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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30

Portability
89
Imaging
39
Features
47
Overall
42
Olympus SZ-31MR iHS front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 front
Portability
96
Imaging
42
Features
43
Overall
42

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
  • Launched February 2012
Sony TX30
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3.3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 26-130mm (F3.5-4.8) lens
  • 141g - 96 x 59 x 15mm
  • Released July 2013
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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 Overview

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS versus Sony TX30, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and the TX30 (18MP) is relatively similar and they come with the exact same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SZ-31MR iHS was brought out 17 months prior to the TX30 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony TX30 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick summation of how the SZ-31MR iHS grades vs the TX30 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-31MR iHS over the Sony TX30

 SZ-31MR iHS TX30 

Reasons to pick Sony TX30 over the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

 TX30 SZ-31MR iHS 
ReleasedJuly 2013February 2012More recent by 17 months
Manually focus Dial accurate focusing
Screen dimension3.3"3"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution1229k920kClearer screen (+309k dot)

Common features in the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony TX30

 SZ-31MR iHS TX30 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither comes with selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 Physical Comparison

If you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS comes with outer measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony TX30 has dimensions of 96mm x 59mm x 15mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.6") accompanied by a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS versus Sony TX30 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS vs the TX30.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 size comparison

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-31MR iHS and TX30 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 Sensor Comparison

Often, it is difficult to see the contrast between sensor measurements merely by reviewing specs. The graphic below may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-31MR iHS and TX30.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Sony TX30 to deliver greater detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The older SZ-31MR iHS is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus SZ-31MR iHS
Portrait photography with Sony TX30
34
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
offers face detection focus
lack of manual focus
manual mode not available
cannot use external flash
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
38
focusing manually
sensor resolution is decent (18MP)
lack of manual mode
cannot use external flash
very small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus SZ-31MR iHS
Street photography with Sony TX30
64
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
has focus by touch
lighter than competition (226g)
screen is fixed
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
64
has image stabilization (Optical)
weather proof
fixed screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Sports photography details
Sony TX30 Sports photography details
44
amazing zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent megapixels (16MP)
offers tracking autofocus
no shutter priority mode
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
terrible battery pack (200 per charge)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
46
has image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (18 megapixels)
weather proof
no shutter priority
very small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS as a Travel photography camera
Sony TX30 as a Travel photography camera
67
lighter than competition (226g)
has focus by touch
decent megapixels (16MP)
built-in flash
rather wide (25mm)
long reach (600mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
terrible battery pack (200 per charge)
screen is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
69
weather proof
sensor resolution is decent (18 megapixels)
has built in flash
rather wide (26mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Landscape photography factors
Sony TX30 Landscape photography factors
41
rather wide (25mm)
nice screen size (3")
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
manual mode not available
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
terrible battery pack (200 per charge)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
51
focusing manually
rather wide (26mm)
screen size is good (3.3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (18MP)
weather proof
can't switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
lack of manual mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Vlogging information
Sony TX30 Vlogging information
35
rather wide (25mm)
touchscreen enabled
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers face detection focus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition (226g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
screen is not selfie friendly
doesn't have external mic jack
34
rather wide (26mm)
touchscreen functionality
has image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
doesn't have external mic support
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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony TX30 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony TX30
 Olympus SZ-31MR iHSSony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Ultracompact
Launched 2012-02-08 2013-07-26
Physical type Compact Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Chip Dual TruePic V -
Sensor type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.16 x 4.62mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.5mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixel 18 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 -
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 4896 x 3672
Highest native ISO 6400 12800
Min native ISO 80 80
RAW images
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
AF continuous
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 25-600mm (24.0x) 26-130mm (5.0x)
Maximum aperture f/3.0-6.9 f/3.5-4.8
Macro focusing range 1cm -
Crop factor 5.8 5.8
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3.3 inch
Screen resolution 920 thousand dots 1,229 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen technology Hypercrystal III TFT Color LCD OLED monitor
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4s 4s
Maximum shutter speed 1/1700s 1/1600s
Continuous shooting rate 7.0 frames per second 10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 9.30 m -
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in -
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264 -
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 226 gr (0.50 lbs) 141 gr (0.31 lbs)
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 96 x 59 x 15mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.6")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 200 photos -
Type of battery Battery Pack -
Battery ID LI-50B -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) -
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC -
Card slots Single Single
Price at launch $0 $230