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Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30

Portability
71
Imaging
47
Features
50
Overall
48
Olympus E-600 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 front
Portability
92
Imaging
42
Features
48
Overall
44

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 Key Specs

Olympus E-600
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 515g - 130 x 94 x 60mm
  • Released August 2009
Panasonic ZS30
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-480mm (F3.3-6.4) lens
  • 198g - 105 x 59 x 28mm
  • Revealed January 2013
  • Additionally Known as Lumix DMC-TZ40
  • Superseded the Panasonic ZS25
  • Updated by Panasonic ZS35
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Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 Overview

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Olympus E-600 versus Panasonic ZS30, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-600 (12MP) and ZS30 (18MP) and the E-600 (Four Thirds) and ZS30 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-600 was brought out 4 years earlier than the ZS30 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-600 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-600 grades vs the ZS30 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-600 over the Panasonic ZS30

 E-600 ZS30 
Manual focus Very precise focusing
Display typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating display
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS30 over the Olympus E-600

 ZS30 E-600 
RevealedJanuary 2013August 2009More recent by 40 months
Display sizing3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution920k230kSharper display (+690k dot)
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-600 and Panasonic ZS30

 E-600 ZS30 

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 Physical Comparison

When you are looking to lug around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-600 enjoys outside measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 60mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.4") with a weight of 515 grams (1.14 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS30 has measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-600 versus Panasonic ZS30 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-600 versus the ZS30.

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-600 and ZS30 is 71 and 92 respectively.

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 Sensor Comparison

Usually, it can be hard to envision the contrast between sensor measurements just by going over specs. The graphic here will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-600 and ZS30.

All in all, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-600 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic ZS30 will offer greater detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The older E-600 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus E-600
Portrait photography with Panasonic ZS30
60
has manual focus
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers face detection focusing
exports RAW files
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
33
good MP (18MP)
no manual focus
cannot use external flash
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-600 Street photography features
Panasonic ZS30 Street photography features
76
screen can move to multiple angles
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
66
built in image stabilization (Optical)
comes with focus by touch
lighter than average in class (198 grams)
no moving screen
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-600 Sports photography factors
Panasonic ZS30 Sports photography factors
48
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
has phase detect AF
painfully slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames/s)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
not so great battery power (500 per charge)
46
amazing zoom range (24-480mm 20.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (18 megapixels)
provides tracking focus
low maximum shutter speed (1/1,200s)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
not so great battery pack (260 CIPA)
lack of phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-600 Travel photography factors
Panasonic ZS30 Travel photography factors
53
built-in flash
selfie friendly screen
missing Time Lapse recording
not so great battery power (500 per charge)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
69
lighter than average in class (198 grams)
comes with focus by touch
good MP (18MP)
flash built-in
fairly wide (24mm)
long reach (480mm)
does not have Time Lapse mode
not so great battery pack (260 shots)
display is not selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-600 as a Landscape photography camera
Panasonic ZS30 as a Landscape photography camera
53
has manual focus
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
small screen (2.7")
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
not so great battery power (500 CIPA)
missing Time Lapse recording
44
fairly wide (24mm)
nice screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (18 megapixels)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
not so great battery pack (260 shots)
does not have Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-600 Vlogging advice
Panasonic ZS30 Vlogging advice
18
can't shoot video
35
fairly wide (24mm)
touch screen
built in image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than average in class (198 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
display is not selfie friendly
does not have mic port
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Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic ZS30 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-600 and Panasonic ZS30
 Olympus E-600Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus E-600 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30
Also Known as - Lumix DMC-TZ40
Type Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Superzoom
Released 2009-08-30 2013-01-07
Body design Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic III+ -
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 18 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4032 x 3024 4896 x 3672
Highest native ISO 3200 6400
Minimum native ISO 100 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points 7 23
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-480mm (20.0x)
Maximum aperture - f/3.3-6.4
Macro focusing range - 3cm
Total lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Display type Fully Articulated Fixed Type
Display size 2.7 inches 3 inches
Resolution of display 230k dot 920k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display technology HyperCrystal LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.48x -
Features
Min shutter speed 60s 15s
Max shutter speed 1/4000s 1/1200s
Continuous shutter speed 4.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 12.00 m 6.40 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Front curtain, Rear curtain, Fill-in, Manual Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Max flash sync 1/180s -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (220 fps)
Highest video resolution None 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 515 gr (1.14 lb) 198 gr (0.44 lb)
Dimensions 130 x 94 x 60mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.4") 105 x 59 x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 55 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.5 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.3 not tested
DXO Low light rating 541 not tested
Other
Battery life 500 photographs 260 photographs
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLS-1 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots Single Single
Cost at release $0 $250