Olympus SZ-30MR vs Sigma DP2 Merrill

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sigma DP2 Merrill, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sigma. The sensor resolution of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and the DP2 Merrill (15MP) is relatively close but the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and DP2 Merrill (APS-C) come with different sensor size.

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The SZ-30MR was manufactured 11 months earlier than the DP2 Merrill so they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving in to a thorough comparison, below is a short summary of how the SZ-30MR scores vs the DP2 Merrill in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-30MR and Sigma DP2 Merrill. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery and Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-30MR provides physical measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sigma DP2 Merrill has measurements of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") along with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sigma DP2 Merrill in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the SZ-30MR against the DP2 Merrill.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-30MR and DP2 Merrill is 89 and 83 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to picture the difference in sensor measurements only by looking through technical specs. The graphic underneath might provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-30MR and DP2 Merrill.

As you have seen, each of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SZ-30MR featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF trickier and the Olympus SZ-30MR will render extra detail due to its extra 1MP. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older SZ-30MR will be behind in sensor tech.