Olympus VR-320 vs Panasonic FP1

Below is a complete assessment of the Olympus VR-320 and Panasonic FP1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the VR-320 (14MP) and the FP1 (12MP) is pretty close and both cameras posses the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The VR-320 was unveiled 19 months later than the FP1 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FP1 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the VR-320 scores against the FP1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VR-320 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP1. The full galleries are available at Olympus VR-320 Gallery & Panasonic FP1 Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus VR-320 comes with external dimensions of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Panasonic FP1 has proportions of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus VR-320 and Panasonic FP1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the VR-320 and the FP1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VR-320 and FP1 is 94 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph below will help offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-320 and FP1.

Clearly, the two cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different megapixels. You can expect the Olympus VR-320 to render more detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more recent VR-320 should have a benefit in sensor innovation.