Olympus VR-320 vs Sony A290

Following is a detailed review of the Olympus VR-320 and Sony A290, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VR-320 (14MP) and the A290 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the VR-320 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizing.

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The VR-320 was brought out 14 months after the A290 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a concise overview of how the VR-320 matches up against the A290 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VR-320 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are available at Olympus VR-320 Gallery and Sony A290 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus VR-320 offers outside 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) whilst the Sony A290 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") along with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Examine the Olympus VR-320 and Sony A290 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the VR-320 against the A290.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the VR-320 and A290 is 94 and 66 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's hard to picture the gap between sensor sizes just by checking technical specs. The pic below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-320 and A290.

As you have seen, both of those cameras enjoy the same exact resolution but different sensor sizes. The VR-320 provides the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult. The younger VR-320 provides an advantage in sensor tech.