Olympus VR-320 vs Sony NEX-3

Following is a extended overview of the Olympus VR-320 vs Sony NEX-3, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the VR-320 (14MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is very comparable but the VR-320 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The VR-320 was introduced 14 months after the NEX-3 making them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-320 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the VR-320 scores against the NEX-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-320 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus VR-320 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and size. The Olympus VR-320 offers outer measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has specifications of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

See the Olympus VR-320 vs Sony NEX-3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the VR-320 versus the NEX-3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VR-320 and NEX-3 is 94 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through a spec sheet. The image below should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-320 and NEX-3.

As you can see, both the cameras have the same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizes. The VR-320 features the smaller sensor which will make getting bokeh trickier. The younger VR-320 will have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.