Olympus SZ-30MR vs Sony WX30: Which Compact Superzoom Reigns Supreme in 2024?

Choosing the right compact camera can feel like navigating a jungle - especially when two contenders like the Olympus SZ-30MR and the Sony Cyber-shot WX30 pop up with very similar specs but distinctive feature sets. Both hail from the early 2010s, designed for casual shooters who crave reach and versatility without carrying a club-sized DSLR rig. But there’s more to these cameras than meets the eye. From sensor tech to real-world handling, I’ve spent hours testing these two little powerhouses back to back to uncover which one deserves your hard-earned dollars.

Let me walk you through their strengths, weaknesses, and sweet spots - covering every photography niche you might care about, from sports snaps to macro detail and travel shots. By the time you finish reading, you’ll know exactly who wins this compact showdown, and why.

First Impressions Matter: Design, Handling & Build

At first glance, both the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony WX30 sport compact, pocket-friendly builds ideal for everyday carry. But a deeper look reveals some big differences in ergonomics and user experience.

The Olympus SZ-30MR is chunkier and heftier at 226g, compared to the waifish 117g Sony WX30. Dimensions back that up - the Olympus measures 106x69x40mm, while the Sony is a sleeker 92x52x19mm. This bigger footprint of the SZ-30MR means better grip for my “clubs for thumbs” hands, especially when zooming in on distant wildlife or steadying for macro shots. Meanwhile, the WX30’s slim profile is perfect for slipping into a pocket or purse, making it a very discreet street-snapping companion.

Both cameras offer a 3-inch fixed LCD screen, but the Sony’s display flaunts a crisper 922k-dot XtraFine TFT vs the Olympus’s 460k-dot Hypercrystal III LCD, resulting in brighter, clearer previews in daylight. The Sony also adds a touchscreen interface - handy for menu navigation, though it doesn’t support touch-to-focus.

Both lack electronic viewfinders, nudging you to get comfortable framing using the rear screen alone, which works well for casual use but may be a downside if you shoot in bright sunlight often. On the control front, the Olympus is a bit spartan, favoring basic zoom lever operation and fewer direct buttons. The Sony packs a more conventional compact layout with a dedicated focus mode button, customizable options, and smoother control ring rotation. For me, Sony edges out Olympus for handling finesse in quick-shoot scenarios.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Neither camera boasts environmental sealing or ruggedized build. They are definitely best treated as indoor or good weather travel companions, not exposed to dust or moisture storms.

Sensor & Image Quality: How Much Do Those Pixels Matter?

Both cameras share the exact 1/2.3-inch sensor size standard in point-and-shoots (equaling about 28 mm² surface area), sporting 16-megapixel resolutions suitable for casual print sizes up to 8x10 inches and full HD presentations.

However, the Sony WX30 gets the nod here with its BSI CMOS sensor, which uses backside illumination to capture more light - especially beneficial in low-light or high-contrast scenes like dusk landscapes or dim interiors. The Olympus SZ-30MR features a more traditional front-illuminated CMOS sensor, paired with an older TruePic III+ processor, resulting in more noise buildup at higher ISOs.

In practical testing, both cameras generate respectable JPEGs with decent sharpness at base ISO (80-100), but the Sony’s images show cleaner shadow areas and better color saturation, particularly with challenging lighting. The Olympus tends to produce slightly flatter tones, which can exhibit more noise and require more post-processing to pop.

Neither supports RAW capture, so you’re locked into JPEG files - something serious photographers will find limiting. However, given the price points and target audience, that's hardly shocking.

Lenses & Zoom: Reach and Flexibility in the Wild

A standout advantage of Olympus SZ-30MR is its gargantuan 24x zoom range (25-600mm equivalent). This superzoom lens puts distant subjects within reach, whether you’re shooting a bird on a branch or action at the other side of a soccer field.

The Sony WX30 sticks to a modest 5x zoom (25-125mm equivalent) - fine for everyday scenes, street portraits, and casual landscapes, but short of the Olympus’s wildlife or sports reach.

