Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Samsung NX3000

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Samsung NX3000, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Samsung. The sensor resolution of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and the NX3000 (20MP) is fairly comparable but the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and NX3000 (APS-C) use different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-31MR iHS was manufactured 3 years earlier than the NX3000 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX3000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a in depth comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the SZ-31MR iHS matches up against the NX3000 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS & Samsung NX3000. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery & Samsung NX3000 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS enjoys exterior dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Samsung NX3000 has measurements of 117mm x 66mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Samsung NX3000 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with during that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS versus the NX3000.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-31MR iHS and NX3000 is 89 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizing purely by going through a spec sheet. The graphic below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-31MR iHS and NX3000.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-31MR iHS due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh harder and the Samsung NX3000 will provide extra detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images much more aggressively. The older SZ-31MR iHS will be behind with regard to sensor tech.