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Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40

Portability
96
Imaging
39
Features
36
Overall
37
Olympus VR-340 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 front
Portability
68
Imaging
37
Features
40
Overall
38

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 Key Specs

Olympus VR-340
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-240mm (F3.0-5.7) lens
  • 125g - 96 x 57 x 19mm
  • Announced January 2012
Panasonic FZ40
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-600mm (F2.8-5.2) lens
  • 494g - 120 x 80 x 92mm
  • Revealed July 2010
  • Also referred to as Lumix DMC-FZ45
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Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 Overview

Following is a in depth review of the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic FZ40, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the FZ40 (14MP) is relatively close and both cameras provide the same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The VR-340 was announced 18 months after the FZ40 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the VR-340 matches up against the FZ40 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus VR-340 over the Panasonic FZ40

 VR-340 FZ40 
RevealedJanuary 2012July 2010More modern by 18 months
Screen resolution460k230kCrisper screen (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Panasonic FZ40 over the Olympus VR-340

 FZ40 VR-340 
Manual focus Very exact focus

Common features in the Olympus VR-340 and Panasonic FZ40

 VR-340 FZ40 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen dimensions3"3"Equal screen size
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither offers Touch friendly screen

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 Physical Comparison

If you are going to carry around your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus VR-340 offers physical dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ40 has sizing of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") and a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic FZ40 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the VR-340 against the FZ40.

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VR-340 and FZ40 is 96 and 68 respectively.

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 top view buttons comparison

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it's hard to envision the gap in sensor sizes just by researching specs. The image underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-340 and FZ40.

All in all, both of those cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You should count on the Olympus VR-340 to provide you with greater detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more modern VR-340 will have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 sensor size comparison

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus VR-340
Portrait photography with Panasonic FZ40
34
resolution is good (16MP)
provides face detect autofocus
manual focus not available
manual mode not available
no external flash support
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
46
has manual focus
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
delivers RAW files
can't use external flash
sensor is small (1/2.3")
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Street Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Street photography features
Panasonic FZ40 Street photography features
63
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than others (125 grams)
no moving screen
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
51
has image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW files
screen does not articulate
sensor is small (1/2.3")
more heavy than others (494g)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Sports photography highlights
Panasonic FZ40 Sports photography highlights
44
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
resolution is good (16MP)
provides tracking focus
no shutter priority
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
has no phase detect autofocus
43
incredible zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
continuous shooting slow (2.0 frames/s)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Travel photography factors
Panasonic FZ40 Travel photography factors
69
lighter than others (125g)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
quite wide (24mm)
missing Timelapse function
display is not selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
54
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
fairly wide (25mm)
very long zoom (600mm)
doesn't have Timelapse mode
more heavy than others (494 grams)
display isn't selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Landscape photography advice
Panasonic FZ40 Landscape photography advice
43
quite wide (24mm)
screen is a good size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
resolution is good (16MP)
manual focus not available
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
manual mode not available
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
missing Timelapse function
51
has manual focus
fairly wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (14MP)
delivers RAW files
cannot switch lens (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f2.8)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus VR-340 as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic FZ40 as a Vlogging camera
33
quite wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides face detect autofocus
lighter than others (125 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
display is not selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
missing microphone jack
23
fairly wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
slow max aperture (f2.8)
display isn't selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have microphone support
more heavy than others (494 grams)
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Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic FZ40 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus VR-340 and Panasonic FZ40
 Olympus VR-340Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40
General Information
Brand Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus VR-340 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40
Also called - Lumix DMC-FZ45
Category Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2012-01-10 2010-07-21
Physical type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - Venus Engine HD II
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 14MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 4608 x 3456 4320 x 3240
Max native ISO 3200 6400
Lowest native ISO 100 80
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 24-240mm (10.0x) 25-600mm (24.0x)
Maximal aperture f/3.0-5.7 f/2.8-5.2
Macro focus distance - 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.9
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3" 3"
Display resolution 460 thousand dots 230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display tech TFT Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic
Features
Minimum shutter speed 4 secs 60 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shutter rate - 2.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 4.80 m 9.50 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30,15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 180 (30,15 fps) 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1280x720
Video file format Motion JPEG AVCHD Lite
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 125 grams (0.28 lbs) 494 grams (1.09 lbs)
Physical dimensions 96 x 57 x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") 120 x 80 x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery model LI-50B -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 pictures))
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots Single Single
Pricing at release $130 $420