Olympus VR-330 vs Ricoh GR II

Below is a extended review of the Olympus VR-330 and Ricoh GR II, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Ricoh. The image resolution of the VR-330 (14MP) and the GR II (16MP) is fairly similar but the VR-330 (1/2.3") and GR II (APS-C) offer totally different sensor size.

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The VR-330 was launched 5 years prior to the GR II and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-330 being a Compact camera and the Ricoh GR II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the VR-330 scores versus the GR II when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VR-330 and Ricoh GR II. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus VR-330 Gallery and Ricoh GR II Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus VR-330 comes with exterior 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 Ricoh GR II has measurements of 117mm x 63mm x 35mm (4.6" x 2.5" x 1.4") along with a weight of 251 grams (0.55 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VR-330 and Ricoh GR II in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with at the time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the VR-330 and the GR II.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VR-330 and GR II is 94 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements just by going over specifications. The visual underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the VR-330 and GR II.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The VR-330 due to its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Ricoh GR II will offer greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The older VR-330 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.