Olympus SZ-30MR vs Sony S980

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony S980, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and S980 (12MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The SZ-30MR was announced 2 years later than the S980 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the SZ-30MR scores against the S980 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus SZ-30MR enjoys exterior dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony S980 has proportions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony S980 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ-30MR compared to the S980.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-30MR and S980 is 89 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to see the difference in sensor measurements purely by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-30MR and S980.

As you can see, each of the cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Olympus SZ-30MR to show greater detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more recent SZ-30MR will have an edge in sensor technology.