Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic LX7

In this article, we will be analyzing the Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic LX7, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap among the image resolutions of the VG-160 (14MP) and LX7 (10MP) and the VG-160 (1/2.3") and LX7 (1/1.7") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The VG-160 was manufactured 9 months before the LX7 and they are both of a similar age. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a short introduction of how the VG-160 grades vs the LX7 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VG-160 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus VG-160 Gallery & Panasonic LX7 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus VG-160 features outside dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Panasonic LX7 has sizing of 111mm x 68mm x 46mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.8") with a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic LX7 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the VG-160 vs the LX7.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VG-160 and LX7 is 96 and 86 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to envision the gap in sensor measurements purely by researching a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the VG-160 and LX7.

As you can see, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The VG-160 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Olympus VG-160 will render extra detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The older VG-160 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.