Olympus VG-160 vs Sony A33

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus VG-160 vs Sony A33, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VG-160 (14MP) and the A33 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the VG-160 (1/2.3") and A33 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The VG-160 was revealed 17 months after the A33 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VG-160 being a Compact camera and the Sony A33 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a short view of how the VG-160 grades vs the A33 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VG-160 & Sony SLT-A33. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus VG-160 Gallery & Sony A33 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus VG-160 provides outer measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony A33 has measurements of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") with a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

See the Olympus VG-160 vs Sony A33 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have during that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the VG-160 compared to the A33.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the VG-160 and A33 is 96 and 67 respectively.

Often, its difficult to see the difference between sensor dimensions just by looking at specifications. The picture below will provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the VG-160 and A33.

To sum up, both of these cameras enjoy the same exact MP albeit not the same sensor dimensions. The VG-160 contains the tinier sensor which will make obtaining shallower depth of field tougher. The fresher VG-160 will have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.