Olympus VR-320 vs Kodak Z990 Comparison

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Olympus VR-320

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

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Kodak Z990

12 MP | 1/2.33 BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Olympus VR-320

Kodak Z990

Olympus VR-320

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Kodak Z990

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Olympus VR-320 vs Kodak Z990 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the VR-320 and the Z990, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Olympus and Kodak. Olympus VR-320 was introduced to the market in July 2011 and Kodak Z990 was launched in January 2011. There is only 6 months difference between VR-320 and Z990 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus VR-320 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-19

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

24-300 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

158g. 101 x 58 x 29 mm

Kodak Z990 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-01-04

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400

28-840 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

Electronic viewfinder

6.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

445g. 124 x 91 x 105 mm

Also known as EasyShare Max

Olympus VR-320 was replaced by Olympus VR-330. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus VR-330 vs Olympus VR-320
Olympus VR-330 vs Kodak EasyShare Z990 (EasyShare Max)

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Olympus VR-320 over Kodak EasyShare Z990

Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
Weight	158 g vs 445 g	287 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage

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Reasons to choose Kodak EasyShare Z990 over Olympus VR-320

Internal Storage	128 MB vs 33 MB	More built-in storage
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control under bright light
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max Native ISO	6.400 vs 1.600	300% higher Max Native ISO
LCD Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	840mm vs 300mm	540 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	30.0x vs 12.5x	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.00	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.60 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	8.9m vs 4.7m	4.2m longer range
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

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Common Strengths of Olympus VR-320 and Kodak EasyShare Z990

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	Easy focusing on portrait shots
Max Continuous Shooting	fps vs 6.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 840mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Olympus VR-320 and Kodak EasyShare Z990

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs Fixed Type	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

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Olympus VR-320 vs Kodak Z990: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus VR-320 has external dimensions of 101 x 58 x 29 mm (3.98 x 2.28 x 1.14″) and weighs 158 g (0.35 lb / 5.57 oz) (including batteries). Kodak Z990 has external dimensions of 124 x 91 x 105 mm (4.88 x 3.58 x 4.13″) and weighs 445 g (0.98 lb / 15.70 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Olympus VR-320 and the Kodak Z990. Olympus VR-320 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 23mm narrower, 33mm shorter and 76mm thinner than Kodak Z990.

Comparison image of the Olympus VR-320 and the Kodak Z990 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990.

Top View Comparison image of the Olympus VR-320 and the Kodak Z990 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus VR-320 is significantly lighter (287g ) than the Kodak Z990 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

VR-320

Z990

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

VR-320

Z990

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Olympus VR-320 nor Kodak EasyShare Z990 (EasyShare Max) provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

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

Olympus VR-320 vs Kodak Z990: Sensor Comparison

Olympus VR-320 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III processor. On the other hand, Kodak Z990 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the VR-320 and Z990 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 Cameras

Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.

Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the Olympus VR-320 or the Kodak Z990, including hyperfocal distance.

Olympus VR-320 vs Kodak Z990 Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus VR-320 features a 24-300 mm F3.0-5.9 12.5× zoom lens whereas Kodak Z990 features a 28-840 mm F2.8-5.6 30× zoom lens.

Olympus VR-320 has 4mm wider coverage than the Kodak Z990. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Kodak Z990 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Kodak Z990 has 540mm longer reach than the Olympus VR-320. At f5.60, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

VR-320

Z990

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

VR-320

Z990

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

VR-320

Z990

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

VR-320

Z990

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 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.

Olympus VR-320 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Kodak Z990 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.33 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Olympus VR-320 for Street Photography

GOOD

Kodak Z990 for Street Photography

GOOD

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

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.33 sensor
Read the details

Olympus VR-320 for Sports Photography

POOR

Kodak Z990 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
300 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
Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
840 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Olympus VR-320 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Kodak Z990 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
158g
12.5X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
30.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.33 sensor
445g
Body Thickness 105mm
Read the details

Olympus VR-320 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Kodak Z990 for Landscape Photography

POOR

24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus VR-320 vs Kodak Z990: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision regarding which camera best suits your needs and budget. However, if you're curious about how we rated the Olympus VR-320 and the Kodak Z990, below you'll find their scores across 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 Olympus VR-320 and Kodak Z990 scores compare:

Olympus VR-320

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #285 out of 488 in Compact cameras
Ranked #971 out of 1384 in all Cameras

Kodak Z990

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #50 out of 119 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #508 out of 1384 in all Cameras

Kodak Z990 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus VR-320 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Olympus VR-320. Otherwise, Kodak Z990 is the better camera overall.

Olympus VR-320

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Kodak Z990

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General	Olympus VR-320	Kodak EasyShare Z990
Brand	Olympus	Kodak
Announced	2011-07-19	2011-01-04
Body Type	Compact	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area	28.07mm²	27.72mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4288 x 3216	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	125 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	24-300 mm (12.5×)	28-840 mm (30×)
Max Aperture	F3.0-5.9	F2.8-5.6
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	230k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.70 m	8.90 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	n/a	6.0 fps
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	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	158g	445g
Dimensions	101 x 58 x 29mm	124 x 91 x 105mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction

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