Olympus VR-340 vs Sony NEX-C3

Below, we are analyzing the Olympus VR-340 vs Sony NEX-C3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the NEX-C3 (16MP) is very well matched but the VR-340 (1/2.3") and NEX-C3 (APS-C) come with different sensor sizing.

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

The VR-340 was announced 5 months later than the NEX-C3 and they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple view of how the VR-340 scores against the NEX-C3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-340 and Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The whole galleries are available at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus VR-340 comes with physical dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-C3 has measurements of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Check the Olympus VR-340 vs Sony NEX-C3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the VR-340 and the NEX-C3.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the VR-340 and NEX-C3 is 96 and 91 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to picture the gap between sensor sizing simply by looking at specs. The visual here may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the VR-340 and NEX-C3.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have got the exact same MP but different sensor sizing. The VR-340 uses the tinier sensor which will make obtaining shallow depth of field tougher.