Olympus 1 vs Olympus VR-320

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus 1 versus Olympus VR-320, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and both are built by Olympus. The image resolution of the 1 (12MP) and the VR-320 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the 1 (1/1.7") and VR-320 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The 1 was revealed 2 years later than the VR-320 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a complete comparison, below is a short summation of how the 1 scores against the VR-320 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 1 and Olympus VR-320. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus 1 Gallery and Olympus VR-320 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 1 features exterior measurements of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") having a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) while the Olympus VR-320 has dimensions of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

See the Olympus 1 versus Olympus VR-320 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at the time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the 1 versus the VR-320.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the 1 and VR-320 is 79 and 94 respectively.

Often, its hard to envision the difference in sensor measurements purely by seeing technical specs. The visual below might give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the 1 and VR-320.

As you have seen, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1 using its larger sensor will make shooting bokeh simpler and the Olympus VR-320 will provide greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The more modern 1 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.