Panasonic ZS1 vs Olympus VG-160 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS1

10 MP | 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) CCD 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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Panasonic ZS1 vs Olympus VG-160 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Olympus. Panasonic ZS1 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Olympus VG-160 was launched in January 2012. As you can see, ZS1 is 3 years older than VG-160. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch sensor whereas Olympus VG-160 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-05-14

10MP - 1/2.5-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.7" Fixed Type Screen

3 fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

229g. 103 x 60 x 33 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ6

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" Fixed Type Screen

Unknown continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

125g. 96 x 57 x 19 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 over Olympus VG-160

Image Stabilization	Optical vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Max ISO	6.400 vs 1.600	300% higher Max ISO
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 26mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 130mm	170 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	5.3m vs 4.8m	0.5m longer range

Reasons to choose Olympus VG-160 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1

Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 10 MP	39% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
Weight	125 g vs 229 g	104 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Olympus VG-160

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
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS1 vs Olympus VG-160: 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 Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS1 has external dimensions of 103 x 60 x 33 mm (4.06 x 2.36 x 1.3″) and weighs 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 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 Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160. Olympus VG-160 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 3mm shorter and 14mm thinner than Panasonic ZS1.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

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 (104g ) than the Panasonic ZS1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1

VG-160

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1

VG-160

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (Lumix DMC-TZ6) nor Olympus VG-160 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

Olympus VG-160's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic ZS1's 2.7" screen.

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

Panasonic ZS1 vs Olympus VG-160: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch (5.744 x 4.308 mm ) sized CCD 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 ZS1 and VG-160 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160 Cameras

As seen above, Olympus VG-160 has a 1.1x Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZS1. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Olympus VG-160 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Olympus VG-160 features a 26-130 mm F2.8-6.5 5× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS1 has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus VG-160. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Olympus VG-160 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS1 has 170mm longer reach than the Olympus VG-160. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS1

VG-160

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS1

VG-160

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS1

VG-160

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS1

VG-160

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS1 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.

Panasonic ZS1 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
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

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus VG-160 for Street Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) sensor
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

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
11 Focus Points
300 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
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

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus VG-160 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
229g
12.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 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

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus VG-160 for Landscape Photography

POOR

25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
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

Panasonic ZS1 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 Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160, 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 Panasonic ZS1 and Olympus VG-160 scores compare:

Panasonic ZS1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #378 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1058 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Olympus VG-160

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #408 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1095 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS1 has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus VG-160 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus VG-160 vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1	Olympus VG-160
Brand	Panasonic	Olympus
Announced	2009-05-14	2012-01-10
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	1/2.5-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	5.744 x 4.308 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	24.74mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 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	11	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F2.8-6.5
Macro Focus Range	3cm	7cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.7"	3"
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
Image Stabilization	Optical	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	4.80 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	640 x 480	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	125g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	96 x 57 x 19mm
Battery Life	n/a	165 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction