Olympus VG-120 vs Panasonic GF1

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus VG-120 and Panasonic GF1, former is a Ultracompact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the VG-120 (14MP) and the GF1 (12MP) is very close but the VG-120 (1/2.3") and GF1 (Four Thirds) have different sensor dimensions.

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The VG-120 was introduced 15 months after the GF1 making them a generation away from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus VG-120 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic GF1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the VG-120 scores versus the GF1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VG-120 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus VG-120 Gallery & Panasonic GF1 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera, you need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus VG-120 offers physical dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 120 grams (0.26 lbs) while the Panasonic GF1 has measurements of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus VG-120 and Panasonic GF1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilising at the time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the VG-120 against the GF1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the VG-120 and GF1 is 96 and 85 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor dimensions only by researching specs. The picture here will give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VG-120 and GF1.

All in all, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The VG-120 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Olympus VG-120 will provide you with more detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos more aggressively. The fresher VG-120 provides an advantage in sensor technology.