Olympus SP-820UZ vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S930: A Detailed Hands-On Comparison of Small Sensor Compact Cameras

When it comes to affordable compact cameras, the field can be surprisingly crowded. Yet, choices like the Olympus SP-820UZ and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S930 stand out by packing distinct feature sets that appeal to casual photographers who want versatility and decent image quality without breaking the bank. Both are small sensor compacts - meaning they use 1/2.3” sensors common in point-and-shoot cameras - but they approach that market from quite different angles.

Having spent extensive hours testing these cameras side-by-side, I'll walk you through their design, key features, and performance across various photography genres. With a focus on real-world usage and technical evaluation, this comparison aims to give both enthusiasts and professionals a grounded understanding of what to expect - and importantly, which camera might fit your photographic goals best.

A Tale of Two Designs: Handling, Ergonomics, and Control Layout

Right off the bat, the Olympus SP-820UZ and Sony S930 speak different design languages. The former is a small sensor superzoom camera with a hefty 40x optical zoom lens (22-896mm equivalent) cleverly packed into a compact body, while the Sony offers a more modest 2.8x zoom (38-108mm equivalent) but emphasizes pocketability and straightforward controls.

Olympus SP-820UZ: Bulkier, But Built for Reach

Measuring 117 x 78 x 93 mm and weighing nearly 485 grams, the SP-820UZ is a solid little beast with an ergonomic grip that feels good in the hand, especially for extended shooting sessions. The physical bulk comes mainly from that immense zoom range - ideal for users craving reach without swapping lenses. The fixed lens negates the need to fuss about lens changes, making it durable and travel-ready.

Sony DSC-S930: Compact and Featherweight

The Sony, in contrast, is petite at 90 x 61 x 26 mm, weighing just 167 grams - basically a pocket camera you won’t mind carrying around all day. The shallow depth and slim profile make it highly discreet for street photography or impromptu snapshots. However, this comes at the cost of a shorter zoom; the widest focal length is more limited, which narrows compositional flexibility.

The top-down control layout also tells a clear story - Olympus leans into dedicated buttons and dial controls (shown below), leading to quicker access to settings like ISO and drive modes, whereas Sony’s simpler design keeps things minimal but less customizable on the fly.

Sensor and Image Quality: Understanding the Limits of 1/2.3" Sensors

Both these cameras depend on 1/2.3” CMOS or CCD sensors - the same tiny sensor family common across budget compacts, but each with differing resolutions and sensor tech that influences overall image quality.

Sensor Specifications: Olympus’s 14MP CMOS vs Sony’s 10MP CCD

The SP-820UZ is outfitted with a 14MP CMOS sensor, measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm for a total sensor area of about 28 mm². CMOS allows faster readout and better dynamic range management (in theory), which could translate to better image quality in various situations. The Sony S930 sports a 10MP CCD sensor of the same size, an older sensor technology favored for color accuracy but generally less capable of high ISO performance.

Real-World Impact: Dynamic Range and Noise Performance

From my testing, Olympus’s CMOS sensor delivered slightly better dynamic range in daylight scenes and handled shadows with more latitude. The Sony’s CCD, while providing pleasing color rendition especially in well-lit conditions, often struggled with noise beyond ISO 400 - grain becomes more apparent, affecting image clarity.

Regarding resolution, Olympus’s 14MP offers more room for cropping and printing larger images with decent detail retention. Sony’s 10MP resolves fine detail well but is limited when output size demands grow.

Display and Interface: How You Navigate Your Shots Matters

The rear LCD and interface design affect how intuitively you can frame, review, and tweak settings on the fly.

Olympus SP-820UZ’s Larger, Sharper Screen

The SP-820UZ boasts a 3-inch fixed TFT LCD with 460k-dot resolution, providing a crisp and relatively bright interface, making live view and menu navigation pleasant. The fixed (non-articulating) nature limits shooting at awkward angles, though.

Sony S930’s Smaller, Lower-Resolution Display

The Sony’s 2.4-inch LCD at just 112k-dot resolution feels noticeably dimmer and less sharp, especially under bright sunlight - a common frustration encountered during outdoor shooting. The menu system is straightforward but feels a bit dated.

Zoom and Focusing: How Far Can You Go and How Fast?

If one aspect stokes the imagination about the Olympus SP-820UZ, it’s the massive 40x zoom lens, extending all the way to a telephoto equivalent of 896mm. This capability opens doors for wildlife sightings, distant landscapes, or sports from the stands.

The Sony’s more pedestrian 2.8x zoom range landing at 108mm equivalent renders it more suitable for casual use and portraits but less adaptable when you need reach.

Focusing Systems and Accuracy

Neither camera offers phase-detection autofocus, relying on basic contrast-detection systems. The Olympus SP-820UZ does feature face detection AF, a boon for portrait shooters, though it lacks advanced tracking. The Sony S930 supports manual focus, a useful feature for macro and controlled creative compositions.

Both cameras produce slow focusing in low light, but Olympus’s AF speed generally felt a touch snappier in daylight scenarios.

Photography Genres: Which Camera Shines Where?

Let’s break down how each camera fares across diverse photographic disciplines - a necessary exercise since each fulfills different user expectations.

Portrait Photography

• Olympus SP-820UZ: The 40x zoom doubles as an excellent telephoto lens for portraits with nice compression, helping generate background separation despite the small sensor. Its face detection Autofocus aids capturing sharp eyes - a critical portrait element. The maximum aperture of F3.4 at the wide end is moderate but acceptable.

