Olympus VG-145 vs Samsung NX5: A Thorough Comparison for Every Photographer

Choosing a camera that truly fits your photography style and needs can feel like navigating a complex maze. Today, we're unraveling the distinctions between two very different cameras - Olympus’s compact VG-145 and Samsung’s entry-level mirrorless NX5. Both hail from around the same era but target distinct user bases and photographic demands. After extensive evaluation - spanning sensor technology, ergonomics, autofocus systems, and real-world shooting scenarios - I’m here to illuminate what each camera brings to the table, where they might leave you wanting, and which type of photographer they truly cater to.

Let’s dive in.

Compact Convenience vs. Mirrorless Ambition: Understanding the Camera Bodies

When you first hold a camera, its physicality tells a story about its intended use. The Olympus VG-145 is an ultracompact point-and-shoot with effortless portability. At just 96x57x19mm and a featherweight 120 grams, it slips easily into a jacket pocket or a small purse. Its minimalistic design lacks a viewfinder, relying solely on its 3-inch fixed TFT LCD for composition. Ergonomically, it's streamlined but offers limited tactile controls, focusing on grab-and-go simplicity.

Contrast this with the Samsung NX5’s more substantial SLR-style mirrorless body. Measuring 123x87x40mm and weighing roughly 499 grams, it feels more deliberate and balanced in hand. The grip is pronounced, lending confidence, especially with larger lenses. The NX5 features an electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 100% coverage and a 0.57x magnification - an appealing feature for those who prefer eye-level composition. Its first-run ergonomics include a solid control layout with buttons dedicated to exposure modes, aiding more advanced manual shooting.

The forms reflect their philosophies: Olympus aims for ultra-portability and ease of use, while Samsung targets photographers ready to step deeper into manual settings and lens interchangeability.

Under the Hood: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Sensor size is the foundational factor influencing image quality, dynamic range, noise performance, and aesthetic flexibility. The Olympus VG-145’s 1/2.3" CCD sensor measures a modest 6.17x4.55mm, producing 14 megapixels. While respectable for basic snapshots, the small sensor surface area (roughly 28 mm²) limits low-light performance and dynamic range, an issue compounded by the use of a CCD rather than the then-modern CMOS tech.

The Samsung NX5 upgrades substantially in this department. Its APS-C CMOS sensor is 23.4x15.6mm, about 13 times larger in area (~365 mm²), offering 15 megapixels of resolution. APS-C sensors generally provide superior image quality, delivering cleaner high-ISO capability, broader dynamic range, and more detail retention, especially benefiting shooting in challenging light or printing large images.

In practical terms, this difference means the NX5 produces richer colors, deeper tonal gradations, and less noise at ISO 800 and above. Tests in dim environments, such as indoor portraits and dusk landscapes, demonstrated the NX5’s sensor noise control markedly outperforms the VG-145, whose images become grainy beyond ISO 400.

Lens Systems: Fixed Convenience versus Interchangeable Versatility

A critical divergence point is lens design. The Olympus VG-145 sports a fixed 26-130mm (5x optical zoom) f/2.8-6.5 lens equivalent. This range covers wide to moderate telephoto perspectives suitable for casual snapshots but lacks the optical quality and flexibility of interchangeable lenses. Its minimum focusing distance is impressive at 1cm, facilitating macro-style close-ups.

The NX5, however, employs Samsung’s NX mount, compatible with 32 native lenses ranging from pancake primes to telephoto zooms. The availability of lenses opens avenues for portraiture with bright apertures (f/1.8 or wider), wildlife or sports photography with long focal lengths, and specialized lenses for macro or tilt-shift photography.

For example, pairing the NX5 with a 50mm f/1.8 prime yields creamy bokeh and sharp portraits - options the VG-145’s fixed lens cannot match. Furthermore, external flashes can be mounted on the NX5, a boon for creative lighting, whereas the VG-145 is limited to its small built-in unit.

