Olympus VR-330 vs Panasonic S1R

Here is a comprehensive assessment of the Olympus VR-330 vs Panasonic S1R, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the VR-330 (14MP) and S1R (47MP) and the VR-330 (1/2.3") and S1R (Full frame) use different sensor measurements.

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The VR-330 was manufactured 9 years prior to the S1R and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VR-330 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic S1R being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple view of how the VR-330 scores versus the S1R when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VR-330 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R. The entire galleries are available at Olympus VR-330 Gallery and Panasonic S1R Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera, you will have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus VR-330 features exterior measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S1R has measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") accompanied by a weight of 1020 grams (2.25 lbs).

Examine the Olympus VR-330 vs Panasonic S1R in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at the time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the VR-330 against the S1R.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the VR-330 and S1R is 94 and 54 respectively.

Oftentimes, its tough to picture the contrast in sensor sizing purely by going through specifications. The graphic underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the VR-330 and S1R.

To sum up, each of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The VR-330 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Panasonic S1R will provide more detail due to its extra 33 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics a little more aggressively. The older VR-330 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.