended assessment of the Olympus E-PL1s versus Olympus VG-120, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Ultracompact and they are both manufactured by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the VG-120 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and VG-120 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1s was launched within a month of the VG-120 so they are of a similar generation. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus VG-120 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL1s scores against the VG-120 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Olympus VG-120. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Olympus VG-120 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1s provides physical measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Olympus VG-120 has measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 120 grams (0.26 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL1s versus Olympus VG-120 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL1s versus the VG-120.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and VG-120 is 86 and 96 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions just by going through specs. The picture below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and VG-120.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s because of its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus VG-120 will show more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs much more aggressively.