Olympus VR-320 vs Sony A500

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus VR-320 vs Sony A500, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VR-320 (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very well matched but the VR-320 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) come with different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The VR-320 was unveiled 24 months after the A500 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a quick overview of how the VR-320 matches up vs the A500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-320 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-320 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus VR-320 has 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) whilst the Sony A500 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VR-320 vs Sony A500 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the VR-320 against the A500.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the VR-320 and A500 is 94 and 63 respectively.

Often, it is tough to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions just by checking specifications. The pic here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-320 and A500.

Plainly, both of those cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The VR-320 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting bokeh tougher and the Olympus VR-320 will give you greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The more modern VR-320 provides an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.