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Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320

Portability
91
Imaging
36
Features
43
Overall
38
Canon PowerShot SX280 HS front
 
Olympus VR-320 front
Portability
94
Imaging
37
Features
35
Overall
36

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 Key Specs

Canon SX280 HS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-500mm (F3.5-6.8) lens
  • 233g - 106 x 63 x 33mm
  • Revealed March 2013
  • Replaced the Canon SX270 HS
Olympus VR-320
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-300mm (F3.0-5.9) lens
  • 158g - 101 x 58 x 29mm
  • Announced July 2011
  • Refreshed by Olympus VR-330
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Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 Overview

Let's look closer at the Canon SX280 HS and Olympus VR-320, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by manufacturers Canon and Olympus. The sensor resolution of the SX280 HS (12MP) and the VR-320 (14MP) is pretty similar and they feature the same exact sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SX280 HS was released 21 months after the VR-320 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the SX280 HS scores versus the VR-320 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Canon SX280 HS over the Olympus VR-320

 SX280 HS VR-320 
AnnouncedMarch 2013July 2011More modern by 21 months
Manual focus More accurate focusing
Screen resolution461k230kSharper screen (+231k dot)

Reasons to pick Olympus VR-320 over the Canon SX280 HS

 VR-320 SX280 HS 

Common features in the Canon SX280 HS and Olympus VR-320

 SX280 HS VR-320 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen measurement
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch screen Neither comes with Touch screen

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 Physical Comparison

If you are aiming to carry around your camera, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Canon SX280 HS comes with outer dimensions of 106mm x 63mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 233 grams (0.51 lbs) and the Olympus VR-320 has proportions of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check the Canon SX280 HS and Olympus VR-320 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have during that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the SX280 HS compared to the VR-320.

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SX280 HS and VR-320 is 91 and 94 respectively.

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 top view buttons comparison

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, its difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizes simply by going over specifications. The pic here might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the SX280 HS and VR-320.

To sum up, both the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Olympus VR-320 to offer you greater detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The newer SX280 HS is going to have an edge in sensor innovation.

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 sensor size comparison

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SX280 HS Portrait photography details
Olympus VR-320 Portrait photography details
34
manual focus
provides face detection focusing
can't use external flash
low MP (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
33
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
comes with face detect autofocus
no manual focus
manual exposure not available
can't use external flash
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Canon SX280 HS
Street photography with Olympus VR-320
61
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average (233 grams)
screen does not articulate
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
62
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition (158 grams)
screen does not articulate
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Canon SX280 HS as a Sports photography camera
Olympus VR-320 as a Sports photography camera
36
great zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
provides tracking autofocus
slow continuous shooting (4.0 fps)
low MP (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
low battery pack (210 shots)
lack of phase detect AF
47
incredible zoom range (24-300mm 12.5 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
comes with tracking focus
lack of shutter priority mode
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Canon SX280 HS Travel photography info
Olympus VR-320 Travel photography info
61
lighter than average (233 grams)
built-in flash
reasonably wide (25mm)
long zoom (500mm)
does not have Time Lapse mode
low battery pack (210 shots)
low MP (12MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
70
lighter than competition (158 grams)
megapixel count decent (14MP)
flash built-in
pretty wide (24mm)
long zoom (300mm)
lack of Time Lapse function
screen isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Canon SX280 HS
Landscape photography with Olympus VR-320
41
manual focus
reasonably wide (25mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
low MP (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
low battery pack (210 shots)
does not have Time Lapse mode
42
pretty wide (24mm)
decent sized screen (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
megapixel count decent (14MP)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
manual exposure not available
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
lack of Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX280 HS Vlogging advice
Olympus VR-320 Vlogging advice
34
reasonably wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detection focusing
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than average (233 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen isn't selfie friendly
does not have external mic socket
32
pretty wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
comes with face detect autofocus
lighter than competition (158g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
screen isn't selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
lack of mic port
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Canon SX280 HS vs Olympus VR-320 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX280 HS and Olympus VR-320
 Canon PowerShot SX280 HSOlympus VR-320
General Information
Make Canon Olympus
Model Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Olympus VR-320
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2013-03-21 2011-07-19
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Digic 6 TruePic III
Sensor type BSI-CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 14 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3
Max resolution 4000 x 3000 4288 x 3216
Max native ISO 6400 1600
Lowest native ISO 100 80
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 25-500mm (20.0x) 24-300mm (12.5x)
Maximal aperture f/3.5-6.8 f/3.0-5.9
Macro focus distance 5cm 1cm
Focal length multiplier 5.8 5.8
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inches 3 inches
Screen resolution 461 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen technology - TFT Color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Min shutter speed 15 secs 4 secs
Max shutter speed 1/3200 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shutter speed 4.0fps -
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 3.50 m 4.70 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60, 30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 240 (240 fps) 1280 x 720 (30, 15fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 Motion JPEG
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS BuiltIn None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 233 grams (0.51 pounds) 158 grams (0.35 pounds)
Dimensions 106 x 63 x 33mm (4.2" x 2.5" x 1.3") 101 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 210 pictures -
Battery form Battery Pack -
Battery model NB-6L LI-42B
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC
Storage slots 1 1
Cost at release $325 $179