Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic FZ80

Below is a extensive assessment of the Olympus VG-160 versus Panasonic FZ80, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the VG-160 (14MP) and FZ80 (18MP) but they possess the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The VG-160 was brought out 6 years earlier than the FZ80 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving through a detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the VG-160 scores versus the FZ80 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VG-160 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus VG-160 Gallery & Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and size. The Olympus VG-160 has outside measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ80 has specifications of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") along with a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Check the Olympus VG-160 versus Panasonic FZ80 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have at that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the VG-160 against the FZ80.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VG-160 and FZ80 is 96 and 63 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to imagine the difference between sensor measurements simply by reading through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will help give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the VG-160 and FZ80.

As you can see, the two cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You can anticipate the Panasonic FZ80 to resolve more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos far more aggressively. The older VG-160 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.