Olympus VR-340 vs Sigma SD9

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus VR-340 versus Sigma SD9, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sigma. There exists a substantial gap among the image resolutions of the VR-340 (16MP) and SD9 (3MP) and the VR-340 (1/2.3") and SD9 (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The VR-340 was introduced 9 years later than the SD9 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Sigma SD9 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a full comparison, here is a simple view of how the VR-340 scores against the SD9 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-340 & Sigma SD9. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-340 Gallery & Sigma SD9 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus VR-340 enjoys external measurements 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 Sigma SD9 has sizing of 152mm x 120mm x 79mm (6.0" x 4.7" x 3.1") and a weight of 950 grams (2.09 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus VR-340 versus Sigma SD9 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the VR-340 compared to the SD9.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VR-340 and SD9 is 96 and 54 respectively.

Quite often, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing only by viewing specifications. The photograph below will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-340 and SD9.

To sum up, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The VR-340 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Olympus VR-340 will provide you with greater detail using its extra 13MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics more aggressively. The younger VR-340 should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.