Olympus SZ-30MR vs Sony A850: A Deep Dive into Two Very Different Cameras

When it comes to choosing a camera, the chasm between compact superzooms and full-frame DSLRs can feel like stepping into entirely different worlds. Yet, comparing the Olympus SZ-30MR and the Sony Alpha DSLR-A850 side-by-side is a fascinating exercise that highlights how distinct design philosophies and user needs shape camera development. In this article, we’ll dissect these two offerings - the 2011 Olympus compact superzoom and the 2010 Sony advanced DSLR - to help you grasp where each shines and who should consider them.

Having tested thousands of cameras over the years, I find that real-world handling, technical strengths, and intended use cases are key to cutting through specs sheets. So, let’s embark on a hands-on comparison journey revealing what each camera uniquely brings to the table.

First Impressions: Size, Design, and Handling

Looking at these two cameras head-on underscores their divergent target audiences. The Olympus SZ-30MR is a small, pocketable superzoom designed for casual shooters craving versatility and portability. In contrast, the Sony A850 is a hefty, pro-oriented full-frame DSLR aimed at enthusiasts and professionals who prioritize image quality and manual control.

At 106×69×40 mm and 226 grams, the SZ-30MR slips easily in a jacket pocket or small bag. The fixed 25-600mm equivalent zoom lens with its modest F3.0-6.9 aperture adds minimal bulk. Its all-polycarbonate body feels light, but I noted the ergonomics are simple, with small buttons and a fixed rear LCD, suitable for selfies or family snapshots but not extended shooting sessions.

Conversely, the Sony A850’s 156×117×82 mm frame weighs in at a solid 895 grams - a noticeable heft that immediately signals DSLR stamina and ruggedness. Its magnesium alloy body with environmental sealing inspires confidence for demanding conditions. The camera handles well balanced, with a substantial grip and intuitive control layout designed for one-handed operation during hectic shoots.

Even in handheld use, the SZ-30MR invites casual, opportunistic photography, while the A850 demands a more deliberate, engaged approach. This difference sets the stage for where each camera can truly excel.

Control Layout and User Interface: Intuitive or Minimalist?

User interface can make or break the shooting experience, especially when switching genres or shooting styles.

The Olympus SZ-30MR offers a very minimalist control scheme - no dedicated dials for aperture or shutter priority, and no manual focus option. It’s essentially a point-and-shoot that relies on auto modes and zoom lever controls. The buttons are quite small, and while the 3-inch TFT screen is bright and clear, the lack of a viewfinder means shooting under bright sunlight can be challenging. There are no customizable buttons or exposure compensation controls, so creative adjustment is limited.

The Sony A850, meanwhile, shows its DSLR roots with multiple dedicated dials for shutter speed, aperture, and exposure compensation, alongside a top LCD panel displaying key shooting parameters. Its 3-inch TFT Xtra Fine LCD is higher resolution (922k dots) and complemented by a large pentaprism optical viewfinder covering about 98% of the frame at 0.74× magnification. This makes composing in bright conditions effortless. The camera offers full manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, and program modes. Buttons are large, well spaced, and backlit.

The more sophisticated control system of the A850 reflects its goal to give photographers granular exposure control and intuitive feedback - ideal in fast-paced or precision shooting workflows.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

When it comes down to image quality, the Achilles’ heel of smaller-sensor cameras often becomes clear. Let’s pit the SZ-30MR’s 1/2.3-inch 16MP CMOS sensor against the A850’s famously capable 24.6MP full-frame sensor.

Sensor Size and Resolution:

• Olympus SZ-30MR: 6.17 x 4.55 mm (28.07 mm²), 16 megapixels
• Sony A850: 35.9 x 24 mm (861.6 mm²), 24.6 megapixels

That means the A850’s sensor area is over 30 times larger than the SZ-30MR’s, which translates to significantly larger photosites, superior signal-to-noise ratio, and greater dynamic range. The full-frame sensor also facilitates shallower depth of field control and better low light performance.

Image Quality Observations:

In testing both cameras across identical scenes:

• Portraits from the A850 show richer tonality with smooth skin rendering and excellent color depth - DXO color depth around 23.8 bits - while the SZ-30MR produces more digital-looking skin tones with subtle color shifts in harsh lighting conditions.
• Crop flexibility is a primary strength of the full-frame sensor’s high resolution (6048 × 4032 pixels), enabling large prints and moderate cropping without quality loss. The SZ-30MR’s 4608 × 3456 output is decent but reaches noise limits earlier with higher ISO.
• Noise performance dramatically diverges at ISO 800 and above. The A850 handles up to ISO 3200 with reasonable noise levels, whereas the SZ-30MR’s ISOs beyond 400 become grainy quickly.
• The SZ-30MR incorporates an anti-alias filter, slightly softening ultra-fine details, while the A850’s full-frame sensor captures extraordinary detail and subtle textures.

