Olympus VG-120 vs Sony A350

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus VG-120 and Sony A350, one being a Ultracompact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the VG-120 (14MP) and the A350 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the VG-120 (1/2.3") and A350 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The VG-120 was manufactured 2 years later than the A350 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus VG-120 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A350 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a full comparison, here is a quick summation of how the VG-120 scores versus the A350 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VG-120 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus VG-120 Gallery and Sony A350 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus VG-120 comes with external dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 120 grams (0.26 lbs) and the Sony A350 has specifications of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") and a weight of 674 grams (1.49 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VG-120 and Sony A350 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at the time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the VG-120 compared to the A350.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VG-120 and A350 is 96 and 62 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing just by looking at technical specs. The graphic below should give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the VG-120 and A350.

As you can tell, both of the cameras come with the identical megapixels albeit not the same sensor sizing. The VG-120 has got the tinier sensor which should make obtaining shallower DOF tougher. The newer VG-120 will have an edge in sensor tech.