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Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1

Portability
96
Imaging
38
Features
26
Overall
33
Olympus VG-160 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 front
Portability
79
Imaging
70
Features
57
Overall
64

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 Key Specs

Olympus VG-160
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 26-130mm (F2.8-6.5) lens
  • 125g - 96 x 57 x 19mm
  • Announced January 2012
Sony RX1
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 35mm (F2.0-22.0) lens
  • 482g - 113 x 65 x 70mm
  • Revealed February 2013
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Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 Overview

Below, we will be evaluating the Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the VG-160 (14MP) and RX1 (24MP) and the VG-160 (1/2.3") and RX1 (Full frame) come with different sensor sizes.

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The VG-160 was revealed 13 months earlier than the RX1 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a simple summary of how the VG-160 scores against the RX1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus VG-160 over the Sony RX1

 VG-160 RX1 

Reasons to pick Sony RX1 over the Olympus VG-160

 RX1 VG-160 
RevealedFebruary 2013January 2012Fresher by 13 months
Focus manually Very exact focus
Screen resolution1229k230kSharper screen (+999k dot)

Common features in the Olympus VG-160 and Sony RX1

 VG-160 RX1 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen dimensions
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Absent Touch friendly screen

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 Physical Comparison

For those who are planning to carry your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus VG-160 offers outer 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) while the Sony RX1 has sizing of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") with a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at the time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the VG-160 against the RX1.

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VG-160 and RX1 is 96 and 79 respectively.

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, its difficult to visualize the gap between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VG-160 and RX1.

Clearly, both cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The VG-160 with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony RX1 will give greater detail because of its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The older VG-160 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 sensor size comparison

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus VG-160 Portrait photography information
Sony RX1 Portrait photography information
34
decent sensor resolution (14MP)
supports face detection autofocus
manual focus not available
no manual control
can't use external flash
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
82
you can focus manually
above average flash sync speed (1/4,000 seconds)
good megapixels (24 megapixels)
large sensor size (Full frame)
provides face detection autofocus
delivers RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus VG-160
Street photography with Sony RX1
56
lighter than competition (125g)
screen is fixed
no image stabilization
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
66
large sensor size (Full frame)
delivers RAW formats
great ISO range (25,600)
no moving screen
no image stabilization
heavier than competition (482 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus VG-160 as a Sports photography camera
Sony RX1 as a Sports photography camera
27
decent sensor resolution (14 megapixels)
no shutter priority mode
no image stabilization
small sensor size (1/2.3")
not so great battery pack (165 CIPA)
has no phase detect autofocus
53
good megapixels (24 megapixels)
large sensor size (Full frame)
provides tracking autofocus
can't change focal length (35mm)
max frames per second very slow (5.0 fps)
no image stabilization
low battery life (270 CIPA)
lack of phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus VG-160 as a Travel photography camera
Sony RX1 as a Travel photography camera
66
lighter than competition (125 grams)
decent sensor resolution (14MP)
flash built-in
pretty wide (26mm)
lack of Timelapse function
not so great battery pack (165 per charge)
screen is not selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f2.8)
62
good megapixels (24 megapixels)
built-in flash
great max aperture (f2.0)
missing Time Lapse recording
low battery life (270 CIPA)
heavier than competition (482g)
does not offer selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus VG-160 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony RX1 as a Landscape photography camera
37
pretty wide (26mm)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
decent sensor resolution (14MP)
manual focus not available
can't change lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f2.8)
no manual control
no image stabilization
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
not so great battery pack (165 per charge)
lack of Timelapse function
65
you can focus manually
great max aperture (f2.0)
screen size is good (3 inches)
good megapixels (24 megapixels)
large sensor size (Full frame)
great ISO range (25,600)
delivers RAW formats
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
can't change focal length (35mm)
no image stabilization
low battery life (270 per charge)
missing Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus VG-160
Vlogging with Sony RX1
30
pretty wide (26mm)
supports face detection autofocus
lighter than competition (125 grams)
slow max aperture (f2.8)
screen is not selfie friendly
no image stabilization
video resolution low (1280 x 720 resolution)
lack of external microphone port
34
great max aperture (f2.0)
provides face detection autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
comes with external mic support
does not offer selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
heavier than competition (482g)
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Olympus VG-160 vs Sony RX1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus VG-160 and Sony RX1
 Olympus VG-160Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
General Information
Brand Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus VG-160 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Class Small Sensor Compact Large Sensor Compact
Announced 2012-01-10 2013-02-19
Physical type Compact Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Full frame
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 35.8 x 23.8mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 852.0mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixels 24 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 4288 x 3216 6000 x 4000
Maximum native ISO 1600 25600
Minimum native ISO 80 100
RAW images
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points - 25
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens support fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 26-130mm (5.0x) 35mm (1x)
Maximum aperture f/2.8-6.5 f/2.0-22.0
Macro focusing distance 7cm -
Crop factor 5.8 1
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 3 inches 3 inches
Display resolution 230 thousand dots 1,229 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology TFT Color LCD Xtra FineTFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic and Optical (optional)
Features
Minimum shutter speed 4 seconds 30 seconds
Fastest shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter rate - 5.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 4.80 m 6.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize - 1/4000 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30,15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 180 (30,15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 25, 24 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30, 25 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 25 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 125g (0.28 lb) 482g (1.06 lb)
Dimensions 96 x 57 x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") 113 x 65 x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested 93
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 25.1
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 14.3
DXO Low light rating not tested 2534
Other
Battery life 165 shots 270 shots
Type of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-70B NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots One One
Price at release $90 $2,798