Olympus VR-320 vs Pentax K-30

Let's look more closely at the Olympus VR-320 versus Pentax K-30, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the VR-320 (14MP) and the K-30 (16MP) is relatively comparable but the VR-320 (1/2.3") and K-30 (APS-C) boast different sensor dimensions.

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The VR-320 was announced 15 months prior to the K-30 which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief summary of how the VR-320 scores vs the K-30 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-320 and Pentax K-30. The whole galleries are available at Olympus VR-320 Gallery and Pentax K-30 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus VR-320 comes with physical 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 Pentax K-30 has dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Look at the Olympus VR-320 versus Pentax K-30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at the time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the VR-320 vs the K-30.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VR-320 and K-30 is 94 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to picture the difference in sensor dimensions merely by seeing technical specs. The picture below might give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-320 and K-30.

As you can tell, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The VR-320 using its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax K-30 will produce greater detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The more aged VR-320 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.