Olympus VG-145 vs Sony NEX-3

Below, we will be analyzing the Olympus VG-145 vs Sony NEX-3, former is a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VG-145 (14MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the VG-145 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) use different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The VG-145 was launched 14 months after the NEX-3 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus VG-145 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go through a detailed comparison, below is a short view of how the VG-145 scores vs the NEX-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VG-145 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus VG-145 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus VG-145 provides external 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 Sony NEX-3 has specifications of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VG-145 vs Sony NEX-3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the VG-145 vs the NEX-3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the VG-145 and NEX-3 is 96 and 89 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to picture the difference between sensor dimensions merely by reading through specifications. The pic underneath may give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the VG-145 and NEX-3.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses the exact same MP albeit different sensor dimensions. The VG-145 provides the tinier sensor which is going to make getting shallow depth of field more challenging. The more modern VG-145 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.