Canon 30D vs Olympus E-3

Let's take a more detailed look at the Canon 30D and Olympus E-3, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by companies Canon and Olympus. The image resolution of the 30D (8MP) and the E-3 (10MP) is fairly well matched but the 30D (APS-C) and E-3 (Four Thirds) provide different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The 30D was revealed 22 months before the E-3 making them a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the 30D grades vs the E-3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon EOS 30D & Olympus E-3. The full galleries are provided at Canon 30D Gallery & Olympus E-3 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera regularly, you should think about its weight and size. The Canon 30D features outer dimensions of 144mm x 106mm x 74mm (5.7" x 4.2" x 2.9") with a weight of 784 grams (1.73 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-3 has specifications of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") with a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs).

Check out the Canon 30D and Olympus E-3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the 30D compared to the E-3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 30D and E-3 is 58 and 56 respectively.

Typically, its hard to picture the gap between sensor dimensions purely by looking at a spec sheet. The picture below might give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the 30D and E-3.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The 30D with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus E-3 will give greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged 30D is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.