Olympus VR-320 vs Samsung NX1000

Below is a in-depth assessment of the Olympus VR-320 and Samsung NX1000, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Samsung. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the VR-320 (14MP) and NX1000 (20MP) and the VR-320 (1/2.3") and NX1000 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The VR-320 was unveiled 9 months prior to the NX1000 and they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX1000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the VR-320 scores against the NX1000 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-320 & Samsung NX1000. The full galleries are available at Olympus VR-320 Gallery & Samsung NX1000 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus VR-320 has got outer 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 Samsung NX1000 has measurements of 114mm x 63mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 222 grams (0.49 lbs).

Check the Olympus VR-320 and Samsung NX1000 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilising at that time. Here is a front view size comparison of the VR-320 vs the NX1000.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VR-320 and NX1000 is 94 and 90 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to visualise the difference between sensor measurements purely by reading specs. The visual below will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-320 and NX1000.

As you can plainly see, both cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The VR-320 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Samsung NX1000 will offer greater detail having an extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The older VR-320 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.