Olympus VR-320 vs Pentax K-01

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus VR-320 and Pentax K-01, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the VR-320 (14MP) and the K-01 (16MP) is relatively well matched but the VR-320 (1/2.3") and K-01 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizing.

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The VR-320 was revealed 10 months before the K-01 so they are both of a similar generation. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-01 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a short summation of how the VR-320 scores versus the K-01 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-320 and Pentax K-01. The full galleries are provided at Olympus VR-320 Gallery and Pentax K-01 Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus VR-320 comes with physical dimensions of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Pentax K-01 has proportions of 122mm x 79mm x 58mm (4.8" x 3.1" x 2.3") with a weight of 561 grams (1.24 lbs).

Check out the Olympus VR-320 and Pentax K-01 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the VR-320 vs the K-01.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the VR-320 and K-01 is 94 and 76 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to see the gap between sensor measurements merely by reading through technical specs. The visual here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the VR-320 and K-01.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The VR-320 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Pentax K-01 will give you greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The older VR-320 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.