Olympus E-30 vs Ricoh CX4

On this page, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-30 and Ricoh CX4, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Ricoh. The image resolution of the E-30 (12MP) and the CX4 (10MP) is pretty close but the E-30 (Four Thirds) and CX4 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizes.

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The E-30 was introduced 17 months before the CX4 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Ricoh CX4 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-30 grades versus the CX4 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-30 & Ricoh CX4. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-30 Gallery & Ricoh CX4 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-30 offers outer measurements of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") along with a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) whilst the Ricoh CX4 has proportions of 102mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 205 grams (0.45 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-30 and Ricoh CX4 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-30 compared to the CX4.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-30 and CX4 is 60 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to picture the gap in sensor sizing simply by researching specs. The graphic underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-30 and CX4.

All in all, each of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-30 having a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-30 will provide you with extra detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older E-30 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.