Olympus VR-320 vs Panasonic ZS40

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus VR-320 versus Panasonic ZS40, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap among the image resolutions of the VR-320 (14MP) and ZS40 (18MP) but they enjoy the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The VR-320 was manufactured 3 years before the ZS40 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving through a full comparison, below is a short highlight of how the VR-320 scores versus the ZS40 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-320 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-320 Gallery & Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus VR-320 comes with exterior measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS40 has specifications of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus VR-320 versus Panasonic ZS40 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the VR-320 vs the ZS40.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VR-320 and ZS40 is 94 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to see the gap in sensor sizing simply by going through technical specs. The photograph underneath will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-320 and ZS40.

As you can tell, both cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic ZS40 to produce more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The older VR-320 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.