Olympus SZ-30MR vs Samsung CL5

Let's look more closely at the Olympus SZ-30MR and Samsung CL5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Samsung. There is a noticeable difference among the resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and CL5 (9MP) and the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and CL5 (1/2.5") come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-30MR was revealed 2 years later than the CL5 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Samsung CL5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go in to a in depth comparison, below is a concise view of how the SZ-30MR matches up against the CL5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-30MR & Samsung CL5. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery & Samsung CL5 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-30MR features physical dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Samsung CL5 has dimensions of 93mm x 60mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.7") with a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-30MR and Samsung CL5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the SZ-30MR and the CL5.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-30MR and CL5 is 89 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to see the difference in sensor measurements just by going through specs. The graphic below will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-30MR and CL5.

All in all, both of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SZ-30MR having a larger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus SZ-30MR will provide more detail because of its extra 7 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop pics much more aggressively. The younger SZ-30MR is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.