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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90

Portability
89
Imaging
39
Features
39
Overall
39
Olympus SZ-30MR front
 
Pentax Optio E90 front
Portability
94
Imaging
33
Features
11
Overall
24

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-30MR
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
  • Announced March 2011
Pentax E90
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 32-95mm (F3.1-5.9) lens
  • 145g - 102 x 59 x 25mm
  • Introduced January 2010
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 Overview

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and E90 (10MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-30MR was brought out 14 months later than the E90 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a short overview of how the SZ-30MR matches up vs the E90 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-30MR over the Pentax E90

 SZ-30MR E90 
IntroducedMarch 2011January 2010More recent by 14 months
Screen dimension3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution460k230kSharper screen (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Pentax E90 over the Olympus SZ-30MR

 E90 SZ-30MR 

Common features in the Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax E90

 SZ-30MR E90 
Manual focus Lack of manual focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch screen Neither contains Touch screen

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-30MR has got physical measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax E90 has specifications of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") with a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilising at the time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the SZ-30MR compared to the E90.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-30MR and E90 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 Sensor Comparison

Usually, its difficult to visualise the difference in sensor measurements merely by checking out technical specs. The photograph underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-30MR and E90.

As you have seen, the two cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same resolution. You should count on the Olympus SZ-30MR to show extra detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more modern SZ-30MR is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Portrait photography features
Pentax E90 Portrait photography features
34
resolution is good (16MP)
comes with face detect autofocus
lack of manual focus
lack of manual mode
can't use external flash
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
19
lack of manual focus
lack of manual mode
external flash not possible
resolution not great (10 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR as a Street photography camera
Pentax E90 as a Street photography camera
60
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition (226g)
no articulating screen
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
47
screen is fixed
lack of image stabilization
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR as a Sports photography camera
Pentax E90 as a Sports photography camera
41
excellent zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
resolution is good (16MP)
comes with tracking focus
max frames per second very slow (2.0 fps)
no shutter priority
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
bad battery power (220 CIPA)
does not have phase detect autofocus
16
no shutter priority mode
lack of image stabilization
resolution not great (10MP)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus SZ-30MR
Travel photography with Pentax E90
65
lighter than competition (226g)
resolution is good (16MP)
has built in flash
quite wide (25mm)
long reach (600mm)
missing Time Lapse mode
bad battery power (220 per charge)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
50
built-in flash
no Timelapse recording
resolution not great (10 megapixels)
does not contain selfie friendly display
wide angle not good (32mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Landscape photography information
Pentax E90 Landscape photography information
41
quite wide (25mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
lack of manual focus
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
lack of manual mode
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
bad battery power (220 CIPA)
missing Time Lapse mode
22
lack of manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not good (32mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
small screen (2.7 inch)
lack of manual mode
lack of image stabilization
resolution not great (10 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
no Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR as a Vlogging camera
Pentax E90 as a Vlogging camera
34
quite wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
comes with face detect autofocus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition (226g)
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
missing mic jack
22
wide angle not good (32mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
does not contain selfie friendly display
lack of image stabilization
video res low (1280 x 720 pixels)
no microphone port
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax E90 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax E90
 Olympus SZ-30MRPentax Optio E90
General Information
Company Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus SZ-30MR Pentax Optio E90
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Compact
Announced 2011-03-02 2010-01-25
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic III+ Prime
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 10 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4608 x 3456 3648 x 2736
Highest native ISO 3200 3200
Minimum native ISO 80 80
RAW data
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points - 3
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) 32-95mm (3.0x)
Highest aperture f/3.0-6.9 f/3.1-5.9
Macro focus range 1cm 6cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.9
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 3 inches 2.7 inches
Display resolution 460 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display tech TFT Hypercrystal III Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Min shutter speed 4 seconds 4 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/1700 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 2.0 frames per second -
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 4.00 m 3.50 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in -
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps)1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1280 x 720 (15 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video format MPEG-4 Motion JPEG
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226 grams (0.50 lbs) 145 grams (0.32 lbs)
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 102 x 59 x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 220 pictures -
Battery form Battery Pack -
Battery model LI-50B 2 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC, Internal
Storage slots 1 1
Cost at release $279 $100