Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Olympus VR-340

Below is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Olympus VR-340, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both are designed by Olympus. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and VR-340 (16MP) but they use the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was unveiled 4 years prior to the VR-340 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the SP-590 UZ grades versus the VR-340 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SP-590 UZ and Olympus VR-340. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery and Olympus VR-340 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus SP-590 UZ provides physical measurements of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") and a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) whilst the Olympus VR-340 has sizing of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Olympus VR-340 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at that time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the SP-590 UZ versus the VR-340.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-590 UZ and VR-340 is 72 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to envision the contrast in sensor measurements simply by going through technical specs. The graphic below will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-590 UZ and VR-340.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Olympus VR-340 to provide extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older SP-590 UZ will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.