Olympus SZ-30MR vs Sony A390

Below, we will be contrasting the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A390, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and the A390 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-30MR was launched 8 months later than the A390 which means that they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the SZ-30MR scores against the A390 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-30MR & Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery & Sony A390 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-30MR offers exterior measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony A390 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") along with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A390 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the SZ-30MR vs the A390.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-30MR and A390 is 89 and 66 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to see the gap in sensor measurements simply by seeing specs. The graphic below might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-30MR and A390.

All in all, both of those cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SZ-30MR featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus SZ-30MR will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The fresher SZ-30MR is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.