Olympus VG-110 vs Sony W350

Olympus VG-110 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350: The Ultimate Ultracompact Shootout

When it comes to ultracompact cameras, the challenge is to pack respectable performance into a pocketable package without overwhelming complexity or cost. Today, I’m diving deep into two contenders in this realm from the early 2010s: the Olympus VG-110 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350. Both are budget-friendly, point-and-shoot models that promise portability and ease of use but with enough specs to draw interest from photography enthusiasts who want to keep it simple yet quality-conscious.

Having personally tested hundreds of cameras in this category, I’ll walk you through their core technical specs, real-world handling, and performance across major photography genres - from portraits to astrophotography - as well as their video capabilities and overall value proposition. So, whether you're a casual snapshooter, a street photographer seeking discreteness, or a travel junkie craving versatility and battery endurance, this detailed comparison will help you make an informed, confident choice.

Compactness and Ergonomics: Size & Handling in the Real World

First impressions matter. When you pull a camera from your pocket, it should feel comfortable and natural in your hands. Both the Olympus VG-110 and Sony W350 are ultracompact cameras, designed to slot effortlessly into daily carry.

In physical dimensions, the VG-110 measures 92 x 54 x 20 mm and weighs a feather-light 105 grams, whereas the Sony W350 is slightly slimmer and lighter at 91 x 52 x 17 mm and 117 grams. Either way, you’re looking at a device that’s practically vanish-in-your-pocket tiny.

Ergonomically, the VG-110 has a slightly chunkier grip area, giving it a little more stability when shooting - something I appreciated during extended shoots even though it's a small camera. The Sony W350 opts for a more streamlined look, but at the expense of a firm hold. You may find yourself hinging more on your fingers to steady your shots with the W350, especially with longer focal lengths engaged.

Both have fixed lens designs and lack manual focus wheels or advanced control rings, so these are truly aimed at users who want straightforward simplicity.

Layout and Controls: Intuition Meets Efficiency

A camera’s top layout and button arrangement can either make or break your shooting experience, especially for quick snaps where muscle memory matters.

Olympus keeps it minimal but functional, with clearly marked playback, mode, and zoom toggles that snap satisfyingly under the thumb. The shutter button is responsive, paired with a dedicated power toggle, which helps you start shooting quickly.

Sony's W350 also displays a clean setup, though the buttons feel a tad smaller and closer together. The zoom rocker is smooth, and unlike the VG-110, it features HDMI output on the side, great for direct playback on HDTVs.

Neither camera offers customizable buttons or touchscreens, reflecting their value-focused design, but both implement intuitive menu navigation and quick-access shooting modes suitable for beginners.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of Performance

Let’s get technical - but not too much. At the core of any camera’s image quality is its sensor: its size, type, resolution, and technology.

Both the VG-110 and W350 sport small 1/2.3” CCD sensors measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm with about 28 square millimeters of surface area. It’s a format that’s typical for ultracompact cameras but one that has inherent limitations around noise at higher ISOs and dynamic range compared to larger APS-C or full-frame sensors.

Resolutions differ somewhat: Olympus offers 12 megapixels (3968 x 2976 max resolution), while Sony edges ahead with 14 megapixels (4320 x 3240). However, raw support is absent in both cameras, so you’re locked into JPEGs - something to keep in mind if you prize post-processing flexibility.

Sony benefits from higher maximum native ISO at 3200 compared to Olympus’s ISO 1600 ceiling, suggesting a marginal edge in low-light shooting, although in real-life tests, neither excelled spectacularly beyond ISO 400 due to noise concerns.

The VG-110’s TruePic III image processor handles color rendition with pleasant saturation and good skin tone reproduction, while Sony’s Bionz engine offers slightly sharper output with less smearing in detailed scenes - critical for landscapes or architectural shots.

A notable weakness: neither camera incorporates anti-shake sensor-based stabilization, although Sony compensates somewhat with optical image stabilization (more on that shortly).

Screen and Viewfinding: How You Frame Your World

An often overlooked factor in ultracompact cameras is the usability of the rear LCD - the window to your creative decisions.

Both cameras come with a 2.7-inch fixed TFT LCD with 230k-dot resolution. For the price and date, that’s standard fare, although neither is particularly crisp or bright in bright sunlight. The VG-110’s screen offers a warmer color balance, whereas Sony displays cooler tones, which you may or may not prefer.

Neither camera features a viewfinder, electronic or optical, so shooting comfortably in bright outdoor settings can be tricky without shading the screen with your hand or body.

Notably, Olympus includes face-detection autofocus feedback markers in live view, useful in portrait situations. Sony doesn’t support face detection, requiring more manual composition attention.

Autofocus & Zoom Performance: Speed and Precision Matters

Ultracompact cameras often skimp on autofocus sophistication, but these two models diverge in interesting ways.

