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Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II

Portability
60
Imaging
46
Features
54
Overall
49
Olympus E-30 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II front
Portability
89
Imaging
51
Features
74
Overall
60

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II Key Specs

Olympus E-30
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 695g - 142 x 108 x 75mm
  • Released March 2009
Sony RX100 II
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 160 - 12800 (Increase to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-100mm (F1.8-4.9) lens
  • 281g - 102 x 58 x 38mm
  • Launched June 2013
  • Earlier Model is Sony RX100
  • Renewed by Sony RX100 III
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Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II Overview

Below is a detailed overview of the Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-30 (12MP) and RX100 II (20MP) and the E-30 (Four Thirds) and RX100 II (1") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-30 was launched 5 years prior to the RX100 II and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting right into a in depth comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-30 matches up vs the RX100 II for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-30 over the Sony RX100 II

 E-30 RX100 II 
Screen typeFully ArticulatedTiltingFully Articulating screen
Selfie screen Take selfies

Reasons to pick Sony RX100 II over the Olympus E-30

 RX100 II E-30 
LaunchedJune 2013March 2009More recent by 51 months
Screen dimensions3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution1229k230kCrisper screen (+999k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-30 and Sony RX100 II

 E-30 RX100 II 
Manual focus Dial accurate focusing
Touch screen Lacking Touch screen

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II Physical Comparison

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-30 provides external measurements of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) and the Sony RX100 II has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-30 and the RX100 II.

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II size comparison

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-30 and RX100 II is 60 and 89 respectively.

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II Sensor Comparison

Often, its difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements just by going over technical specs. The graphic here will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-30 and RX100 II.

As you can tell, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-30 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony RX100 II will deliver greater detail utilizing its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older E-30 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II sensor size comparison

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-30 Portrait photography details
Sony RX100 II Portrait photography details
59
you can focus manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with face detect focus
saves RAW files
low MP (12MP)
70
focusing manually
high flash sync speed (1/2,000s)
good resolution (20MP)
decent sensor size (1")
supports face detection focusing
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-30
Street photography with Sony RX100 II
72
screen articulates
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
85
tilting screen
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor size (1")
saves RAW files
lighter than competitors in class (281 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-30 Sports photography factors
Sony RX100 II Sports photography factors
51
high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with phase detect auto focus
very slow continuous shooting (5.0 frames/s)
low MP (12 megapixels)
low battery (750 CIPA)
67
has image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (20MP)
decent sensor size (1")
supports tracking autofocus
good battery (350 per charge)
lacks phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-30 Travel photography info
Sony RX100 II Travel photography info
49
has built in flash
display is selfie friendly
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
low battery (750 per charge)
low MP (12 megapixels)
80
good battery (350 CIPA)
lighter than competitors in class (281 grams)
good resolution (20 megapixels)
has built in flash
decently wide (28mm)
fast maximum aperture (f1.8)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-30 Landscape photography features
Sony RX100 II Landscape photography features
52
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
screen is somewhat small (2.7 inch)
low MP (12MP)
low battery (750 shots)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
74
focusing manually
decently wide (28mm)
fast maximum aperture (f1.8)
screen size is good (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (20MP)
decent sensor size (1")
saves RAW files
good battery (350 per charge)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-30 Vlogging factors
Sony RX100 II Vlogging factors
18
no video shooting
37
decently wide (28mm)
fast maximum aperture (f1.8)
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detection focusing
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than competitors in class (281g)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
does not have external microphone socket
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Olympus E-30 vs Sony RX100 II Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-30 and Sony RX100 II
 Olympus E-30Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model Olympus E-30 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II
Type Advanced DSLR Large Sensor Compact
Released 2009-03-24 2013-06-27
Physical type Mid-size SLR Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic III+ -
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 116.2mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 20MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4032 x 3024 5472 x 3648
Maximum native ISO 3200 12800
Maximum boosted ISO - 25600
Minimum native ISO 100 160
RAW pictures
Minimum boosted ISO - 100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 11 25
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 28-100mm (3.6x)
Maximal aperture - f/1.8-4.9
Macro focus distance - 5cm
Number of lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 2.7
Screen
Display type Fully Articulated Tilting
Display sizing 2.7 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 230 thousand dots 1,229 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display tech HyperCrystal II LCD Xtra Fine WhiteMagic TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder coverage 98% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.56x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/8000 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 5.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 13.00 m 15.00 m (ISO Auto (W))
Flash options Auto, Manual, Fill, Red-eye reduction, Slow sync with red-eye reduction, Slow sync, Slow sync 2nd curtain, Off Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/250 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution None 1920x1080
Video format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 695g (1.53 lb) 281g (0.62 lb)
Physical dimensions 142 x 108 x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") 102 x 58 x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 55 67
DXO Color Depth score 21.3 22.5
DXO Dynamic range score 10.4 12.4
DXO Low light score 530 483
Other
Battery life 750 photos 350 photos
Battery type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model BLM-1 NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (12 or 2 sec) Yes (10 sec. / 2 sec. / Self-portrait One-person/ Self-portrait Two-person/ Self timer Continuous (3 or 5 shots))
Time lapse recording With downloadable app
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I or II) / xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots One One
Retail pricing $1,299 $598