Olympus VG-160 vs Sigma DP1s

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus VG-160 versus Sigma DP1s, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sigma. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the VG-160 (14MP) and DP1s (5MP) and the VG-160 (1/2.3") and DP1s (APS-C) possess different sensor sizes.

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The VG-160 was brought out 2 years later than the DP1s and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP1s being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving through a thorough comparison, below is a simple view of how the VG-160 grades vs the DP1s with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VG-160 and Sigma DP1s. The entire galleries are available at Olympus VG-160 Gallery and Sigma DP1s Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus VG-160 has got exterior dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Sigma DP1s has dimensions of 109mm x 60mm x 31mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 270 grams (0.60 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VG-160 versus Sigma DP1s in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the VG-160 against the DP1s.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the VG-160 and DP1s is 96 and 90 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to visualize the gap between sensor measurements merely by checking technical specs. The photograph below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the VG-160 and DP1s.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The VG-160 due to its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Olympus VG-160 will give more detail having its extra 9MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics much more aggressively. The newer VG-160 should have an edge with regard to sensor tech.