Composing Your Shot: Displays and Viewfinders in Action

Both cameras offer 3-inch displays with identical 230k dot resolution but differ substantially in technology and usability.

The Olympus VG-145’s TFT LCD is straightforward and visible in normal light but suffers in bright outdoors due to glare and limited resolution. The fixed screen cannot be articulated, restricting composition options in awkward angles.

The Samsung NX5 shines (literally) with its Active Matrix OLED screen, delivering richer colors and higher contrast even under challenging lighting. Coupled with its electronic viewfinder, photographers gain compositional precision and stability, especially in bright sunlight or fast action. Eye-level EVF use also maintains steadier shooting posture, minimizing handshake - a subtle but impactful ergonomic benefit.

Given the VG-145’s lack of an EVF, this is a key area where the NX5 enhances user experience, especially valuable for methodical photographers rather than quick snappers.

Focusing Mechanics: From Auto to Manual Mastery

Focusing is critical across photography disciplines, and here the cameras again illustrate their contrasting design goals.

The Olympus VG-145 offers basic contrast-detection autofocus with face detection. It doesn’t support manual focus or focus bracketing, and there’s no continuous AF for tracking moving subjects. Its 5.8x focal length multiplier on the small sensor makes exact focus less critical at wide angles, but telephoto shots or macro shots reveal its limitations, with hunting or missed focus common.

The Samsung NX5, though affordable by mirrorless standards, includes 15 contrast-detection AF points and face detection. Crucially, it supports manual focus via focus rings on compatible lenses, allowing precise control favored by seasoned photographers. Continuous AF modes exist, though no advanced tracking or animal eye detection features are present.

In tests focusing on moving subjects such as street performers or pets, the NX5’s faster and more responsive AF resulted in a better keeper rate. Conversely, VG-145’s AF sometimes lagged, highlighting that it is better suited for still, unhurried compositions.

Shutter Speeds and Exposure Control: Freedom versus Simplicity

Exposure flexibility is another division line dictated by intended users.

The VG-145 offers a shutter speed range from 4 to 1/2000 seconds but lacks aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual exposure modes. The fixed lens envelope of f/2.8-6.5 limits depth-of-field control. Users receive auto exposure and limited exposure compensation.

The NX5 impresses with fully manual exposure control, including aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual modes. Its shutter speed ranges from 30 seconds to 1/4000 seconds, covering long exposures for night photography and fast speeds for sports. Plus, it supports exposure bracketing, vital for HDR workflows.

This means creative photographers who want to experiment with motion blur, freezing action, or depth-of-field effects will feel handicapped by the VG-145, while the NX5 accommodates an evolving skillset.

Image Stabilization and Flash Options: Managing Sharpness and Lighting

Neither camera incorporates in-body image stabilization, which means both rely on lens stabilization or shutter speed to control blur. The VG-145’s fixed lens has no optical stabilization, a downside for low-light handheld shooting. The NX5 also lacks in-body stabilization, but some compatible Nikon NX lenses include built-in stabilization.

Regarding flash, the VG-145 features a limited built-in pop-up with a modest 4.4m range. There is no option for an external flash, restricting creative lighting control. Meanwhile, the NX5 includes a built-in flash with double the range (11m) and, critically, supports external flash units via hot shoe. This is indispensable for portrait, macro, and event photographers needing fill, bounce, or off-camera lighting.

Battery, Storage, and Connectivity: How Long and How Flexible?

Battery life on the VG-145 is rated at 160 shots per charge, suitable for casual day outs but inadequate for prolonged sessions. The compact battery pack is proprietary and less common today. Storage is via SD/SDHC cards, a standard that remains widely accessible.

Samsung’s NX5 boasts a more robust battery life of 400 shots per charge, a significant advantage when traveling or shooting events. It also uses SD/SDHC cards but complements this with USB 2.0 and optional GPS connectivity, albeit no wireless standards like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are available.

In the Field: Performance Across Photography Genres

Both cameras were field-tested across a range of scenarios to find their domain-specific strengths and weaknesses.

