Olympus VR-340 vs Sony NEX-5N

In this article, we will be comparing the Olympus VR-340 versus Sony NEX-5N, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is relatively comparable but the VR-340 (1/2.3") and NEX-5N (APS-C) feature different sensor dimensions.

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The VR-340 was revealed 4 months after the NEX-5N and they are of a similar generation. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the VR-340 scores versus the NEX-5N in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-340 and Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The full galleries are available at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus VR-340 provides external dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5N has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VR-340 versus Sony NEX-5N in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the VR-340 vs the NEX-5N.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the VR-340 and NEX-5N is 96 and 89 respectively.

Often, its hard to picture the contrast in sensor sizes just by checking out technical specs. The image below should offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-340 and NEX-5N.

As you can tell, both of those cameras offer the same exact resolution albeit different sensor sizes. The VR-340 uses the smaller sensor which is going to make getting shallow DOF trickier.