Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic SZ3

Below, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic SZ3, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-30 (12MP) and SZ3 (16MP) and the E-30 (Four Thirds) and SZ3 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor size.

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The E-30 was released 4 years prior to the SZ3 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ3 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a in depth comparison, below is a simple overview of how the E-30 scores versus the SZ3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-30 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ3. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-30 Gallery and Panasonic SZ3 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-30 comes with outer dimensions of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") along with a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) while the Panasonic SZ3 has specifications of 95mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic SZ3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-30 compared to the SZ3.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-30 and SZ3 is 60 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic below will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-30 and SZ3.

Clearly, both of those cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-30 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic SZ3 will provide you with extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The older E-30 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.