Olympus VR-340 vs Pentax P80

Here, we are looking at the Olympus VR-340 versus Pentax P80, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the VR-340 (16MP) and P80 (12MP) but both cameras boast the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The VR-340 was released 2 years after the P80 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise view of how the VR-340 scores against the P80 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-340 & Pentax Optio P80. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-340 Gallery & Pentax P80 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus VR-340 offers outer dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Pentax P80 has sizing of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") and a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Examine the Olympus VR-340 versus Pentax P80 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the VR-340 versus the P80.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VR-340 and P80 is 96 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes merely by looking at a spec sheet. The pic below will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the VR-340 and P80.

As you can see, both cameras feature the identical sensor size but not the same resolution. You can expect to see the Olympus VR-340 to give you greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The newer VR-340 will have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.