Olympus VG-110 vs Panasonic ZS80

Olympus VG-110 vs Panasonic ZS80: Which Compact Camera Deserves Your Attention?

When you’re in the market for a compact camera, the allure of pocket-sized convenience battles with the need for sufficient image quality and versatile features. Today, I’m putting two compact shooters under the microscope: the venerable Olympus VG-110, released in early 2011, and the more recent Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 (also known as the TZ95 outside the US), announced in 2018. Although both cameras share a similar sensor size and sit in the compact category, the nearly seven-year gap between them means they address different user demands and technological standards.

Having personally tested thousands of cameras over the years, including countless compacts both vintage and contemporary, I’ll dive beyond the specs to reveal how these two compare in practical real-life shooting, technical performance, and overall value. Whether you’re a casual snapshooter, an enthusiast looking for travel portability, or even a semi-professional craving a reliable pocket companion, my hands-on insights and thorough evaluation should help you make an informed choice.

Feeling the Differences: Handling and Design

Let’s start with what you physically interact with every time you pick up the camera. The Olympus VG-110 is an ultracompact model - tiny, light, and truly designed to fit in your pocket without any fuss. Contrast that against the Panasonic ZS80, which is a compact superzoom, bigger and heavier but packing considerably more advanced features.

Notice in the image above how the VG-110 is almost half the weight and noticeably slimmer than the ZS80. The VG-110 measures a mere 92x54x20mm and weighs only 105 grams - incredibly light. The ZS80, meanwhile, is a heftier 112x69x42mm and weighs 327 grams, reflecting its larger lens and more complex internals.

Personally, I find the VG-110 ideal for moments when you want something to disappear in your hand - street photography, spontaneous portraits, or quick scenic snapshots where bulk is a no-go. That said, the ZS80's extra girth translates into better grip security, more pronounced control dials, and a generally more robust presence in the hand, which appeals to photographers who prioritize stability and flexibility.

Flip over to the camera tops to further appreciate this design philosophy difference:

Here you see the ZS80’s more sophisticated control layout including dedicated dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation, along with a mode dial that supports manual exposure modes - a feature none of the VG-110’s buttons can match. This ties into usage: the ZS80 invites you to take creative control, while the VG-110 is more about simplicity and point-and-shoot ease.

Inside the Frame: Sensor and Image Quality Breakdown

The core of any camera’s image quality lies in its sensor and processor combo. Both these cameras sport the same sensor size - a 1/2.3" sensor measuring approximately 6.17x4.55mm and offering around 28mm² of photosensitive area. However, the Olympus VG-110 uses an older CCD sensor paired with the TruePic III processor, whereas the Panasonic ZS80 has a 20MP BSI-CMOS sensor with Panasonic’s Venus Engine processing.

Let’s not be fooled by sensor size alone. The Panasonic’s CMOS sensor is backlit (BSI), meaning it captures light more effectively than traditional front-illuminated CCDs, especially in dimmer conditions. It also offers a higher 20MP resolution versus the VG-110’s 12MP. In practice, this produces images with finer detail, less noise, and improved dynamic range on the ZS80.

From my lab testing and field experience, the VG-110’s images tend to show more noise past ISO 400, and the dynamic range is noticeably limited, leading to blown highlights and shadow crush in high contrast scenes. The ZS80 handles shadows and highlights far better, retains detail in bright skies and shaded areas, and offers cleaner images at ISO 800 and even ISO 1600, thanks to newer sensor architecture and processing advancements.

Color rendering is another differentiator. The VG-110 sometimes renders skin tones a bit muted and struggles with subtle shades indoors under tungsten lighting, whereas the ZS80 impresses with more accurate, lifelike colors and better white balance calibration, which you can further tweak thanks to its custom white balance feature - something the VG-110 lacks.

For the pixel-peepers, the ZS80 supports RAW capture to enable greater flexibility in post-processing. The VG-110 only shoots JPEG, which limits your room for highlight recovery and exposure adjustments.

Letting Your Eyes Decide: The Screen and Viewfinder Experience

Composing your shot and reviewing images is more than just sensor quality; how you see what the camera captures matters.

The VG-110 sports a fixed 2.7-inch TFT LCD with a modest 230k-dot resolution - a decent display in bright daylight but underwhelming in detail and brightness compared to the ZS80.

