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Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3

Portability
96
Imaging
39
Features
36
Overall
37
Olympus VR-340 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 front
Portability
90
Imaging
48
Features
48
Overall
48

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 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
  • Released January 2012
Panasonic GF3
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 160 - 6400
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 264g - 108 x 67 x 32mm
  • Released August 2011
  • Succeeded the Panasonic GF2
  • Successor is Panasonic GF5
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Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 Overview

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic GF3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap between the image resolutions of the VR-340 (16MP) and GF3 (12MP) and the VR-340 (1/2.3") and GF3 (Four Thirds) posses different sensor dimensions.

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The VR-340 was unveiled 6 months later than the GF3 which means that they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a concise summation of how the VR-340 matches up against the GF3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus VR-340 over the Panasonic GF3

 VR-340 GF3 

Reasons to pick Panasonic GF3 over the Olympus VR-340

 GF3 VR-340 
Manually focus Dial precise focus
Touch display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus VR-340 and Panasonic GF3

 VR-340 GF3 
ReleasedJanuary 2012August 2011Similar age
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display sizing
Display resolution460k460kIdentical display resolution
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 Physical Comparison

In case you're intending to lug around your camera, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus VR-340 has got outside measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Panasonic GF3 has sizing of 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") with a weight of 264 grams (0.58 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic GF3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the VR-340 and the GF3.

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 size comparison

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VR-340 and GF3 is 96 and 90 respectively.

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 top view buttons comparison

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it is hard to picture the contrast between sensor measurements just by reviewing specifications. The photograph underneath will offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the VR-340 and GF3.

Plainly, both of those cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The VR-340 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus VR-340 will deliver extra detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a bit more aggressively.

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 sensor size comparison

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Portrait photography info
Panasonic GF3 Portrait photography info
34
MP count decent (16MP)
offers face detect focus
manual focus not available
no manual control
cannot use external flash
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
55
has manual focus
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
features face detect focus
saves RAW files
can't use external flash
low MP (12MP)
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Street Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Street photography advice
Panasonic GF3 Street photography advice
63
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than average (125g)
screen does not articulate
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
70
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
boasts focus by touch
no moving screen
no image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Sports photography details
Panasonic GF3 Sports photography details
44
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
offers tracking focus
lack of shutter priority mode
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus
38
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
features tracking focus
slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
no image stabilization
low MP (12MP)
not so great battery (300 CIPA)
does not have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus VR-340
Travel photography with Panasonic GF3
69
lighter than average (125 grams)
MP count decent (16MP)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (24mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
58
boasts focus by touch
flash built-in
no Timelapse function
not so great battery (300 per charge)
low MP (12MP)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus VR-340 Landscape photography highlights
Panasonic GF3 Landscape photography highlights
43
reasonably wide (24mm)
screen size is decent (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (16MP)
manual focus not available
cannot change lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
no manual control
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
lack of Timelapse recording
55
has manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
no image stabilization
low MP (12 megapixels)
not so great battery (300 CIPA)
no Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus VR-340 as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic GF3 as a Vlogging camera
33
reasonably wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers face detect focus
lighter than average (125g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
lack of microphone support
32
built-in touchscreen
features face detect focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
no microphone support
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Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic GF3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus VR-340 and Panasonic GF3
 Olympus VR-340Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus VR-340 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3
Category Small Sensor Compact Entry-Level Mirrorless
Released 2012-01-10 2011-08-11
Physical type Compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - Venus Engine FHD
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Four Thirds
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 12MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Maximum native ISO 3200 6400
Minimum native ISO 100 160
RAW images
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points - 23
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Micro Four Thirds
Lens focal range 24-240mm (10.0x) -
Largest aperture f/3.0-5.7 -
Total lenses - 107
Focal length multiplier 5.8 2.1
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display sizing 3 inches 3 inches
Resolution of display 460 thousand dots 460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display tech TFT Color LCD TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4s 60s
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting rate - 3.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 4.80 m 6.30 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize - 1/160s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30,15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 180 (30,15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720p (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video data format Motion JPEG AVCHD, Motion JPEG
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
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 125 gr (0.28 lbs) 264 gr (0.58 lbs)
Physical dimensions 96 x 57 x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") 108 x 67 x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 50
DXO Color Depth score not tested 20.6
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 10.1
DXO Low light score not tested 459
Other
Battery life - 300 pictures
Battery style - Battery Pack
Battery model LI-50B -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 images))
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots 1 1
Retail pricing $130 $360