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Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6

Portability
96
Imaging
37
Features
26
Overall
32
Olympus VG-160 front
 
Sony Alpha NEX-6 front
Portability
85
Imaging
57
Features
76
Overall
64

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 Key Specs

Olympus VG-160
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 26-130mm (F2.8-6.5) lens
  • 125g - 96 x 57 x 19mm
  • Revealed January 2012
Sony NEX-6
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 345g - 120 x 67 x 43mm
  • Announced March 2013
  • New Model is Sony A6000
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Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 Overview

Following is a comprehensive assessment of the Olympus VG-160 and Sony NEX-6, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the VG-160 (14MP) and the NEX-6 (16MP) is relatively close but the VG-160 (1/2.3") and NEX-6 (APS-C) come with different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The VG-160 was brought out 14 months earlier than the NEX-6 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go in to a more detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the VG-160 grades versus the NEX-6 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus VG-160 over the Sony NEX-6

 VG-160 NEX-6 

Reasons to pick Sony NEX-6 over the Olympus VG-160

 NEX-6 VG-160 
AnnouncedMarch 2013January 2012More modern by 14 months
Focus manually Very accurate focusing
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution921k230kClearer screen (+691k dot)

Common features in the Olympus VG-160 and Sony NEX-6

 VG-160 NEX-6 
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen measurement
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen
Touch screen Lack of Touch screen

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 Physical Comparison

For those who are planning to carry around your camera often, you will want to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus VG-160 offers 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) and the Sony NEX-6 has specifications of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 345 grams (0.76 lbs).

Check out the Olympus VG-160 and Sony NEX-6 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is the front view scale comparison of the VG-160 against the NEX-6.

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VG-160 and NEX-6 is 96 and 85 respectively.

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 top view buttons comparison

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes only by viewing technical specs. The picture here might give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the VG-160 and NEX-6.

As you can tell, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The VG-160 due to its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony NEX-6 will render more detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots much more aggressively. The more aged VG-160 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 sensor size comparison

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus VG-160 Portrait photography information
Sony NEX-6 Portrait photography information
33
MP count good (14MP)
offers face detection focus
manual focus not available
lack of manual exposure
no external flash support
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
74
focusing manually
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
features face detection autofocus
exports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus VG-160 Street photography details
Sony NEX-6 Street photography details
56
lighter than average in class (125 grams)
fixed screen
lack of image stabilization
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
78
has a tilting screen
good sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
lighter than average in class (345g)
good high ISO (25,600)
does not have image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Olympus VG-160 Sports photography information
Sony NEX-6 Sports photography information
26
MP count good (14 megapixels)
no shutter priority
lack of image stabilization
small sensor size (1/2.3")
terrible battery (165 shots)
has no phase detect auto focus
66
decent megapixels (16MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
comes with phase detect autofocus
does not have image stabilization
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Travel Comparison

Olympus VG-160 Travel photography info
Sony NEX-6 Travel photography info
65
lighter than average in class (125 grams)
MP count good (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
decently wide (26mm)
does not have Time Lapse recording
terrible battery (165 shots)
display isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
75
lighter than average in class (345g)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
screen is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus VG-160 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony NEX-6 as a Landscape photography camera
36
decently wide (26mm)
good sized screen (3 inches)
MP count good (14 megapixels)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
lack of manual exposure
lack of image stabilization
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
terrible battery (165 CIPA)
does not have Time Lapse recording
75
focusing manually
swap lenses (Sony E mount)
screen size is good (3")
decent megapixels (16MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
good high ISO (25,600)
exports RAW formats
does not have image stabilization
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus VG-160
Vlogging with Sony NEX-6
30
decently wide (26mm)
offers face detection focus
lighter than average in class (125 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
does not have external mic jack
32
features face detection autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than average in class (345 grams)
screen is not selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
doesn't have external mic jack
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Olympus VG-160 vs Sony NEX-6 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus VG-160 and Sony NEX-6
 Olympus VG-160Sony Alpha NEX-6
General Information
Brand Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus VG-160 Sony Alpha NEX-6
Type Small Sensor Compact Advanced Mirrorless
Revealed 2012-01-10 2013-03-25
Body design Compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Chip - Bionz
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4288 x 3216 4912 x 3264
Maximum native ISO 1600 25600
Min native ISO 80 100
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points - 99
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens Sony E
Lens zoom range 26-130mm (5.0x) -
Largest aperture f/2.8-6.5 -
Macro focusing distance 7cm -
Amount of lenses - 121
Crop factor 5.8 1.5
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen size 3" 3"
Screen resolution 230k dot 921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Screen technology TFT Color LCD Xtra Fine LCD with Tilt Up 90� and Down 45�
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359k dot
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.73x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 4s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting speed - 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 4.80 m 6.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync - 1/160s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30,15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 180 (30,15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 24 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 125 gr (0.28 lbs) 345 gr (0.76 lbs)
Dimensions 96 x 57 x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") 120 x 67 x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 78
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 23.7
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 13.1
DXO Low light rating not tested 1018
Other
Battery life 165 pictures 360 pictures
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-70B NPFW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10sec (3 images))
Time lapse recording With downloadable app
Storage media SD/SDHC SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Price at launch $90 $365