Olympus VR-340 vs Sony A580

Below is a in-depth assessment of the Olympus VR-340 versus Sony A580, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the A580 (16MP) is relatively well matched but the VR-340 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor size.

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The VR-340 was introduced 8 months later than the A580 so they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a quick overview of how the VR-340 scores against the A580 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-340 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The whole galleries are available at Olympus VR-340 Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus VR-340 provides outside 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) whilst the Sony A580 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Examine the Olympus VR-340 versus Sony A580 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the VR-340 versus the A580.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the VR-340 and A580 is 96 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to see the difference between sensor measurements purely by checking specifications. The photograph below will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the VR-340 and A580.

To sum up, both of the cameras provide the same MP albeit not the same sensor measurements. The VR-340 includes the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallower DOF more difficult. The more recent VR-340 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.