Olympus VR-340 vs Samsung NX1100

Following is a extensive review of the Olympus VR-340 and Samsung NX1100, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Samsung. The sensor resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the NX1100 (20MP) is very well matched but the VR-340 (1/2.3") and NX1100 (APS-C) feature different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The VR-340 was brought out 15 months before the NX1100 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX1100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the VR-340 scores versus the NX1100 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-340 and Samsung NX1100. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Samsung NX1100 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus VR-340 provides outer dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Samsung NX1100 has specifications of 114mm x 63mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 222 grams (0.49 lbs).

Look at the Olympus VR-340 and Samsung NX1100 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the VR-340 and the NX1100.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the VR-340 and NX1100 is 96 and 90 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to visualize the gap between sensor sizes simply by looking at technical specs. The image below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the VR-340 and NX1100.

As you can tell, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The VR-340 because of its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Samsung NX1100 will give extra detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged VR-340 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.