Olympus VG-110 vs Panasonic Lumix FH3: A Hands-On Comparison of Two Early 2010s Compact Cameras

When I recently dusted off two entry-level compacts from the early 2010s - the Olympus VG-110 and the Panasonic Lumix FH3 - I found myself diving deep into a fascinating era of digital photography. Back then, compact cameras were the go-to for casual shooters who demanded easy usability wrapped in pocket-friendly bodies, while smartphone photography had not yet reached today’s dominance.

These models offer a surprisingly vivid snapshot of that transitional time. Though they’re now relics in a fast-moving industry, many of us still appreciate their quirks - and even consider them for niche uses or as backup cameras. So, join me in an in-depth exploration of these two ultracompacts, focusing on real-world experience and practical insights rather than marketing fluff. If you’re an enthusiast looking to buy secondhand, or simply curious about how these small sensor cameras stack up, you’ve come to the right place.

Size, Handling, and Ergonomics: Tiny Packages, Different Approaches

First impressions matter - right down to how a camera feels in your hand or your pocket. The Olympus VG-110 puts comfort and compactness front and center with its ultracompact body measuring a mere 92 x 54 x 20 mm and weighing just 105 grams. The Panasonic FH3 is slightly larger and heftier, at 98 x 55 x 24 mm and 165 grams, falling into the classic compact category.

Both cameras incorporate fixed lenses and fixed, non-touch displays that measure 2.7 inches with about 230K pixel resolution - adequate for composing but nothing to write home about compared to modern standards. Olympus favors a streamlined, minimal control layout without an LCD top screen, while Panasonic’s slightly larger body offers more room between buttons for usability.

Looking at the top view layout gives us a sense of each brand’s design philosophy:

Olympus VG-110 embraces simplicity with few physical controls, especially lacking manual exposure modes (more on that later). Panasonic’s FH3 prioritizes a higher frame rate burst mode (6 fps), which necessitates a shutter button designed for quick consecutive presses, somewhat enhancing usability for fast-paced shooting.

Despite their diminutive stature, these cameras feel reasonably solid in hand, although neither offers the premium heft or weather sealing that professionals demand. Both are casual photographers’ companions: light, discreet, and pocket-friendly, ideal for street snaps or travel snapshots where bulk is a no-no.

Inside the Glass: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Here lies a classic limitation of early 2010s compacts - both cameras use 1/2.3" CCD sensors, a small size that inherently restricts image quality potential due to physical size and light-gathering ability.

The VG-110 sports a 12MP resolution (3968 x 2976 pixels) and a sensor size offering about 28.07 mm² area, slightly bigger but with a marginally slower max aperture of F2.9-6.5 on a 27-108 mm equivalent zoom lens.

In contrast, Panasonic FH3 ups the resolution to 14MP (4320 x 3240 pixels) with a slightly smaller sensor area (27.72 mm²) but a somewhat longer zoom range of 28-140 mm at a similar max aperture ranging from F2.8 up to F6.9. It also has the edge on ISO performance - shooting up to ISO 6400 native versus Olympus’s max native ISO 1600.

From my hands-on tests, the FH3 delivers crisper images with slightly better detail rendering at base ISO, reflecting the higher megapixel count. However, both struggle similarly in low light; noise becomes a challenge beyond ISO 400 due to the small sensor footprints and CCD architecture, which typically lags behind CMOS sensors in noise control.

Color rendition leans mildly towards warmer tones on the Olympus, which benefits portrait skin tones for casual snapshots, while Panasonic’s colors skew slightly cooler but more neutral, pleasing for daylight landscapes.

Autofocus and Shooting Responsiveness: Who’s Faster Off the Mark?

Neither camera boasts advanced AF systems, but their implementations reflect different priorities.

The VG-110 offers contrast-detection autofocus with face detection and multi-area AF, but no continuous AF apart from single AF with tracking. In practice, this means the camera locks focus reasonably well on still subjects but can struggle with moving targets. Its shutter speed range of 4s to 1/2000s, however, lets you capture decent handheld shots in daylight.

Panasonic’s FH3 similarly uses contrast-detection AF but with a smaller array - a fixed 9-point zone AF and no face or tracking detection. Interestingly, it supports a faster continuous shooting mode at 6 fps with a shutter speed range limited to 1/60s to 1/1600s, which is tight but serviceable for casual action shots.

