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Olympus VR-320

 
Olympus VR-320 front
 
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-300mm (F3.0-5.9) lens
  • 158g - 101 x 58 x 29mm
  • Released July 2011
  • Successor is Olympus VR-330
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
94
Imaging
37
Features
35
Overall
36

Olympus VR-320 summary

Olympus VR-320 is Olympus's Small Sensor Superzoom digital camera originally released on July of 2011. It features a 14 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a max resolution of 4288 x 3216.

Olympus released the fresher Olympus VR-330 (Read Full Comparison) in order to update this model.

The VR-320 ranks at #199 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and over all #890 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should check our Smart camera search to get camera rankings based on your personal requirements.

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Below is a chart of different factors used in the rating system.

Olympus VR-320 history

The Olympus VR-320 comes with a history of related digital cameras. Below, you can discover all older and the latest models alongside important specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Olympus-VH-410 front thumbnailOlympus VH-410
VR-320 vs VH-410
26-130mm
F2.8-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2012
Olympus-VH-515 front thumbnailOlympus VH-515
VR-320 vs VH-515
26-130mm
F2.8-6.5
12MP1/2.3"2012
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Olympus-VR-340 front thumbnailOlympus VR-340
VR-320 vs VR-340
24-240mm
F3.0-5.7
16MP1/2.3"2012
Olympus-VG-160 front thumbnailOlympus VG-160
VR-320 vs VG-160
26-130mm
F2.8-6.5
14MP1/2.3"2012
Olympus-VR-320 front thumbnailOlympus VR-32024-300mm
F3.0-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2011
Olympus-VR-330 front thumbnailOlympus VR-330
VR-320 vs VR-330
24-300mm
F3.0-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2011
Photography Glossary

Olympus VR-320 Pros and Cons

Below is a selection of good and bad points of the Olympus VR-320 based on aspects that are typically considered important in a digital camera.

amazing zoom range (24-300mm 12.5 x zoom)
comes with face detect autofocus
comes with tracking focus
decent sized screen (3 inch)
flash built-in
great minimum ISO (80)
great reach (300mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than average (158g)
pretty wide (24mm)
sensor resolution is decent (14MP)
cannot use external flash
doesn't have HDMI out
doesn't have headphone support
doesn't have microphone support
doesn't have Timelapse mode
lacks phase detect autofocus
lacks RAW files
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
max zoom aperture not good (f5.9)
no aperture priority mode
no manual control
no manual focus
no shutter priority mode
screen has low resolution (230 thousand dots)
screen is fixed
screen is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
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Olympus VR-320 Sensor info

The Olympus VR-320 features the TruePic III processor. The sensor size in the Olympus VR-320 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to capture 4288 x 3216 pixels at aspect ratios of 4:3. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Sensor-shift). Sensor stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter may cause cropping.

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The CCD sensor boasts 14MP and includes a standard ISO range of 80 - 1600. Unfortunately, RAW files are not saved therefore you have less room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below displays the VR-320's sensor dimensions compared to other popular sizes. The VR-320 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is presented in green.

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To get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Olympus VR-320 dimensions

Olympus VR-320 weighs 0.35 lbs (158 gr / 5.57 ounces) and features exterior measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr so the Olympus VR-320 is less heavy compared with its competitors.

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Below is a pic of the Olympus VR-320 next to a soda so you can have a feel for its scale.

Olympus VR-320 dimensions scale

The top view below will provide the button arrangement on the VR-320.

Olympus VR-320 topview buttons dials

Olympus VR-320 Lens info

The VR-320 includes a built-in lens and a focal range of 24-300mm giving it a 12.5 x zoom which is significant and is going to let you zoom right in.

At the widest 24mm, the lens provides an aperture of f3.0 which will be pretty slow and not the best in low light situations and you might find it hard to capture good bokeh. You will probably also need to increase the ISO which causes noisy photos. For the tele end, 300mm is superb zoom and comes to f5.9 making it really sluggish and you will need to apply slower shutter speeds.

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Olympus VR-320 Connectivity

The VR-320 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Digital cameras with NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly via smartphones. You can easily send images and oftentimes alter settings without connecting directly to the camera.

Certain applications even enable a Liveview and hit the shutter whenever you are not close to the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI out, it could be hooked up to an external screen. Nearly all cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack using the USB port.

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Olympus VR-320 Video info

The max video resolution in the Olympus VR-320 is 1280 x 720 and it can capture in Motion JPEG file format. 720p is low by today's requirements. You should shoot for at least FUll HD resolution for video. The camera does not have a mic and headphone jack which means that you have no control over your sound. It is probably best to consider an alternative camera if you want good sound in your videos.

