Olympus VR-330 vs Sony HX1

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus VR-330 versus Sony HX1, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference between the sensor resolutions of the VR-330 (14MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the VR-330 (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") offer totally different sensor sizing.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The VR-330 was introduced 22 months after the HX1 which makes them a generation away from each other. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-330 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the VR-330 matches up vs the HX1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VR-330 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus VR-330 Gallery & Sony HX1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus VR-330 enjoys 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) whilst the Sony HX1 has proportions of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") with a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Check out the Olympus VR-330 versus Sony HX1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the VR-330 versus the HX1.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the VR-330 and HX1 is 94 and 67 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to envision the difference between sensor sizes only by reading specs. The pic underneath should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the VR-330 and HX1.

All in all, the two cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The VR-330 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Olympus VR-330 will offer you greater detail using its extra 5 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures more aggressively. The more recent VR-330 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.