Portraits: Skin Tones and Bokeh Nuance

The NX5, paired with fast lenses, produces appealing skin textures and subtle background separation thanks to its larger sensor and manual aperture control. Its face detection autofocus works reliably.

The VG-145, limited by sensor size and lens aperture, tends to flatten facial features and offers a more “compact camera” look lacking the creamy bokeh prized in portraits.

Landscapes: Dynamic Range and Detail

The NX5 captures wider dynamic range, preserving both bright skies and shadowed foregrounds better. Sharpness and resolution hold up well in large prints.

VG-145’s dynamic range is compressed, with shadows often crushed and highlights clipped. Fine land details may appear slightly soft due to sensor and lens constraints.

Wildlife and Sports: Speed and Tracking

Neither camera is optimized for fast action, but the NX5’s faster shutter and continuous AF modes deliver better results with moving subjects. Burst shooting at 3 fps is a modest speed but usable.

VG-145’s lack of continuous focus and slow autofocus hamper performance significantly here.

Street and Travel: Portability vs Control

The VG-145’s tiny size makes it a natural street and travel companion when discreetness and packing light matter. Its simplicity encourages point-and-shoot freedom.

The NX5, though larger and heavier, offers more creative control and adaptability. For longer trips, its superior battery and lens options make it worthwhile, but it’s less pocketable.

Macro and Night/Astro Photography

VG-145’s close focus at 1cm is impressive, allowing interesting macro shots without accessories, but image softness and noise in low light limit results.

NX5’s longer exposures and manual aperture control give it the edge in night and astro photography at this price point.

Video and Audio

Both record HD video at 1280x720, but the VG-145 uses Motion JPEG - producing larger files and lower quality compression. The NX5 uses H.264 for better quality and efficiency.

Neither has microphone or headphone ports, limiting audio design, and neither features in-body stabilization, so smooth handheld video requires skill or external tools.

Price-to-Performance: Who Gets the Most Bang for Their Buck?

The Olympus VG-145, while now essentially entry-level and discontinued, was aimed at consumers who valued compact convenience above all. As a travel camera or casual snapshot tool, it's cost-effective and easy to use.

The Samsung NX5 launched at a price around $500, positioning itself as an accessible gateway to mirrorless interchangeable lenses. Greater investment yielded more image quality, manual control, and creative potential, rewarding ambitious users stepping up from compacts or smartphone cameras.

Summing It Up: Which Camera Suits Your Photography?

Choose the Olympus VG-145 if:

• You want an ultracompact camera for casual snapshots or travel without fuss.
• You prioritize pocketability and instant simplicity over image quality.
• Your primary subjects are well-lit scenes or daylight landscapes.
• You don’t intend to learn manual settings or swap lenses.
• Battery life and lack of external flashes are acceptable trade-offs.

Opt for the Samsung NX5 if:

• You’re ready to elevate your photography with manual exposure and interchangeable lenses.
• You seek better image quality, especially in portraits, landscapes, and low light.
• You need an EVF and robust autofocus for more precise framing and focus.
• You value battery life and flash flexibility.
• You want a camera that grows with your skills, accommodating advanced techniques and diverse genres.

Final Thoughts

The Olympus VG-145 and Samsung NX5 represent two distinct philosophies prevailing in early 2010s compact and mirrorless cameras. While the VG-145 is a neat little beast for casual use, it simply cannot keep up with the versatility and image quality enabled by an APS-C mirrorless like the NX5. Still, there’s something to be said for the “grab and go” convenience of a true ultracompact.

As someone who has thoroughly tested both cameras across real-world scenarios, the choice boils down to your priorities: uncompromising portability versus creative freedom and image excellence. Either way, understanding these strengths and trade-offs ensures your next camera aligns with your photographic ambitions.

Olympus VG 145 front Olympus VG 145 screen back Samsung NX5 screen back

Whether your passion is street photography, macro close-ups, or landscapes at golden hour, this comparison aims to empower you with an informed perspective rooted in hands-on experience. Happy shooting!