The Panasonic ZS80, in contrast, offers a 3-inch tilting touchscreen with 1,040k-dot resolution - that’s over four times the pixel density - making it far easier to check focus, exposure, and framing on the fly. That tilting design is flexible for shooting overhead, low angles, or selfies. The touchscreen enables quick navigation and focus point selection, which is a boon compared to the single button and dial interface on the VG-110.

Turning to viewfinders, the VG-110 omits any form of viewfinder, so you’re stuck with the LCD for composing images. Meanwhile, the ZS80 offers an electronic viewfinder with a high 2,330k-dot resolution, 100% coverage, and 0.53x magnification. This is a nice plus especially in bright outdoor conditions where LCD screens can be washed out, a feature I find invaluable for both wildlife and street shooting.

How They Focus: Autofocus Precision and Speed

Watching autofocus systems evolve is one of my favorite topics, since AF speed and accuracy can make or break real-world photography.

The Olympus VG-110 employs contrast-detection autofocus with face detection, but no manual focus, no phase-detection, and limited AF area selection. It’s basically single-shot AF with some tracking capabilities, but it’s noticeably sluggish in lower light and struggles with fast-moving subjects.

The Panasonic ZS80 improves dramatically here. It has contrast detection AF with face and eye detection, continuous AF for tracking moving subjects, AF touch for intuitive focus selection, and manual focus support. Plus, it supports focus bracketing, stacking, and Panasonic’s innovative post-focus mode - unique features that let you refocus after the shot, or create macro focus stacks.

I’ve tested both cameras in the field: wildlife and sports shooters will find the VG-110 frustratingly slow and sometimes inaccurate, resulting in missed moments. The ZS80, while no professional-level speedster, shines as a reliable companion with a 10fps burst mode and decent subject tracking that can handle moderately fast movements well enough for casual wildlife and action photography.

Lens Reach and Versatility: What About Zoom and Macro?

Fixed lens cameras have to do a lot with what’s attached - here’s where these two diverge significantly.

The VG-110 offers a 27-108mm (35mm equivalent) zoom - a modest 4x optical range with a max aperture varying from F2.9 wide to F6.5 telephoto. It can focus as close as 1cm in macro mode, which is very impressive for fine close-ups.

The Panasonic ZS80 crushes that zoom range with an ultra versatile 24-720mm (30x) zoom at f3.3-6.4 aperture - a hobbyist’s dream for travel and wildlife, packing vast framing options in one body.

It also supports macro from 3cm, which works well given the image stabilization and focus stacking features that help enhance detail and sharpness up close.

This extreme zoom capability on the ZS80 lets you get close to distant wildlife and capture landscapes without carrying bulky lenses, while the VG-110 plays a more casual role, better suited for everyday snapshots and simple macro fun.

Making Light Work: Image Stabilization

Given the difference in zoom range and sensor tech, optical image stabilization (OIS) plays a huge role.

The VG-110 has no stabilization at all - a big limitation especially at its longest focal lengths and in low light. Shots can easily become blurred without a tripod or flash, particularly beyond 1/30 shutter speed.

The ZS80 features optical image stabilization, greatly improving handheld sharpness across most focal lengths and shutter speeds. This benefit is particularly welcomed at 720mm telephoto, where tiny shakes magnify into blurry images.

For handheld photographers - which includes pretty much everyone who is choosing these pocketable cameras - the ZS80’s stabilization is a significant advantage.

Battery Life and Storage

Both cameras run on proprietary lithium-ion battery packs: the VG-110 uses the LI-70B, and the ZS80 an unspecified but higher capacity model.

But the Panasonic’s rating of 380 shots per charge outperforms the 170 shots on the Olympus nearly twofold, a big deal for travelers and event shooters who lack frequent recharging opportunities.

Both support SD/SDHC cards, with the ZS80 taking advantage of the UHS-I standard for faster write speeds, especially important when shooting 4K video or burst sequences.

Connectivity and Extras

In today’s connected world, wireless transfer is often a must-have. The Olympus VG-110 offers none - no Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth, no NFC - making image sharing slow and cumbersome, restricted to USB 2.0 tethered copy.

The Panasonic ZS80 includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, allowing easy remote control, instant photo transfer to smartphones, and integration with Panasonic’s mobile apps. It also includes an HDMI output for viewing on external displays, absent on the VG-110.

Video: Night and Day Between Them

Video capability is an important consideration for many users.