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Olympus VR-320 Weather Sealing

Olympus VR-320 does not include environment proofing so damp conditions can easily ruin the camera.

Olympus VR-320 Screen and Viewfinder

The Olympus VR-320 features a 3 inch fixed screen boasting a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the screen isn't a touch screen.

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The View Finder specs regarding Olympus VR-320 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders can be pretty beneficial during bright outdoor situations which will make the camera screen washed out and very difficult to view.

Olympus VR-320 Shutter info

The highest shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.

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Olympus VR-320 Flash and Hot shoe info

Olympus VR-320 has got only integrated flash lacking external flash support.

Olympus VR-320 Autofocus info

Olympus VR-320 has got just Contrast Based AF and lacks Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more snappier & accurate compared with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera features Face detection which makes it valuable for portraits.

It also boasts Tracking AF for objects that move. Olympus VR-320 has no manual focusing. Manual focusing is useful during low light situations or you require more exact focus control.

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Olympus VR-320 Battery life

The usual Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR comes with the maximum (600) battery life within this class of cameras.

Below is a number of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that come with the strongest battery life:

Olympus VR-320 for different styles of photography

The following diagram provides a summary of the Olympus VR-320 for different styles of photography. To read more, check out the specific section below.

Olympus VR-320 Portrait photography information

The Olympus VR-320 has a points total of 33 which is subpar, meaning that it is not acceptable to use for portrait photography. Photographing portrait images favors heavily to sensor specs, RAW support and flexibility to work with off-camera lighting.

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MP count decent (14 megapixels)
includes face detection autofocus
lack of manual focus
manual exposure not available
can't use external flash
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support

Street photography with Olympus VR-320

With a nice points total of 62, the Olympus VR-320 is a fine pick to use in street photography. A good street photography camera gives a good balance of image quality plus portability.

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built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than average in class (158 grams)
screen is fixed
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW support

Olympus VR-320 Sports photography details

A reasonable sports photography points total of 47 means the Olympus VR-320 is fairly adequate for photographing sports. A camera needs to have excellent tracking plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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amazing zoom range (24-300mm 12.5 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good megapixels (14 megapixels)
provides tracking autofocus
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect autofocus

Olympus VR-320 as a Travel photography camera

Portability is really important in getting a travel camera. All things considered, the Olympus VR-320 gets a nice 70 for a travelling camera which makes it a respectable fit to take with you on your journeys.

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lighter than competition in class (158g)
good MP (14MP)
flash built-in
fairly wide (24mm)
long zoom (300mm)
no Timelapse mode
display isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)

Olympus VR-320 as a Landscape photography camera

If you are looking to buy a camera for landscape pictures, the most vital aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Olympus VR-320 at it's subpar rating of 42 as a landscape camera is not acceptable in the current market.

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fairly wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good megapixels (14 megapixels)
manual focus not available
can't switch lens (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
no manual mode
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
missing Timelapse mode

Olympus VR-320 Vlogging info

A vlogging camera ought to have a moving screen, mic port and if possible IBIS. Considering all things, the Olympus VR-320 is not acceptable as a vlog camera as it receives a subpar rating of 32.

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really wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers face detection autofocus
lighter than competitors (158g)
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
low res video (1280 x 720 pxls)
lack of external mic port

Olympus VR-320 Alternatives

If you need replacements to the VR-320, here is a number of the highest rated cameras which fall into the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The graph down below offers you a summary of the VR-320 versus it's highest ranked rivals shown above.

There are a bunch of cameras you might take into account as alternative options. To browse through a extensive comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Olympus
Model type
Olympus VR-320
Type
Small Sensor Superzoom
Released
2011-07-19
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Processor
TruePic III
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
14MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3
Peak resolution
4288 x 3216
RAW pictures
Highest native ISO
1600
Lowest native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
24-300mm (12.5x)
Largest aperture
f/3.0-5.9
Macro focusing range
1cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen diagonal
3 inch
Resolution of screen
230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen tech
TFT Color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Min shutter speed
4 secs
Max shutter speed
1/2000 secs
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
4.70 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1280 x 720 (30, 15fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15fps)
Highest video resolution
1280x720
Video file format
Motion JPEG
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
158 grams (0.35 pounds)
Dimensions
101 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
Other
Battery ID
LI-42B
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type
SD/SDHC
Card slots
One
Launch price
$179