Olympus VR-320 vs Sony W290

Here is a extended assessment of the Olympus VR-320 versus Sony W290, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the VR-320 (14MP) and the W290 (12MP) is very well matched and both cameras have the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The VR-320 was unveiled 2 years later than the W290 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a thorough comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the VR-320 scores vs the W290 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-320 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The full galleries are available at Olympus VR-320 Gallery and Sony W290 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera often, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus VR-320 offers external dimensions of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony W290 has proportions of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VR-320 versus Sony W290 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the VR-320 against the W290.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VR-320 and W290 is 94 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizing purely by looking at technical specs. The photograph underneath will provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-320 and W290.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Olympus VR-320 to give you greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more modern VR-320 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.