Olympus VR-340 First Impressions Review

Lens & Sensor

The VR-340's lens actually gets a reduction in optical zoom, down to 10x from the VR-320's 12.5x, We're encouraged when manufacturers reduce zoom ratio, because it often results in better overall image quality.

Sensor size remains the same, 1/2.3-inches, however resolution does get a boost to 16 megapixels.

LCD

The 3-inch fixed LCD display is a 460,000-dot model, and that's pretty decent resolution for an entry-level Olympus. The panel has a great viewing angle that will aid in video and overhead shooting.

Flash

The flash bulb is located in a decent spot on the righthand side of the front panel, mostly out of the way of the fingers. Aside from Auto and Off, there are settings for red-eye reduction and background fill-in.

Jacks, Ports & Plugs

The only connectivity terminal found on the VR-340 is a proprietary USB port adjacent to the battery / media compartment cover. The port is exposed, not protected by the cover, in a spot that's inconvenient for our tripod-based testing, but probably won't bother anyone else.

Battery

The VG-340 will be powered by an included lithium battery and will probably be charged in-camera. No word yet on CIPA performance ratings for this battery / camera combination.

Memory

The VR-340 will store data on SD, SDHC, or expensive SDXC memory cards. No internal memory is available.