Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR III

Here, we are analyzing the Olympus SZ-30MR versus Ricoh GR III, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Ricoh. There is a sizeable difference between the image resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and GR III (24MP) and the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and GR III (APS-C) posses totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-30MR was launched 8 years before the GR III which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Ricoh GR III being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short highlight of how the SZ-30MR scores vs the GR III when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-30MR and Ricoh GR III. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery and Ricoh GR III Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera often, you have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-30MR enjoys physical measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Ricoh GR III has specifications of 109mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 257 grams (0.57 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-30MR versus Ricoh GR III in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that moment. The following is a front view scale comparison of the SZ-30MR against the GR III.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-30MR and GR III is 89 and 90 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to envision the difference between sensor dimensions simply by reviewing specs. The pic below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-30MR and GR III.

All in all, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-30MR due to its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Ricoh GR III will offer greater detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics way more aggressively. The more aged SZ-30MR is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.