The trade-off is Olympus’s maximum aperture at full zoom: it narrows to f/6.9, reducing light intake and impacting autofocus speed and image quality in low light especially at long focal lengths. The Sony boasts a slightly faster f/2.6 aperture at wide angle, which is advantageous for interior or night shots but fades to f/6.3 at telephoto - which is still quite narrow.

Both lenses support macro focus, but Olympus gets closer down to 1cm, meaning you can capture extreme close-ups with excellent detail. Sony is restricted to 5cm minimum focus distance, giving you decent but less dramatic macro capability.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Catching Moments On The Fly

When testing the Olympus SZ-30MR’s autofocus, I found it adequate but sluggish - especially at longer zooms or low light. It uses contrast-detection AF only (the industry norm for compact cameras), with some face detection assist. Tracking moving subjects was hit-or-miss, better suited to stationary or slow-moving scenes. Continuous shooting clocks in at a slow 2 frames per second, limiting effectiveness for sports or wildlife burst shooting.

The Sony WX30, on the other hand, offers faster autofocus with contrast detection plus 9 AF points and center-weighted metering - but crucially, no face detection (a bit surprising for Sony’s usual innovation). Burst shooting hits a respectable 10 frames per second, more in line with action thrills and street photography. This, combined with a faster shutter speed ceiling (1/1600 sec) vs Olympus’s 1/1700 sec, makes Sony better for those who need to freeze motion.

In real use, I’d recommend the Sony to hobbyists who shoot kids’ sports, pets, or fleeting street moments, while the Olympus suits outdoor photographers needing zoom and stabilization more than speed.

Image Stabilization: Keeping Shots Steady

Both cameras include image stabilization, but implemented differently:

• Olympus SZ-30MR features sensor-shift stabilization, moving the sensor itself to compensate for shake. This can be more effective across the zoom range since it stabilizes the sensor, independent of lens movement.

• Sony WX30 relies on optical stabilization built into the lens, reducing blur by physically shifting lens elements during capture.

During handheld testing at telephoto zooms, Olympus’s sensor-shift IS gave me more usable shots at slower shutter speeds, particularly important since longer focal lengths amplify shake. The Sony’s optical stabilization is good but struggled at the edges of its limited zoom range. For night or indoor photography where you need slower shutter speeds, Olympus has a slight leg up.

Video Capabilities: HD for Everyday Videographers

Video shooters will find both cameras shoot full HD 1080p, but with differences:

• Olympus records at 30 fps max in MPEG-4 format; Sony offers 1080p at 60 fps, plus older AVCHD support.

• Both cameras lack microphone or headphone jacks, meaning audio is stuck with built-in stereo or mono mics - with limited quality control.

• Video stabilization benefits from the same IS tech described above, helping minimize shake, though Olympus’s sensor-shift again yielded steadier handheld footage in my trials.

Overall, Sony’s ability to shoot smoother 60 fps video and support AVCHD might appeal to casual vloggers. Olympus’ 30 fps and more limited codec is fine for family footage but less versatile in editing workflows. Neither camera is a strong contender for serious video production.

Battery Life & Storage: Long Shoots or Quick Snaps?

Here the two cameras are neck and neck:

• Olympus SZ-30MR offers around 220 shots per battery charge with its LI-50B pack.

• Sony WX30 manages slightly better at 250 shots, using an NP-BN1 battery.

Neither is a marathon runner, so you’ll want spare batteries for lengthy trips or heavy use. Both take SD/SDHC/SDXC cards; Sony adds Memory Stick support, though this is less common these days.

Connectivity & Extras: Wireless & Ports

Olympus features early support for Eye-Fi card wireless transfer but no Bluetooth or NFC, while Sony lacks any wireless transfer options entirely. Both cameras include mini-HDMI and USB 2.0 ports for file download and tethered viewing but no microphone or headphone connectivity.

Real World: What Kind of Photography Does Each Camera Suit Best?

Let’s break it down by popular genres.

Portraits & Family Photos

• Sony WX30: Better aperture range starting at f/2.6 and faster autofocus allow nicer background separation and crisper smiles. The good LCD screen enhances framing, though lack of face detection slightly limits focus confidence.

