Olympus VR-340 vs Panasonic ZS50

Here is a in depth analysis of the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic ZS50, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the VR-340 (16MP) and ZS50 (12MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The VR-340 was unveiled 4 years before the ZS50 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the VR-340 grades vs the ZS50 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VR-340 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50. The full galleries are available at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Panasonic ZS50 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus VR-340 comes with external dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS50 has sizing of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus VR-340 versus Panasonic ZS50 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the VR-340 vs the ZS50.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VR-340 and ZS50 is 96 and 90 respectively.

Normally, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizing purely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-340 and ZS50.

As you can see, the two cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Olympus VR-340 to render extra detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older VR-340 will be behind in sensor technology.