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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90

Portability
89
Imaging
39
Features
39
Overall
39
Olympus SZ-30MR front
 
Pentax Optio W90 front
Portability
94
Imaging
35
Features
21
Overall
29

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-30MR
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
  • Released March 2011
Pentax W90
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-140mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 164g - 108 x 59 x 25mm
  • Announced February 2010
Photography Glossary

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 Overview

Let's look closer at the Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Waterproof by brands Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and W90 (12MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SZ-30MR was manufactured 13 months later than the W90 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a short view of how the SZ-30MR grades against the W90 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-30MR over the Pentax W90

 SZ-30MR W90 
AnnouncedMarch 2011February 2010Fresher by 13 months
Screen dimensions3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution460k230kCrisper screen (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Pentax W90 over the Olympus SZ-30MR

 W90 SZ-30MR 
Manually focus Dial exact focusing

Common features in the Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax W90

 SZ-30MR W90 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither features selfie screen
Touch screen Missing Touch screen

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-30MR enjoys outer measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Pentax W90 has sizing of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") having a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the SZ-30MR versus the W90.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-30MR and W90 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 Sensor Comparison

Often, it's hard to imagine the contrast in sensor sizing simply by checking out technical specs. The graphic below may give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-30MR and W90.

As you can tell, both of those cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You should expect the Olympus SZ-30MR to show more detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures more aggressively. The younger SZ-30MR should have a benefit in sensor innovation.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Portrait photography info
Pentax W90 Portrait photography info
34
decent megapixels (16MP)
supports face detection focus
manual focus not available
no manual control
no external flash support
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW support
27
manual focus
lack of manual exposure
cannot use external flash
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus SZ-30MR
Street photography with Pentax W90
60
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition (226 grams)
no articulating screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW support
54
environment proofing
screen does not articulate
no image stabilization
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Sports photography information
Pentax W90 Sports photography information
41
long zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
supports tracking autofocus
painfully slow continuous shooting (2.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
low battery life (220 per charge)
no phase detect auto focus
24
environment proofing
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
no image stabilization
low resolution sensor (12MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus SZ-30MR
Travel photography with Pentax W90
65
lighter than competition (226g)
decent megapixels (16MP)
has built in flash
rather wide (25mm)
very long reach (600mm)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
low battery life (220 per charge)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.0)
64
environment proofing
flash built-in
reasonably wide (28mm)
low resolution sensor (12MP)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR as a Landscape photography camera
Pentax W90 as a Landscape photography camera
41
rather wide (25mm)
nice screen size (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
no manual control
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW support
low battery life (220 per charge)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
37
manual focus
reasonably wide (28mm)
environment proofing
cannot swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
screen is small (2.7")
lack of manual exposure
no image stabilization
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus SZ-30MR
Vlogging with Pentax W90
34
rather wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competition (226g)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
doesn't have external microphone socket
25
reasonably wide (28mm)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
no image stabilization
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
does not have external mic socket
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax W90 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax W90
 Olympus SZ-30MRPentax Optio W90
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus SZ-30MR Pentax Optio W90
Type Small Sensor Superzoom Waterproof
Released 2011-03-02 2010-02-24
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic III+ Prime
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 12MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Highest native ISO 3200 6400
Lowest native ISO 80 80
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points - 9
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) 28-140mm (5.0x)
Maximum aperture f/3.0-6.9 f/3.5-5.5
Macro focus distance 1cm 1cm
Focal length multiplier 5.8 5.8
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 3" 2.7"
Screen resolution 460 thousand dots 230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen technology TFT Hypercrystal III Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Minimum shutter speed 4s 4s
Fastest shutter speed 1/1700s 1/1500s
Continuous shutter rate 2.0 frames per sec 1.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Change WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 4.00 m 3.90 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps)1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1280 x 720 (30, 15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video data format MPEG-4 Motion JPEG
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226 gr (0.50 lbs) 164 gr (0.36 lbs)
Physical dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 108 x 59 x 25mm (4.3" 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 photographs -
Style of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model LI-50B D-LI68
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC card, Internal
Card slots One One
Launch cost $279 $120