Olympus VR-330 vs Sony HX99

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus VR-330 vs Sony HX99, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the VR-330 (14MP) and HX99 (18MP) and the VR-330 (1/2.3") and HX99 (1/2.3-inch) come with different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The VR-330 was introduced 8 years prior to the HX99 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a quick summation of how the VR-330 scores versus the HX99 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-330 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus VR-330 Gallery & Sony HX99 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus VR-330 offers exterior measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony HX99 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") having a weight of 242 grams (0.53 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VR-330 vs Sony HX99 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have during that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the VR-330 versus the HX99.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VR-330 and HX99 is 94 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to picture the difference in sensor measurements only by researching a spec sheet. The photograph underneath might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-330 and HX99.

Clearly, each of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The VR-330 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Sony HX99 will render extra detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The older VR-330 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.