Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Samsung NX30

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Samsung NX30, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Samsung. The image resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the NX30 (20MP) is relatively comparable but the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and NX30 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.

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The SZ-16 iHS was unveiled 12 months prior to the NX30 which means that they are of a similar generation. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX30 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving right into a thorough comparison, here is a quick summary of how the SZ-16 iHS scores against the NX30 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Samsung NX30. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Samsung NX30 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS has outer measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX30 has measurements of 127mm x 96mm x 58mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.3") having a weight of 375 grams (0.83 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Samsung NX30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at the time. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the SZ-16 iHS compared to the NX30.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-16 iHS and NX30 is 89 and 75 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizes simply by going through technical specs. The picture below will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-16 iHS and NX30.

As you can tell, both cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SZ-16 iHS using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field trickier and the Samsung NX30 will show extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The more aged SZ-16 iHS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.