Nikon L31 vs Olympus VG-160 Comparison

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Nikon L31

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus VG-160

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon L31 vs Olympus VG-160 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing L31 and VG-160, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Nikon Coolpix L31 is a Ultracompact class camera and Olympus VG-160 is a Small Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon L31 was introduced to the market in January 2015 and Olympus VG-160 was launched in January 2012. As you can see, VG-160 is 3 years older than L31. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon L31 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2015-01-14

16MP - 1/2.3' CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 Zoom Lens

2.70" Fixed Type Screen

fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

160g. 96 x 59 x 29 mm

Olympus VG-160 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-01-10

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

26-130 mm F2.8-6.5 Zoom Lens

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

125g. 96 x 57 x 19 mm

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L31 over Olympus VG-160

Internal Storage	17MB vs None	Extra built-in storage
Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 14 MP	14% more pixels
Battery Life	200 shots vs 165 shots	35 more frames with a single charge
Selfie & Vlogger LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

CHECK L31 PRICE

Reasons to choose Olympus VG-160 over Nikon Coolpix L31

LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
Weight	125 g vs 160 g	35 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.20	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	4.8m vs 3.6m	1.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.04µm2 vs 1.76µm2	15% larger pixel area

CHECK VG-160 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus VG-160

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus VG-160

In-body Image Stabilization	Digital only vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	6.50 vs 6.50	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VG-160: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon L31 has external dimensions of 96 x 59 x 29 mm (3.78 x 2.32 x 1.14″) and weighs 160 g (0.35 lb / 5.64 oz) (including batteries). Olympus VG-160 has external dimensions of 96 x 57 x 19 mm (3.78 x 2.24 x 0.75″) and weighs 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon L31 and the Olympus VG-160.

Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the Olympus VG-160 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160.

Top View Comparison image of the Nikon L31 and the the Olympus VG-160 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus VG-160 is significantly lighter (35g ) than the Nikon L31 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

VG-160

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

VG-160

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Olympus VG-160 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus VG-160's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L31's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VG-160: Sensor Comparison

Nikon L31 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Olympus VG-160 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the L31 and VG-160 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 Cameras

Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Olympus VG-160 has 15% larger pixel area (2.04µm² vs 1.76µm²) compared to Nikon L31, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VG-160 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus VG-160 features a 26-130 mm F2.8-6.5 5× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 26mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Olympus VG-160 is faster than Nikon L31 at this focal length. Both cameras have a tele angle reach of 130mm and have the same max aperture of f6.50 at this focal length.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31

VG-160

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L31

VG-160

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L31

VG-160

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L31

VG-160

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon L31 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Street Photography

POOR

Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Sports Photography

POOR

Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 165 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
160g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
125g
Body Thickness 19mm
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Landscape Photography

POOR

26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VG-160: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon L31 and Olympus VG-160 scores compare:

Nikon L31

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #105 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1132 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Olympus VG-160

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #411 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1134 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Olympus VG-160 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L31	Olympus VG-160
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2015-01-14	2012-01-10
Body Type	Ultracompact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CCD
Size	1/2.3'	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	n/a	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	26-130 mm (5×)	26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-6.5	F2.8-6.5
Macro Focus Range	10cm	7cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.70"	3.00"
Resolution	230k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Digital only	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.60 m	4.80 m
External Flash
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	160g	125g
Dimensions	96 x 59 x 29mm	96 x 57 x 19mm
Battery Life	200 shots	165 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction