Nikon L31 vs Olympus VR-340 Comparison

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Nikon L31

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus VR-340

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon L31 vs Olympus VR-340 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing L31 and VR-340, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Nikon Coolpix L31 is a Ultracompact class camera and Olympus VR-340 is a Small Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon L31 was introduced to market in January 2015 and Olympus VR-340 was launched in January 2012. As you can see, VR-340 is 3 years older than L31. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon L31 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2015-01-14

16MP - 1/2.3' CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 Zoom Lens

2.70" Fixed Type Screen

fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

160g. 96 x 59 x 29 mm

Olympus VR-340 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-01-10

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

24-240 mm F3.0-5.7 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

125g. 96 x 57 x 19 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L31 over Olympus VR-340

Internal Storage	17MB vs None	Extra built-in storage
Selfie & Vlogger LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

CHECK L31 PRICE

Reasons to choose Olympus VR-340 over Nikon Coolpix L31

In-built Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Max ISO	3.200 vs 1.600	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Weight	125 g vs 160 g	35 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 26mm	2 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	240mm vs 130mm	110 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	10× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.20	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	4.8m vs 3.6m	1.2m longer range

CHECK VR-340 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus VR-340

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Olympus VR-340

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	6.50 vs 5.70	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VR-340: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon L31 has external dimensions of 96 x 59 x 29 mm (3.78 x 2.32 x 1.14″) and weighs 160 g (0.35 lb / 5.64 oz) (including batteries). Olympus VR-340 has external dimensions of 96 x 57 x 19 mm (3.78 x 2.24 x 0.75″) and weighs 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340.

Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus VR-340 is significantly lighter (35g ) than the Nikon L31 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

VR-340

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31

VR-340

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Olympus VR-340 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus VR-340's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L31's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VR-340: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 have 16.0 MP resolution sensors but Nikon L31's sensor is 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Olympus VR-340's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ).

Since Olympus VR-340's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Nikon L31.

Below you can see the L31 and VR-340 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 Cameras

Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VR-340 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus VR-340 features a 24-240 mm F3.0-5.7 10× zoom lens.

Olympus VR-340 has 2mm wider coverage than the Nikon L31. At f3.00, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus VR-340 has 110mm longer reach than the Nikon L31. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31

VR-340

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

L31

VR-340

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

L31

VR-340

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

L31

VR-340

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon L31 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus VR-340 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Olympus VR-340 for Street Photography

GOOD

Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus VR-340 for Sports Photography

POOR

Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Image Stabilization
240 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Olympus VR-340 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
160g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
125g
Body Thickness 19mm
10.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus VR-340 for Landscape Photography

POOR

26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon L31 vs Olympus VR-340: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon L31 and Olympus VR-340 scores compare:

Nikon L31

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #105 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1132 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Olympus VR-340

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #246 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #874 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Olympus VR-340 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon L31 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus VR-340 vs Nikon L31 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix L31	Olympus VR-340
Brand	Nikon	Olympus
Announced	2015-01-14	2012-01-10
Body Type	Ultracompact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CCD
Size	1/2.3'	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	n/a	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	26-130 mm (5×)	24-240 mm (10×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-6.5	F3.0-5.7
Macro Focus Range	10cm	n/a
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.70"	3.00"
Resolution	230k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Digital only	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.60 m	4.80 m
External Flash
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	160g	125g
Dimensions	96 x 59 x 29mm	96 x 57 x 19mm
Battery Life	200 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction