Olympus VR-320 vs Pentax 645Z

On this page, we will be analyzing the Olympus VR-320 and Pentax 645Z, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Pro DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a considerable difference among the resolutions of the VR-320 (14MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the VR-320 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The VR-320 was announced 3 years prior to the 645Z which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a full comparison, here is a brief summary of how the VR-320 scores versus the 645Z in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-320 & Pentax 645Z. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus VR-320 Gallery & Pentax 645Z Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera often, you should take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus VR-320 enjoys outside measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645Z has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") along with a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus VR-320 and Pentax 645Z in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the VR-320 against the 645Z.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the VR-320 and 645Z is 94 and 49 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to visualize the gap in sensor sizes merely by viewing specifications. The image here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-320 and 645Z.

To sum up, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The VR-320 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax 645Z will result in extra detail with its extra 37 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged VR-320 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.