Both rely on contrast-detection AF - standard for compact cameras - but Olympus adds face detection and AF tracking to help maintain focus on subjects’ faces.

Sony’s autofocus is slower and lacks face detection, relying instead on a 9-point AF system with a center-weighted area focus. In practice, Olympus locks focus noticeably faster and more reliably on moving subjects, albeit neither camera impresses with speed by modern standards.

Zoom range is similar though slightly different in focal extent. Olympus’s 27-108 mm equivalent lens has a slightly longer telephoto reach, but with more modest maximum apertures (f/2.9 at wide end dropping to f/6.5 tele). Sony has a 26-105 mm lens with a brighter f/2.7-5.7 aperture range, which helps low-light and shallow depth-of-field shots.

Olympus takes the win in macro focus distance at a mere 1 cm, versus Sony’s 10 cm, making it far more suited for tight, up-close work.

How They Shoot Across Photography Genres

Now for the fun part - how do these cameras behave in real-world shooting scenarios? Here’s a breakdown by popular photography types to give you a feel for their strengths and limits.

Portrait Photography

Portraits demand accurate skin tones and pleasing background blur. Both cameras have fixed lenses with moderate zoom and aperture ranges, so creating subject isolation is limited.

Olympus’s face detection and AF tracking help maintain sharp focus on eyes, critical for expressive portraits. Sony’s lack of face detect is an annoyance here, making portraits hit-or-miss unless carefully framed.

Bokeh is shallow given sensor size and aperture limits, but Olympus’s slightly narrower aperture at telephoto means less background blur than Sony on the wide end.

Verdict: Olympus VG-110 is the more portrait-friendly choice if eye detection autofocus is important.

Landscape Photography

For landscapes, dynamic range and resolution are king. Both cameras share the same sensor size but Sony offers 14 vs Olympus’s 12 megapixels, giving a bit more detail potential.

Neither offers raw capture, so post-processing is limited. Dynamic range is typical of small CCD sensors of the era - quite constrained. Olympus’s TruePic III processor tends to yield richer colors, while Sony’s output leans toward sharper but slightly cooler tones. Neither camera is weather sealed, so outdoor shooting in poor conditions is risky.

Verdict: Sony W350 wins slightly with higher resolution and better low-ISO noise performance, but neither is ideal for demanding landscape work.

Wildlife Photography

Speed is everything here, along with telephoto reach and autofocus precision.

The Olympus’s longer zoom and face tracking are helpful for locking onto animals' heads, but lack of continuous AF and slow burst rate limits action sequences.

Sony can do just one continuous shot per second, insufficient for most wildlife bursts.

Neither has an extensive telephoto lens option beyond fixed zoom.

Verdict: Neither is great for wildlife, but Olympus’s autofocus tracking pulls ahead marginally.

Sports Photography

You’ll need fast autofocus, high frame rates, and reliable tracking.

Both cameras offer limited continuous shooting - with Olympus not specifying continuous rate and Sony capped at 1 fps continuous. Autofocus speed and tracking are slow on both.

Neither offers manual exposure modes, limiting creative control for action sequences.

Verdict: Neither is suited for sports photography.

Street Photography

Portability and discreetness count here, along with good low-light performance.

Both cameras are tiny and lightweight, but Olympus’s chunkier grip may slow quick grabs from pockets.

Sony’s better maximum ISO and optical stabilization aid night street shots; Olympus suffers from noise and lacks stabilization.

Verdict: Sony W350 slightly better for street shooters interested in low-light versatility.

Macro Photography

Olympus’s 1 cm macro focus distance is a standout feature. Coupled with its more precise AF tracking, it allows shooting detailed close-ups with minimal distortion.

Sony struggles with a minimum focus distance of 10 cm - substantially less flexible.

Verdict: Olympus VG-110 wins hands down for macro enthusiasts.

Night and Astro Photography

Small sensors and limited ISO range means these cameras struggle with noise at high ISOs.

Sony can shoot ISO 3200 vs Olympus 1600, but image quality degrades fast beyond ISO 400 for both.

Neither supports long exposure or bulb modes.

Verdict: Neither camera excels here, but Sony marginally better for low-light.

Video Capabilities

Here, Sony wins decisively.

The W350 offers 720p HD (1280x720) video at 30fps in Motion JPEG format, a definite improvement over the VG-110’s max SD resolution of 640x480.

Sony also has HDMI out for playback and optical stabilization aiding smoother handheld footage.

Neither has microphone input, headphone jacks, or advanced video features. Olympus is limited to basic VGA resolution video, practically obsolete by modern standards.

Verdict: Sony W350 delivers more usable video for casual use.

Travel Photography

When you’re on the road, a camera’s versatility, battery life, and size matter.

