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-340 and Panasonic G1 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. 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). Panasonic G1 has external dimensions of 124 x 84 x 45 mm (4.88 x 3.31 x 1.77″) and weighs 360 g (0.79 lb / 12.70 oz) (including batteries).
Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Olympus VR-340 and the Panasonic G1. Olympus VR-340 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 28mm narrower, 27mm shorter and 26mm thinner than Panasonic G1. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Olympus VR-340 has a built-in lens but Panasonic G1 doesn't. Once you put a lens on G1, its thickness will increase significantly.
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 (235g ) than the Panasonic G1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.
Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on G1, the total kit will weigh much higher.
Weather Sealing
Unfortunately neither the Olympus VR-340 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 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 Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing
LCD Screen Size and Features
Olympus VR-340 and Panasonic G1's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.
On the other hand, Panasonic G1 sports a
Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Olympus VR-340's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to G1.