• Sony S930: While the max aperture opens wider at F2.9 at 38mm equivalent, the telephoto is weak for tight headshots, limiting bokeh potential. Absence of face detection means more conscious composition and focus control is needed.

Winner: In portrait scenarios prioritizing background isolation, Olympus’s extended zoom and face AF provide meaningful advantages.

Landscape Photography

• Olympus SP-820UZ: At the wide end (22mm equiv) and with 14MP sensor resolution, landscapes can be rendered with reasonable detail. However, small sensor size caps dynamic range; highlights sometimes clip in bright skies.

• Sony S930: Offers fewer aspect ratio options but enables 3:2 and 16:9 cropping beyond Olympus’s 4:3 default, suiting panoramic composition. Image sharpness is adequate but resolution is lower.

The real limitation for both cameras is the lack of weather sealing, making outdoor landscape photography vulnerable to the elements unless care is taken.

Wildlife Photography

• The Olympus’s mammoth zoom firmly positions it as the preferred option for wildlife, especially when distance is huge and changing lenses not an option.

• Sony effectively cannot compete here, with a zoom barely sufficient for casual bird photography.

Sports Photography

• Neither camera can claim a high burst rate or professional-grade tracking; continuous shooting caps at 2fps.

• The Olympus, with faster AF, might edge out Sony in capturing fleeting moments outdoors in good light.

Street Photography

• Sony’s compact, lightweight body and inconspicuous design make it better suited for candid street scenes than the bulkier, more conspicuous Olympus.

• Lower zoom range means focusing on composition and timing rather than reach.

Macro Photography

• Olympus reaches an impressive 1 cm minimum focus distance, while Sony offers 5 cm - giving Olympus more creative macro potential.

• Neither has focus stacking or focus bracketing features.

Night and Astrophotography

• Both cameras suffer from noise issues typical of small 1/2.3” sensors, with Olympus having a slight edge in max ISO (6400 vs 3200) but practically limited by noise at that level.

• Absence of manual exposure modes and long exposure capabilities means astro enthusiasts will find these limiting.

Video Capabilities

• Olympus goes further with full HD 1080p at 30fps, H.264 encoding, and slow motion at 120fps for 640x480 resolution.

• Sony is limited to very low-resolution 320 x 240 video, which feels outdated.

Neither camera features microphone inputs or advanced video options like 4K or in-body stabilization, limiting use to casual video.

Travel Photography

• Olympus's high zoom versatility compensates for weight and size, good for travelers wanting a “do-it-all” camera.

• Sony excels in portability but requires external optics or cropping for versatile focal coverage.

Professional Use

• Neither camera supports RAW shooting, limiting flexibility in post-processing.

• Both store images on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, but Olympus supports newer cards more fully.

• Lack of wireless features or HDMI out undervalue their use in professional workflows.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Both cameras lack weather sealing or ruggedized construction, so neither is ideal for harsh environmental conditions.

Stabilization and Shutter

• Olympus surprisingly omits image stabilization despite its extreme zoom lens - a drawback at telephoto lengths and low light.

• Sony compensates with optical image stabilization, beneficial given the smaller zoom range.

Battery and Storage

• Olympus’s battery specs are unspecified in official docs but uses proprietary batteries.

• Sony uses two AA batteries, a convenience for travelers who can swap batteries easily on the go but not ideal if you prefer rechargeable proprietary packs.

Both cameras have a single SD or Memory Stick slot respectively, limiting simultaneous backup or overflow storage.

Connectivity

Neither camera offers wireless features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC; limited USB connectivity options mean data transfers won’t be as seamless as modern cameras.

Price-to-Performance Analysis: What Are You Getting for Your Money?

With listed prices around $299 for Olympus SP-820UZ and $219 for Sony S930, these cameras slot into entry-level compact categories accessible to budget-conscious buyers.

• For zoom flexibility and versatility, Olympus offers great value, especially if you want reach without interchangeable lenses.

• Sony’s affordability, small form factor, and straightforward operation appeal to point-and-shoot buyers seeking portability over extensive zoom or advanced features.

Summary Scores and Genre Performance

To give you a quick visualization of overall and genre-specific strengths, here is a breakdown based on hands-on testing and technical specs:

Sample Image Gallery: Real-World Picture Quality

Experience speaks loudest in final images. Below is a gallery showcasing side-by-side shoots in various conditions:

Olympus SP 820UZ front Olympus SP 820UZ screen back Sony S930 front Sony S930 screen back

Pay attention to color rendering, detail retention, and noise differences particularly in low light scenes.

Final Recommendations: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Choose the Olympus SP-820UZ if you:

• Need tremendous zoom reach for wildlife, sports, or distant landscapes without carrying multiple lenses
• Value a higher resolution sensor with better image quality flexibility
• Shoot a mix of casual photos and semi-serious outdoor scenes
• Want robust ergonomics and quick-access controls in a compact package

Choose the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S930 if you:

• Prioritize extremely portable, lightweight design for street and travel photography
• Want simple operation with manual focus for close-up creativity
• Have a tighter budget and can compromise on zoom and video capability
• Prefer optical image stabilization over zoom extent for steadier shots in moderate zoom range

Closing Thoughts Based on Extensive Hands-On Experience

While neither camera is a professional tool, both provide respectable performances within their constraints. My extensive hands-on testing confirms the Olympus SP-820UZ as a better "all-rounder" for enthusiasts craving zoom versatility and good image quality, whereas the Sony S930 is a dependable ultra-compact for minimalists prioritizing portability.

Ultimately, your choice should depend on where you fall along those priorities. Regardless, careful attention to the specs in relation to your shooting style and expectations will reward you with more satisfying photography outings.

Happy shooting!