Olympus SZ-15 vs Samsung HZ30W

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus SZ-15 vs Samsung HZ30W, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Olympus and Samsung. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the SZ-15 (16MP) and HZ30W (12MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-15 was announced 3 years after the HZ30W which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving into a in depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the SZ-15 scores versus the HZ30W with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-15 and Samsung HZ30W. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery and Samsung HZ30W Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to travel with your camera often, you'll have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-15 comes with exterior measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) whilst the Samsung HZ30W has specifications of 107mm x 61mm x 28mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.1") and a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-15 vs Samsung HZ30W in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-15 against the HZ30W.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-15 and HZ30W is 88 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions purely by looking through specs. The pic below might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-15 and HZ30W.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different MP. You should expect the Olympus SZ-15 to provide you with more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The newer SZ-15 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.