Nikon S9100 vs Olympus VG-145 Comparison

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Nikon S9100

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Olympus VG-145

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

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Nikon S9100 vs Olympus VG-145 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Nikon S9100 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Olympus VG-145 was launched in July 2011. Both S9100 and VG-145 were launched within the same month so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and available technology level.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon S9100 has a 12.0 MP and Olympus VG-145 has a 14.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S9100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-19

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 160 - 3200

25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

214g. 105 x 62 x 35 mm

Olympus VG-145 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-27

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

26-130 mm F2.8-6.5 Zoom Lens

3" Fixed Type Screen

Unknown continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

120g. 96 x 57 x 19 mm

Nikon S9100 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9300. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Nikon Coolpix S9100
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Olympus VG-145

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9100 over Olympus VG-145

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Max ISO	3.200 vs 1.600	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 230k dots	300% higher resolution screen
Battery Life	270 shots vs 160 shots	110 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 26mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 130mm	320 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Reasons to choose Olympus VG-145 over Nikon Coolpix S9100

Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
Weight	120 g vs 214 g	94 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Olympus VG-145

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 S9100 and Olympus VG-145

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
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
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.50	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon S9100 vs Olympus VG-145: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S9100 has external dimensions of 105 x 62 x 35 mm (4.13 x 2.44 x 1.38″) and weighs 214 g (0.47 lb / 7.55 oz) (including batteries). Olympus VG-145 has external dimensions of 96 x 57 x 19 mm (3.78 x 2.24 x 0.75″) and weighs 120 g (0.26 lb / 4.23 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145. Olympus VG-145 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 9mm narrower, 5mm shorter and 16mm thinner than Nikon S9100.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus VG-145 is significantly lighter (94g ) than the Nikon S9100 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

VG-145

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

VG-145

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S9100 nor Olympus VG-145 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, 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

Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

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

Nikon S9100 vs Olympus VG-145: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S9100 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Olympus VG-145 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III processor.

Below you can see the S9100 and VG-145 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 Cameras

Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon S9100 vs Olympus VG-145 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Olympus VG-145 features a 26-130 mm F2.8-6.5 5× zoom lens.

Nikon S9100 has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus VG-145. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Olympus VG-145 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon S9100 has 320mm longer reach than the Olympus VG-145. At f5.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100

VG-145

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

S9100

VG-145

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

S9100

VG-145

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

S9100

VG-145

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 and Olympus VG-145 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 S9100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-145 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
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 S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus VG-145 for Street Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
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 S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-145 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
450 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
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: 160 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Nikon S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus VG-145 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
214g
18.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
120g
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 S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-145 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
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 S9100 vs Olympus VG-145: 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 S9100 and Olympus VG-145, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 S9100 and Olympus VG-145 scores compare:

Nikon S9100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #174 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #727 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Olympus VG-145

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #104 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1097 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon S9100 has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus VG-145 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus VG-145 vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S9100	Olympus VG-145
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2011-07-19	2011-07-27
Body Type	Compact	Ultracompact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 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	9	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-450 mm (18×)	26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.9	F2.8-6.5
Macro Focus Range	4cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k 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
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m	4.40 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	214g	120g
Dimensions	105 x 62 x 35mm	96 x 57 x 19mm
Battery Life	270 shots	160 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction