Olympus VG-145 vs Panasonic ZS200

Following is a thorough analysis of the Olympus VG-145 and Panasonic ZS200, one is a Ultracompact and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the VG-145 (14MP) and ZS200 (20MP) and the VG-145 (1/2.3") and ZS200 (1") possess totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The VG-145 was brought out 7 years prior to the ZS200 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VG-145 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a short introduction of how the VG-145 scores vs the ZS200 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VG-145 and Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus VG-145 Gallery and Panasonic ZS200 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus VG-145 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) and the Panasonic ZS200 has proportions of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") having a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs).

Check the Olympus VG-145 and Panasonic ZS200 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the VG-145 vs the ZS200.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the VG-145 and ZS200 is 96 and 86 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizes merely by going through a spec sheet. The picture here might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the VG-145 and ZS200.

Clearly, the two cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The VG-145 featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Panasonic ZS200 will provide more detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images far more aggressively. The more aged VG-145 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.