Neither camera supports manual focus, which feels restrictive to enthusiasts accustomed to manual precision. From experience, the FH3’s quicker burst mode and slightly faster AF lock feel more responsive, suitable for snapping fleeting moments - say, kids in play or pets.

That said, Olympus’s face-detection AF gives it a slight edge for portraiture, reliably finding faces and locking focus accurately when light cooperates.

Display and User Interface: Peeking Behind the Glass

Both cameras rely on fixed 2.7" TFT LCDs with around 230K pixel resolution, offering familiar interfaces for their era.

The picture quality on both screens is average, with limited viewing angles and somewhat dull colors under harsh sunlight. Neither features touch capabilities or articulated designs, meaning awkward angles remain awkward.

Menu systems reflect their budget-friendly status - simple point-and-shoot modes dominate, with no aperture or shutter priority controls. Olympus offers exposure compensation and white balance bracketing, albeit limited, while Panasonic allows custom white balance but lacks bracketing options.

For beginners or casual users, the interfaces are sufficiently straightforward, but enthusiasts will find the lack of manual controls limiting.

Photography in Practice: How Each Camera Shines Across Genres

Having uncovered the specs and basics, let’s get to the meat - how do these cameras function across common photographic genres? I tested both under various real-world conditions, aiming for a balanced assessment.

Portrait Photography: The Battle for Beautiful Skin Tones & Bokeh

Portrait shooters seek creamy bokeh, natural skin tones, and accurate eye detection autofocus.

• Olympus VG-110: The fixed lens zoom covers 27-108 mm equivalent, hitting a reasonable portrait focal length sweet spot. Its F2.9 max aperture at the wide end helps achieve some background separation, though it’s no master of shallow depth of field given the tiny sensor and modest aperture. Face detection AF works decently, snapping into focus quickly on faces with minimal fuss. Skin tones render warmly - ideal for casual snapshots but somewhat prone to oversaturation in mixed lighting.

• Panasonic FH3: With a slightly longer lens zoom (28-140 mm) but slower max aperture (F2.8-6.9), it sacrifices some low light and shallow DOF potential at longer zooms. No face detection makes focusing on eyes a manual guessing game, but the camera’s sharper output preserves facial detail well. Color rendition comes off cooler, which might require adjustment in post to flatter skin tones.

Overall, for portraits, the Olympus offers friendlier autofocus plus warmer tones, while Panasonic demands more precise positioning or external software tweaks.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Image Fidelity

Landscape demands sharpness, vivid colors, and the ability to retain highlight and shadow detail.

Neither camera can claim pro-grade dynamic range, but both deliver what small sensor compacts do best - ease of use and reasonable daylight image quality.

• Resolution favors Panasonic at 14MP, yielding more details when pixel-peeping or making modest enlargements.

• Exposure range in Olympus starts at ISO 80 but maxes at a conservative ISO 1600, while Panasonic jumps up to ISO 6400 (albeit noisy). Neither supports RAW output, so dynamic adjustments in post are limited.

• The Panasonic’s optical image stabilization (OIS) gives it an advantage for handheld landscape shots in lower light, reducing blur risks.

• Olympus lacks any stabilization, requiring stability tricks or tripods under challenging light.

Neither offers weather sealing or ruggedness, so adverse weather shooting is a no-go.

Wildlife and Sports: The Need for Speed?

These cameras aren’t designed for wildlife or sports - period. But just for fun, I gave each a spin trying to capture moving subjects.

• Burst shooting: Panasonic FH3 supports 6 fps, Olympus VG-110 doesn’t specify continuous burst but essentially is slower.

• Autofocus: Neither has phase detection or advanced tracking, but Olympus’s face-detection autofocus tracked subjects better.

• Lens reach: Panasonic’s 140mm equivalent zoom outperforms Olympus’s 108mm slightly in framing distant subjects.

Bottom line: Neither camera satisfies the rigorous demands of wildlife or competitive sports photography, but if you must, Panasonic FH3’s burst and reach give it the edge for casual snapping.

Street and Travel Photography: Pocketability Meets Versatility

Both cameras are lightweight and compact - perfect for street photography where discretion and portability reign supreme.

• Olympus VG-110’s ultracompact size and silent shutter absence make it inconspicuous but less versatile due to slower operation.

• Panasonic FH3, slightly bulkier but providing OIS and burst modes, offers a bit more flexibility.

Battery life is modest in both, circa 170 shots for Olympus and unspecified for Panasonic, typical for compacts at this price. Both rely on proprietary battery packs, which means no AA batteries in a pinch, and you need to carry spares for extended use.

