Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic ZS45

Following is a detailed overview of the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic ZS45, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the ZS45 (16MP) is fairly well matched and they possess the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The VR-340 was brought out 4 years before the ZS45 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a short summary of how the VR-340 scores against the ZS45 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VR-340 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. The entire galleries are available at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Panasonic ZS45 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus VR-340 has external 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) and the Panasonic ZS45 has measurements of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs).

Compare the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic ZS45 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is the front view size comparison of the VR-340 against the ZS45.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the VR-340 and ZS45 is 96 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizes simply by reading through specs. The pic here will help offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the VR-340 and ZS45.

As you can plainly see, both cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements and the same exact MP and you should expect similar quality of photographs however you need to consider the release date of the products into consideration. The more aged VR-340 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.