Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Samsung SL30

Its time to look closer at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Samsung SL30, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Samsung. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and SL30 (10MP) but they use the exact same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SZ-16 iHS was announced 3 years later than the SL30 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a short summation of how the SZ-16 iHS matches up versus the SL30 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Samsung SL30. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Samsung SL30 Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS features exterior measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Samsung SL30 has specifications of 94mm x 61mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") with a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Samsung SL30 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the SZ-16 iHS versus the SL30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-16 iHS and SL30 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to imagine the difference between sensor measurements just by looking at specifications. The visual below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-16 iHS and SL30.

To sum up, both of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different MP. You should expect to see the Olympus SZ-16 iHS to resolve greater detail with its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics much more aggressively. The more recent SZ-16 iHS provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.