Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus VG-110

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus VG-110, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact and both of them are built by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the VG-110 (12MP) is very comparable but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and VG-110 (1/2.3") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PM1 was unveiled 10 months later than the VG-110 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus VG-110 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-PM1 scores vs the VG-110 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Olympus VG-110. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Olympus VG-110 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 features external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Olympus VG-110 has dimensions of 92mm x 54mm x 20mm (3.6" x 2.1" x 0.8") with a weight of 105 grams (0.23 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus VG-110 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at that moment. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PM1 vs the VG-110.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and VG-110 is 89 and 97 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by going through specs. The visual below will help give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and VG-110.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras have the same resolution but different sensor measurements. The E-PM1 has the larger sensor which will make obtaining shallower DOF less difficult. The fresher E-PM1 should have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.