• Olympus SZ-30MR: Has face detection AF and wider zoom, but smaller max aperture hampers bokeh quality. Still good for casual portraits if you’re patient.

Landscape & Travel

• Both cameras are serviceable but limited by their sensor sizes. Olympus’s longer zoom and closer macro focus win if you want compression effects and flower detail shots. Sony’s crisper LCD and responsive handling make framing wider vistas easier.

Wildlife & Sports

• The Olympus SZ-30MR’s 24x zoom is the clear winner here - giving you reach to fill the frame with distant birds or athletes - but slow autofocus and 2fps burst see it struggle with fast action.

• Sony WX30’s 10fps burst and better AF speed help capture motion but short zoom range limits subjects you can shoot.

Street & Everyday

• Sony’s compact form, subtle styling, fast frame rate, and good LCD give it the edge. Olympus is a bit bulky and slower, less suited for quick candid snaps.

Macro

• Olympus’s 1cm minimum focusing distance and sensor-shift stabilization make it excellent for close-ups. Sony’s 5cm limit is fine for casual shots, but less immersive.

Night & Astro

• Neither camera shines in astrophotography, limited by small sensors and lack of manual exposure or RAW support. Sony’s backside illuminated sensor gives it a slight edge in noise handling at higher ISO.

Video

• Sony WX30’s 60fps HD video is more versatile for smooth capture; Olympus is acceptable for home movies but less flexible.

Summary Table of Key Specs & Features

Olympus SZ 30MR front Olympus SZ 30MR screen back Sony WX30 front Sony WX30 screen back

Playing Favorites: My Pros and Cons Lists

Olympus SZ-30MR

Pros:

• Incredible 24x zoom is fantastic for wildlife and events
• Sensor-shift stabilization reduces blur at long zooms and macro
• Very close macro focusing (1cm)
• Face detection AF helps casual portraits
• Solid zoom range in a compact-ish package

Cons:

• Bulkier and heavier than most compacts
• Slower autofocus and weak continuous shooting
• Lower-resolution LCD, no touchscreen
• No RAW or manual exposure controls
• Older image processor yields more noise in low light

Sony WX30

Pros:

• Compact, lightweight, easy to carry all day
• Bright, sharp touchscreen LCD
• Faster AF and 10fps burst ideal for kids & sports
• Slightly larger max aperture at wide end (f/2.6)
• 1080p 60fps video with AVCHD format support
• Higher battery life

Cons:

• Limited 5x zoom restricts reach
• No face or eye detection AF
• No RAW support or manual exposure controls
• No wireless connectivity
• Macro limited to 5cm

Performance Across Photography Genres

Final Verdict: Which Camera Is Right for You?

Picking between the Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony WX30 largely boils down to your priorities.

• If you crave zoom reach and macro exploration, and don’t mind a chunkier camera with slow action capability, Olympus SZ-30MR delivers excellent value and versatility in its superzoom domain.

• If you want a lightweight, fast-shooting, sharper-screen compact for portraits, street, travel, and casual video, the Sony WX30 is your best bet at a slightly lower price point.

Both cameras are now somewhat dated but remain attractive budget options for enthusiasts wanting pocketsized convenience. Neither will satisfy professionals in image quality or flexibility, but for everyday shooting, each has its sweet spots well worth considering.

A Little Parting Advice From Someone Who’s Tested Thousands of Cameras

Compact cameras can surprise you with convenience and zoom power, but beware their sensor limitations. If image quality and manual controls creep higher on your wishlist, consider stepping up to a mirrorless or advanced compact with a larger sensor.

Still, if you want straightforward point-and-shoot simplicity, the Olympus SZ-30MR’s crazy zoom or the Sony WX30’s finesse and speed may fit your shooting style perfectly.

Feel free to reach out with specific questions or shooting scenarios you want me to test next - I love diving into real-world camera comparisons like these.

Happy shooting!

• Your hands-on camera geek and budget-conscious photo buddy