In short, for image quality purists, the A850 leaves the SZ-30MR in the dust, as expected given the sensor technology disparity.

Autofocus and Speed: Catching the Moment

A camera’s autofocus system often separates it in wildlife, sports, and street photography.

• Olympus SZ-30MR: Relies on contrast-detection autofocus with face detection. It only has single AF with some tracking capabilities but can shoot continuously at merely 2 fps. No phase-detection or advanced AF area selection or eye AF support exists.
• Sony A850: Uses a 9-point phase-detection AF system with center-weighted metering and supports continuous AF modes. Continuous shooting speed maxes out at 3 fps.

While neither camera is a speed demon, the A850 is better suited for semi-fast action capturing thanks to phase detection focus which is faster and more accurate in varied lighting, plus its larger buffer for burst shooting (important in sports).

The SZ-30MR’s tracking functions are rudimentary, making it effective primarily for stationary subjects or casual snapshots. It would struggle with wildlife or sports action panning.

Lens Ecosystem and Versatility

The SZ-30MR’s fixed lens is a 25-600mm equivalent zoom with a maximum aperture ranging from F3.0 to F6.9. This 24× zoom range is impressive for a compact camera, offering wide-angle to extreme telephoto reach without changing optics.

The downside is a slow aperture at telephoto lengths, which limits low-light capability and subject isolation. The built-in lens has sensor-shift image stabilization to help with handheld telephoto shots, but depth of field control remains narrow due to the small sensor size.

In contrast, the Sony A850 uses the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount with access to 143 compatible lenses spanning primes, zooms, and specialty optics, from ultrawide to super telephoto. This open ecosystem lets photographers tailor glass to their specific genre and style. Fast primes for portraits, macro lenses for close-ups, and weather-sealed zooms for landscapes and wildlife are all options.

This lens versatility is a critical advantage for the A850, enabling it to be a “jack-of-all-trades” DSLR platform.

Display and Viewfinder: Composing Your Shot

Both cameras feature fixed 3-inch LCD screens. However, quality and usability differ significantly.

The SZ-30MR’s screen is a TFT HyperCrystal III LCD with 460k dots of resolution. Bright and fairly sharp for its class, but the lack of touch capabilities and fixed angle limit compositional flexibility, especially at low or high angles.

The A850’s 3-inch TFT Xtra Fine LCD delivers 922k dots with crisp clarity and excellent color accuracy. It lacks live view and touchscreen but compensates with a large, bright pentaprism optical viewfinder offering 98% coverage and 0.74× magnification - critical for accurate manual and telephoto shots under all light conditions.

For a user who frequently shoots outdoors or needs precise focusing, the A850’s viewfinder experience is far superior.

Video Capabilities: Which One Films Better?

The Olympus SZ-30MR supports 1080p video at 30 fps using the MPEG-4 format. The SZ-30MR also offers 720p, VGA, and lower resolutions for more casual recording.

The Sony A850 has no video recording capabilities - reflecting its era and DSLR lineage before video features became mainstream.

If video is part of your workflow or hobby, the SZ-30MR is the obvious choice here, though its video features are basic with no external mic input or advanced stabilization beyond the sensor-shift in stills mode.

Battery Life and Storage: Staying Power for Long Shoots

The SZ-30MR uses a proprietary LI-50B battery with a rated life of approximately 220 shots. This modest endurance means you’ll want spare batteries or access to charging if out shooting all day.

The Sony A850 uses the NP-FM500H battery capable of around 880 shots per charge - a significant bonus for photographers on long trips or shoots without frequent power access.

Storage-wise, the SZ-30MR accepts SD/SDHC/SDXC cards in a single slot, while the A850 offers dual storage with Compact Flash and Memory Stick Pro Duo support, allowing flexible backup and overflow options.

Build Quality and Environmental Resistance

A glance at build and sealing underscores usage scenarios.

The Olympus SZ-30MR, being a compact superzoom, has a plastic body with minimal weather sealing. It’s not designed for harsh environments. This means care is needed in rain or dusty locations.

The Sony A850 boasts a magnesium alloy chassis with environmental sealing against dust and moisture ingress - not waterproof but built tough enough for pro outdoor use.

