Olympus VG-120 vs Samsung PL170

The following is a extended review of the Olympus VG-120 versus Samsung PL170, both Ultracompact digital cameras by rivals Olympus and Samsung. The sensor resolution of the VG-120 (14MP) and the PL170 (16MP) is relatively similar and both cameras provide the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The VG-120 was released very close to the PL170 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras have the same body design (Ultracompact).

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a brief summary of how the VG-120 scores versus the PL170 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VG-120 & Samsung PL170. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus VG-120 Gallery & Samsung PL170 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus VG-120 provides outside measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 120 grams (0.26 lbs) whilst the Samsung PL170 has proportions of 95mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus VG-120 versus Samsung PL170 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the VG-120 compared to the PL170.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the VG-120 and PL170 is 96 and 99 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions simply by going over technical specs. The pic underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the VG-120 and PL170.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Samsung PL170 to offer you more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively.