Olympus E-30 vs Olympus XZ-10

Here is a complete analysis of the Olympus E-30 and Olympus XZ-10, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are built by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-30 (12MP) and the XZ-10 (12MP) is very close but the E-30 (Four Thirds) and XZ-10 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-30 was manufactured 4 years earlier than the XZ-10 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus XZ-10 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-30 matches up against the XZ-10 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-30 and Olympus Stylus XZ-10. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-30 Gallery and Olympus XZ-10 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-30 features outside dimensions of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") with a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) and the Olympus XZ-10 has measurements of 102mm x 61mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs).

See the Olympus E-30 and Olympus XZ-10 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the E-30 versus the XZ-10.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-30 and XZ-10 is 60 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing purely by viewing specs. The graphic here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-30 and XZ-10.

All in all, each of these cameras have the same MP but different sensor sizing. The E-30 provides the larger sensor which should make obtaining shallower DOF easier. The older E-30 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.