Olympus VR-340 vs Sony ZV-1

Below is a detailed review of the Olympus VR-340 and Sony ZV-1, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VR-340 (16MP) and the ZV-1 (20MP) is very close but the VR-340 (1/2.3") and ZV-1 (1") offer different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The VR-340 was revealed 9 years earlier than the ZV-1 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus VR-340 being a Compact camera and the Sony ZV-1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summary of how the VR-340 grades vs the ZV-1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus VR-340 and Sony ZV-1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-340 Gallery and Sony ZV-1 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus VR-340 comes with external measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Sony ZV-1 has dimensions of 105mm x 60mm x 44mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.7") with a weight of 294 grams (0.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VR-340 and Sony ZV-1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the VR-340 against the ZV-1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VR-340 and ZV-1 is 96 and 88 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements just by viewing technical specs. The visual underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-340 and ZV-1.

As you have seen, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The VR-340 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Sony ZV-1 will result in extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older VR-340 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.