Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic GX1

Following is a extended assessment of the Olympus VG-160 versus Panasonic GX1, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the VG-160 (14MP) and the GX1 (16MP) is pretty similar but the VG-160 (1/2.3") and GX1 (Four Thirds) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The VG-160 was released at a similar time to the GX1 and they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GX1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a complete comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the VG-160 scores vs the GX1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VG-160 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus VG-160 Gallery & Panasonic GX1 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus VG-160 comes with external measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GX1 has proportions of 116mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") along with a weight of 318 grams (0.70 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VG-160 versus Panasonic GX1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you use at that moment. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the VG-160 compared to the GX1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VG-160 and GX1 is 96 and 87 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to visualise the difference between sensor sizes purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The picture below may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the VG-160 and GX1.

As you can see, both of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The VG-160 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Panasonic GX1 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively.