Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic GH3

Below is a detailed overview of the Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic GH3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the VG-160 (14MP) and the GH3 (16MP) is relatively similar but the VG-160 (1/2.3") and GH3 (Four Thirds) provide different sensor measurements.

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The VG-160 was announced 8 months earlier than the GH3 which means that they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a thorough comparison, here is a simple summation of how the VG-160 matches up against the GH3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VG-160 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus VG-160 Gallery & Panasonic GH3 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus VG-160 has physical dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Panasonic GH3 has measurements of 133mm x 93mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.2") with a weight of 550 grams (1.21 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic GH3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing at that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the VG-160 against the GH3.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the VG-160 and GH3 is 96 and 66 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reviewing specs. The visual underneath should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the VG-160 and GH3.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The VG-160 with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Panasonic GH3 will offer you extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older VG-160 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.