Olympus VR-340 vs Sony NEX-F3

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus VR-340 versus Sony NEX-F3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the NEX-F3 (16MP) is very close but the VR-340 (1/2.3") and NEX-F3 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The VR-340 was announced 7 months prior to the NEX-F3 which means that they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-F3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the VR-340 matches up versus the NEX-F3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-340 and Sony Alpha NEX-F3. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Sony NEX-F3 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus VR-340 has external dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony NEX-F3 has measurements of 117mm x 67mm x 42mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 314 grams (0.69 lbs).

Check the Olympus VR-340 versus Sony NEX-F3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you choose at the time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the VR-340 compared to the NEX-F3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the VR-340 and NEX-F3 is 96 and 86 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to see the contrast in sensor sizes only by looking through specifications. The picture below should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the VR-340 and NEX-F3.

To sum up, both of those cameras provide the same resolution but not the same sensor sizes. The VR-340 offers the smaller sensor which should make getting shallower DOF tougher. The more aged VR-340 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.