Macro and Low Light: How Close and How Dark?

For macro, Olympus impresses slightly with a 1cm minimum focusing distance, compared to Panasonic’s 5cm. This ability makes it better suited for close-up shots of flowers, insects, or textures.

However, lack of image stabilization on Olympus means you’ll need a steady hand or support to avoid motion blur at close distances.

Panasonic’s optical image stabilization helps with low-light handheld shots, supporting exposure longevity without blur, giving it a clear advantage when light drops below sunset levels.

Night and Astro: Not Stars, but Shots in the Dark

Neither camera was built with astrophotography in mind, but their respective ISO limits and shutter ranges allow some moonlit experimentation.

• Olympus’s 4-second shutter maximum limits extended long-exposure astrophotography.

• Panasonic’s max shutter speed of 1/60s is short for night photography, severely capping low-light performance.

High ISO images from both show heavy noise starting around ISO 400-800, so neither is ideal for star fields.

Video Performance: More Snapshot than Cinema

For video enthusiasts, Panasonic FH3 handily outperforms Olympus VG-110.

• Resolution: FH3 supports 720p HD, while Olympus caps at 640 x 480 (VGA).

• Frame rates both max out at 30fps.

• Formats: FH3 uses Motion JPEG, Olympus MPEG-4.

Neither has microphone or headphone jacks, electronic stabilization in video, or 4K options.

Effectively, FH3 offers the bare minimum for casual video shooting, while Olympus falls behind in quality and framing options.

Professional Reliability and Workflow: Limited but Serviceable

Neither model supports RAW capture - major turnoff for professional use or serious editing. Both shoot JPEG only, limiting post-processing flexibility.

Connectivity is equally basic: USB 2.0 only, no Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/NFC, and no GPS tagging. Storage relies on SD/SDHC cards, with Panasonic also supporting SDXC cards and an internal memory buffer.

No weather sealing or warranty extensions, limited battery life, and no advanced exposure modes restrict their use in challenging pro environments.

Ecosystem and Price-to-Performance: Older Cameras in a New World

Both the Olympus VG-110 and Panasonic FH3 come with fixed lenses, meaning there’s no lens swapping or ecosystem to speak of.

Pricing at launch hovered around $150-$160, reflecting their status as budget compacts.

Today, secondhand prices dip lower, positioning them as fun, lightweight alternatives if you want a basic zoom compact - ideal for beginners, collectors, or casual shooters on a tight budget.

Wrapping it Up: Which Camera Suits You?

To summarize and help readers decide, here’s a quick overview of where each camera excels and falls short:

Who Should Pick the Olympus VG-110?

If you prize extreme portability, simple face-detection autofocus, warmer color rendition, and occasional close-up shots, Olympus offers a neat package. It’s perfect for casual beach days or family outings where you want something light and easy, without fussing over modes.

Who Should Choose the Panasonic Lumix FH3?

If more zoom reach, image stabilization, better video capability, and faster shooting appeal - say for travel photos, street scenes, or light action capturing - this Panasonic steps up convincingly. It’s more versatile for enthusiasts who want a compact with more features, even if it’s slightly bulkier.

Olympus VG 110 front Olympus VG 110 screen back Panasonic FH3 screen back

Digging Deeper with Scores and Genre-Specific Ratings

To provide a quantitative feel (based on my testing experience and comparisons with benchmarks of the era), here’s an overall performance score and genre-specific ratings:

Final Thoughts: Staying Realistic in a Smartphone Age

These cameras represent a bygone era where compact cameras strived to balance size, zoom, and image quality. Neither breaks new ground in pure photographic performance but each fits specific niches admirably.

In the age of powerhouse smartphones and mirrorless marvels, the Olympus VG-110 and Panasonic FH3 are charming, budget-friendly throwbacks rather than cutting-edge tools. As a longtime hands-on reviewer, I see their value today more in nostalgia, simplicity, and for contexts where using a dedicated camera, even a humble one, improves experience or image outcome.

Both cameras serve well for beginners learning photography basics without overwhelming options, or as travel companions where convenience matters more than pro grade RAW files.

So, if you find a well-kept VG-110 or FH3 on a local secondhand market, give it a spin - you might enjoy the no-frills, point-and-shoot joy of these diminutive legends from the early days when compact cameras ruled the pocket.

Happy shooting - and remember, while gear helps, the best photos always start with you behind the lens.