Canon SX30 IS vs Olympus E-M1

The following is a extended assessment of the Canon SX30 IS vs Olympus E-M1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Canon and Olympus. The resolution of the SX30 IS (14MP) and the E-M1 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the SX30 IS (1/2.3") and E-M1 (Four Thirds) use totally different sensor dimensions.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The SX30 IS was revealed 4 years before the E-M1 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Canon SX30 IS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting in to a in depth comparison, below is a short view of how the SX30 IS matches up vs the E-M1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Olympus OM-D E-M1. The full galleries are provided at Canon SX30 IS Gallery and Olympus E-M1 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Canon SX30 IS has physical dimensions of 123mm x 92mm x 108mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 4.3") with a weight of 601 grams (1.32 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-M1 has sizing of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") and a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs).

Look at the Canon SX30 IS vs Olympus E-M1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at the time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the SX30 IS compared to the E-M1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SX30 IS and E-M1 is 64 and 71 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to envision the gap between sensor dimensions merely by looking at a spec sheet. The picture here may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SX30 IS and E-M1.

As you can see, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SX30 IS having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Olympus E-M1 will give you more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs far more aggressively. The more aged SX30 IS is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.