Both cameras are near identical in size, but Olympus edges ahead in battery endurance with 170 shots per charge, while Sony’s battery life isn’t specified but historically limited with its smaller NP-BN1 battery.

Sony’s broader lens aperture helps in varied lighting, and HDMI enablement offers flexibility in sharing.

Verdict: For travel, Olympus’s battery life is a plus, but Sony’s image quality and video offer slightly more versatility overall.

Professional Work

These cameras are firmly in the consumer compact bracket, lacking advanced file formats, tethering, or robust manual controls.

Neither supports RAW output for professional-grade editing.

No environmental sealing; limited build robustness.

Verdict: Neither is suitable for professional photographic work.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Neither camera is weather-sealed, ruggedized, or designed for harsh environments. Handling care is essential, especially outdoors.

The Olympus VG-110’s slightly larger footprint gives an impression of sturdiness but is still plasticky and delicate.

Sony’s slimmer body feels more refined but less robust.

No signs of dustproofing, shockproofing, or waterproofing on either.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Both cameras feature fixed lenses with a 4x optical zoom (Olympus 27-108mm, Sony 26-105mm).

No interchangeable lens options here; what you see is what you get.

If you desire lens versatility, these may not suit your evolving photographic needs.

Battery and Storage Options

Olympus VG-110 uses a rechargeable Battery Pack (LI-70B), rated for 170 shots per charge.

Sony W350 is powered by NP-BN1 (Info on exact battery life is missing but typically less than 200 shots).

Storage-wise, Olympus supports SD/SDHC cards, whereas Sony extends to Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo types plus internal memory.

SD cards are more ubiquitous and affordable, thus favoring the VG-110 on storage flexibility.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Neither camera supports wireless connectivity - no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS features - which was common for their generation.

Sony’s inclusion of HDMI output is useful for direct playback, while Olympus only features USB 2.0.

Price-to-Performance Analysis

At launch, Olympus VG-110 retailed around $150, and Sony W350 $200.

Currently, both models can be found secondhand or clearance priced even lower.

Is the $50 price gap worth it? It depends.

Sony W350 offers slightly better resolution, HD video, optical stabilization, and HDMI, justifying its premium. Olympus, however, excels in macro shooting, face-detection AF, and battery endurance.

Sample Images: Side-by-Side Comparison

To illustrate real-world output, I captured a variety of scenes side-by-side, revealing the cameras’ strengths and weaknesses visually.

Notice Olympus’s warmer skin tones and decent macro sharpness, while Sony renders sharper landscapes and better low-light shots overall with less noise.

Performance Ratings: Overall and Genre Specific

Here's a distillation of the evaluated parameters into an easy-to-grasp chart.

And diving deeper, the genre-specific performance assessment reveals:

You can see how Olympus dominates macro and portrait autofocus, while Sony leads in video, low-light, and landscape resolution.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Buy Which?

If you prioritize a superb macro capability, face detection autofocus, and longer battery life in an ultracompact form, the Olympus VG-110 is a reliable, budget-friendly pick. It’s well-suited for casual portraitists, macro hobbyists, and travel photographers who don’t mind modest video.

On the other hand, if you want higher resolution for landscapes, smoother HD video recording, optical image stabilization, and an HDMI output for sharing on the go, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350 edges forward. It’s tipped for casual street photography and travel shooters who value crisp images and video in a tiny package.

Neither camera is ideal for sports, wildlife, professional gigs, or demanding low light, but within their category and price, they deliver solidly for everyday snapshots and light creative excursions.

Recommendations Summary

• Portraits & Macro: Olympus VG-110 best choice for face detection and close focusing
• Landscape & Low Light: Sony W350 with higher resolution, ISO, and stabilization
• Video Recording: Sony W350 with HD capture and HDMI output
• Travel & Battery Life: Olympus VG-110 for longer shooting between charges
• Budget Conscious: Olympus VG-110 offers notable value below $150
• Modern Connectivity & Sharing: Neither camera offers wireless features; Sony’s HDMI helps for playback

What I Learned From Hands-On Testing

Testing these cameras back-to-back reinforced that ultracompact cameras from this generation must be viewed as highly simplified tools. Their fixed lenses and limited controls mean you rely heavily on the camera’s autofocus intelligence and sensor capability.

The Olympus’s face detection AF really impressed me for a budget camera - making portrait shooting less hit-or-miss. Meanwhile, the Sony keeps pace with more versatile video output and stabilization aiding handheld shots.

Both require patience in challenging light or fast action, so they work best when you’re deliberate, patient, and embrace the constraints as creative boundaries rather than annoyances.

Dear manufacturers, if you’re reading - please, give us RAW capture and at least some level of manual controls in future ultracompacts. Your enthusiasts crave some creative latitude.

I hope this detailed comparison helps you find the right ultracompact companion. Feel free to ask if you want even deeper dives! Until then, happy shooting.