Olympus SZ-30MR vs Panasonic FP3

Let's look a little more in depth at the Olympus SZ-30MR and Panasonic FP3, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and the FP3 (14MP) is very comparable and they come with the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-30MR was brought out 14 months after the FP3 making the cameras a generation away from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FP3 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going in to a in depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the SZ-30MR scores vs the FP3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-30MR and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery and Panasonic FP3 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-30MR has physical dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FP3 has measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") and a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-30MR and Panasonic FP3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the SZ-30MR vs the FP3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-30MR and FP3 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizes merely by going through specifications. The pic here will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-30MR and FP3.

Plainly, both the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Olympus SZ-30MR to provide extra detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics a little more aggressively. The more modern SZ-30MR will have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.