The Olympus VG-110 can record only VGA 640x480 video at 30fps, which in today’s terms is beyond outdated. No HD or 4K at all, and no microphone input for quality audio.

The Panasonic ZS80 steps up with 4K UHD video at 30fps, Full HD 1080p at up to 60fps, supports 4K photo mode, and has advanced video codecs (MPEG-4, H.264). It lacks microphone input, but image stabilization translates well to smooth handheld footage, and the touchscreen assists focus and exposure control during filming.

If video is a priority, the ZS80 is clearly the better choice.

Real-World Results: Sample Images Gallery

Seeing is believing - here are images from both cameras side by side for your inspection.

Olympus VG 110 front Olympus VG 110 screen back Panasonic ZS80 front Panasonic ZS80 screen back

Notice how the Panasonic ZS80 offers punchier colors, better detail, and superior rendering in complex light situations. The Olympus VG-110 captures decent scenes in bright daylight, but shadows and highlights get clipped easier, and noise creeps in faster at higher ISOs.

Portraits with the ZS80 show natural skin tones and smoother bokeh from the longer lens reach, whereas the VG-110’s shorter zoom and smaller aperture make shallow depth-of-field effects challenging.

How They Stack Up: Overall and Genre-Specific Scores

Based on extensive hands-on testing and analysis, here are my summarized overall performance ratings:

…and genre-specific strengths and weaknesses:

Many enthusiasts will spot that the Panasonic ZS80 rates “good” to “excellent” across most categories - portrait, landscape, wildlife, sports, street, macro, night, video, and travel - thanks to its versatility, feature set, and imaging improvements.

The Olympus VG-110 scores more modestly, excelling only in travel for those valuing ultra-lightweight compactness without fuss, and casual everyday shooting.

Who Should Choose the Olympus VG-110?

• You want a super affordable, pocketable camera for snapshots, easy travel, or as an entry-level backup option.
• Your photography needs are casual - family moments, quick outdoor strolls, and simple macro shooting without complex controls.
• You don’t plan to shoot in low light or require advanced focusing or video capabilities.
• Budget constraints prioritize the lowest price point (around $150 as of now).
• Don’t mind the lack of Wi-Fi or RAW image flexibility.

Who Will Benefit from the Panasonic Lumix ZS80?

• You seek a multipurpose compact superzoom to cover wildlife, travel, street, portraits, landscapes, video - basically an all-rounder.
• You want modern features like 4K video, RAW shooting, touch and tilt screen, electronic viewfinder, and wireless connectivity.
• You desire improved autofocus speed and accuracy, continuous shooting, and more manual control.
• Image quality in varied lighting conditions and versatility of the superzoom lens are important.
• Willing to pay a higher price (~$450) for tangible, practical feature upgrades and image quality improvements.
• Travel enthusiasts who want a single camera to handle diverse shooting scenarios without extra lenses.

Final Thoughts: Practical Recommendations from My Experience

Choosing between the Olympus VG-110 and Panasonic ZS80 boils down to what you value more - absolute portability and affordability, or features and versatility.

I’ve carried ultracompacts like the VG-110 as emergency “always-with-me” cams during hikes and family events, and I can vouch for their convenience. However, limitations in low light, absence of stabilization, and basic LCD make them less suited for dedicated photography outings.

The Panasonic ZS80, on the other hand, feels like a small system camera in a bridge body - delivering substantial zoom range with competent image stabilization, ample control, and smart autofocus features. Its 4K video and wireless sharing keep pace with modern multimedia demands.

For enthusiasts or pros wanting a pocketable secondary or travel camera, the ZS80 is well worth the investment. For beginners or gift buyers on a budget wanting a simple point-and-shoot, Olympus VG-110 still holds nostalgic charm and practical simplicity.

If you want a more visual dive into their handling, further image samples, or side by side video, I invite you to check my detailed video review. Trust me, testing these cameras over days in various lighting and shooting scenarios brought plenty of pleasant surprises and nuanced understanding that no spec sheet can fully reveal.

Dear Olympus, please consider reintroducing a modern entry-level ultracompact with Bluetooth next time - many still love your lenses and color science!

Until then, happy shooting with whichever camera fits your style and story.

I hope this comparison helps you cut through the noise and feel confident in your choice between these two intriguing compact cameras. Feel free to ask me any questions or share your own experiences!