Samsung HZ30W vs Sony a1

Below, we are looking at the Samsung HZ30W versus Sony a1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Samsung and Sony. There is a sizable difference among the sensor resolutions of the HZ30W (12MP) and a1 (50MP) and the HZ30W (1/2.3") and a1 (Full frame) use totally different sensor size.

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The HZ30W was introduced 12 years earlier than the a1 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Samsung HZ30W being a Compact camera and the Sony a1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the HZ30W matches up against the a1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Samsung HZ30W & Sony Alpha a1. The whole galleries are available at Samsung HZ30W Gallery & Sony a1 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and measurements. The Samsung HZ30W features physical measurements of 107mm x 61mm x 28mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.1") along with a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs) while the Sony a1 has proportions of 129mm x 97mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 737 grams (1.62 lbs).

See the Samsung HZ30W versus Sony a1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the HZ30W vs the a1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the HZ30W and a1 is 91 and 61 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements purely by researching a spec sheet. The photograph underneath may offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the HZ30W and a1.

As you can see, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The HZ30W using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Sony a1 will render greater detail using its extra 38MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The older HZ30W will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.