Olympus VR-340 vs Pentax Efina

Following is a extended assessment of the Olympus VR-340 and Pentax Efina, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the Efina (14MP) is relatively comparable and they feature the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The VR-340 was brought out 17 months before the Efina which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Efina being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the VR-340 matches up against the Efina in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-340 and Pentax Efina. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Pentax Efina Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus VR-340 features physical dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Pentax Efina has proportions of 87mm x 54mm x 21mm (3.4" x 2.1" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 91 grams (0.20 lbs).

Check out the Olympus VR-340 and Pentax Efina in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select during that time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the VR-340 versus the Efina.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VR-340 and Efina is 96 and 97 respectively.

Quite often, it is very tough to see the difference in sensor sizes only by going through technical specs. The picture below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-340 and Efina.

As you can tell, both the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You should count on the Olympus VR-340 to provide more detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more aged VR-340 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.