This durability means the A850 can confidently accompany you on landscape hikes, wildlife safaris, or demanding assignments.

Real-World Photography Tests Across Genres

To give you practical insights, here’s how each camera performs across common photography styles:

Olympus SZ 30MR front Olympus SZ 30MR screen back Sony A850 front Sony A850 screen back

• Portraits: The A850’s full-frame sensor delivered smooth skin tones, natural bokeh, and precise eye focus with its phase-detection AF, producing professional-grade portraits. The SZ-30MR captured decent snapshots but had limited bokeh control and softer focus on detail.
• Landscapes: The A850’s wider dynamic range (DXO dynamic range of 12.2) and higher resolution rendered expansive scenes with rich tonal gradations. The SZ-30MR’s sensor lost subtle shadow and highlight detail, especially in bright sunlight, making it less ideal for large prints.
• Wildlife: The SZ-30MR’s superzoom lens reach is admirable, but slow aperture and contrast-detect AF limit tracking. The A850’s faster AF and telephoto lens options provided better reliability, though its 3 fps burst isn’t stellar for fast action.
• Sports: Neither camera is a speed specialist, but the A850’s phase-detection autofocus and manual controls offer advantages over the slow SZ-30MR in capturing dynamic moments.
• Street: The compact SZ-30MR’s discreet size and silent operation make it excellent for candid street shots. The A850, being bulky and noisier, is less suited to unobtrusive shooting.
• Macro: The SZ-30MR manages a close focusing distance of 1cm for macro snaps, useful for casual detail shots with some stabilization help. The A850 relies on dedicated macro lenses but delivers superior optical quality and fine focusing precision.
• Night/Astro: The A850 excels here - higher ISO performance and full manual modes make astrophotography feasible. The SZ-30MR’s limited ISO range and auto exposures reduce its suitability.
• Video: Only the SZ-30MR shoots video - with basic HD modes sufficient for casual use.
• Travel: For travel, portability and flexibility matter. The SZ-30MR shines due to size and zoom reach, but the A850’s quality and battery life suit more serious travel photographers willing to carry extra weight.
• Professional Work: The A850 fits in professional workflows with RAW support, full manual control, and lens versatility. The SZ-30MR lacks these features, positioning it squarely as a casual camera.

Performance Ratings and Final Scores

Synthesizing all test data and hands-on experience yields the following performance ratings:

The Sony A850 earns higher marks overall, especially excelling in image quality, manual controls, durability, and battery life. The Olympus SZ-30MR scores well on size, zoom, and ease of use but trails significantly on core image quality and professional features.

How They Stack Up by Photography Genre

Breaking down genre-specific strengths makes it clearer where each body fits best:

• Portrait, Landscape, Night, Professional Work: Sony A850 dominant
• Travel, Street, Casual Macro, Video: Olympus SZ-30MR more suitable
• Sports and Wildlife: Sony edges ahead due to better AF and control, though neither is ideal for high-speed action.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Ultimately, your choice between the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A850 comes down to your shooting style, priorities, and budget.

Choose the Olympus SZ-30MR if:

• You want a lightweight, superzoom travel companion for casual photography.
• Portability and an extensive focal range without changing lenses matters most.
• You occasionally record video and prefer straightforward operation over manual controls.
• Budget is tight, or you’re upgrading from a smartphone or older compact.

Choose the Sony A850 if:

• You seek superior image quality with full-frame sensor benefits.
• Manual control over exposure, focus, and lenses is essential.
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, or professional work requiring RAW format and precision.
• Durability and extended battery life are necessary for your assignments.
• The weight and size trade-off is acceptable for enhanced performance and versatility.

Closing Thoughts

Gathering these two cameras under one roof exemplifies how varied the photographic instruments landscape is. It’s not apples to apples - the Olympus SZ-30MR is a capable, compact superzoom aimed at casual users, while the Sony A850 stands as an old-school full-frame DSLR built for enthusiasts and pros who prize image fidelity and control.

Choosing between them depends largely on your use case: quick versatility and pocketability, or uncompromising image quality and creative flexibility. Neither is universally “better,” but each excels distinctly within its domain.

For those on a shoestring looking for a very capable all-in-one compact, the SZ-30MR is an entry-level workhorse. For photographers ready to leverage full-frame benefits and a rich lens system with professional-grade options, the Sony A850 remains a formidable contender - even years after release.

Happy shooting, whatever your pick!

Note: All testing was conducted under controlled lighting and real-world conditions, with identical scenes where applicable, ensuring an apples-to-apples comparison reflecting practical experience.