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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80

Portability
89
Imaging
39
Features
39
Overall
39
Olympus SZ-30MR front
 
Pentax Optio WS80 front
Portability
95
Imaging
33
Features
20
Overall
27

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 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
  • Revealed March 2011
Pentax WS80
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 64 - 6400
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 35-175mm (F3.8-4.7) lens
  • 125g - 92 x 60 x 22mm
  • Introduced August 2009
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 Overview

Let's examine more closely at the Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax WS80, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Waterproof by brands Olympus and Pentax. There exists a big gap between the image resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and WS80 (10MP) but they feature the exact same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SZ-30MR was revealed 20 months after the WS80 making the cameras a generation away from one another. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a short summation of how the SZ-30MR scores against the WS80 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-30MR over the Pentax WS80

 SZ-30MR WS80 
IntroducedMarch 2011August 2009Newer by 20 months
Display dimension3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution460k230kCrisper display (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Pentax WS80 over the Olympus SZ-30MR

 WS80 SZ-30MR 
Manually focus More accurate focus

Common features in the Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax WS80

 SZ-30MR WS80 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen
Touch display Missing Touch display

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 Physical Comparison

If you are aiming to travel with your camera, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-30MR comes with 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) and the Pentax WS80 has sizing of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax WS80 in the all new Camera with 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 chosen during that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the SZ-30MR against the WS80.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-30MR and WS80 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it's difficult to envision the gap between sensor dimensions purely by reading specifications. The image here will give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-30MR and WS80.

Plainly, each of the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You should anticipate the Olympus SZ-30MR to deliver greater detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The newer SZ-30MR is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Portrait photography advice
Pentax WS80 Portrait photography advice
34
good MP (16 megapixels)
offers face detection autofocus
lack of manual focus
lack of manual exposure
can't use external flash
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
26
focusing manually
no manual control
can't use external flash
sensor resolution low (10MP)
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR as a Street photography camera
Pentax WS80 as a Street photography camera
60
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition in class (226 grams)
screen is fixed
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
59
environment proofing
lighter than competition (125 grams)
screen is fixed
does not have image stabilization
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Sports photography information
Pentax WS80 Sports photography information
41
long zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good MP (16MP)
offers tracking autofocus
continuous shooting slow (2.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
low battery life (220 per charge)
no phase detect autofocus
23
environment proofing
low frames per second (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10MP)
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Travel photography highlights
Pentax WS80 Travel photography highlights
65
lighter than competition in class (226g)
good MP (16MP)
has built in flash
decently wide (25mm)
great zoom (600mm)
lack of Timelapse mode
low battery life (220 shots)
does not have a selfie friendly display
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
61
lighter than competition (125g)
environment proofing
has built in flash
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
does not offer selfie friendly display
wide angle not great (35mm)
sluggish max aperture (f3.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Landscape photography factors
Pentax WS80 Landscape photography factors
41
decently wide (25mm)
nice screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good MP (16MP)
lack of manual focus
cannot swap lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
lack of manual exposure
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
low battery life (220 per charge)
lack of Timelapse mode
31
focusing manually
environment proofing
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not great (35mm)
sluggish max aperture (f3.8)
screen is somewhat small (2.7 inch)
no manual control
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10MP)
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Vlogging details
Pentax WS80 Vlogging details
34
decently wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers face detection autofocus
good video quality (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than competition in class (226g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
does not have a selfie friendly display
lack of external microphone socket
25
lighter than competition (125g)
wide angle not great (35mm)
sluggish max aperture (f3.8)
does not offer selfie friendly display
does not have image stabilization
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
does not have mic support
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax WS80 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax WS80
 Olympus SZ-30MRPentax Optio WS80
General Information
Company Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus SZ-30MR Pentax Optio WS80
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Waterproof
Revealed 2011-03-02 2009-08-05
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor 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 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 6400
Minimum native ISO 80 64
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points - 9
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) 35-175mm (5.0x)
Max aperture f/3.0-6.9 f/3.8-4.7
Macro focus range 1cm -
Focal length multiplier 5.8 5.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3" 2.7"
Display resolution 460k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology TFT Hypercrystal III Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Minimum shutter speed 4 secs 4 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/1700 secs 1/1500 secs
Continuous shutter rate 2.0 frames/s 1.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 4.00 m 3.40 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
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 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video file format MPEG-4 Motion JPEG
Mic support
Headphone support
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
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226 grams (0.50 lbs) 125 grams (0.28 lbs)
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 92 x 60 x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9")
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 photos -
Form of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model LI-50B D-LI68
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC card, Internal
Card slots Single Single
Retail price $279 $220