Olympus SZ-30MR vs Canon SX240 HS Comparison

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Olympus SZ-30MR

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon SX240 HS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Canon SX240 HS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SZ-30MR and SX240 HS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Olympus and Canon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Olympus SZ-30MR has a 16.0 MP and Canon SX240 HS has a 12.0 MP resolution. Olympus SZ-30MR was introduced to market in March 2011 and Canon SX240 HS was launched in February 2012. There is only 11 months difference between SZ-30MR and SX240 HS so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus SZ-30MR Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-03-02

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

226g. 106 x 69 x 40 mm

Canon SX240 HS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-07

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

224g. 106 x 61 x 33 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Compare

Canon SX240 HS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX260 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS vs Olympus SZ-30MR

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Olympus SZ-30MR over Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Focal Length - Tele	600mm vs 500mm	100 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	24× vs 20×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	4.0m vs 3.5m	0.5m longer range

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX240 HS over Olympus SZ-30MR

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Max Mech. Shutter	1/3200s vs 1/1700s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	230 shots vs 220 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Weight	224 g vs 226 g	2 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Max Aperture - Tele	6.80 vs 6.90	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.76µm²	32% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Focal Length - Tele	600mm vs 500mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 461k dots	Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 2.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	6.90 vs 6.80	Slow lenses at tele

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Canon SX240 HS: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus SZ-30MR has external dimensions of 106 x 69 x 40 mm (4.17 x 2.72 x 1.57″) and weighs 226 g (0.50 lb / 7.97 oz) (including batteries). Canon SX240 HS has external dimensions of 106 x 61 x 33 mm (4.17 x 2.4 x 1.3″) and weighs 224 g (0.49 lb / 7.90 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS.

Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS.

Top View Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon SX240 HS is 2g lighter than the Olympus SZ-30MR but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

SX240 HS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

SX240 HS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus SZ-30MR nor Canon PowerShot SX240 HS provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Canon SX240 HS: Sensor Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic III+ processor. On the other hand, Canon SX240 HS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Digic 5 processor.

Below you can see the SZ-30MR and SX240 HS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS Cameras

Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Canon SX240 HS has 32% larger pixel area (2.34µm² vs 1.76µm²) compared to Olympus SZ-30MR, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Canon SX240 HS Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR features a 25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 24× zoom lens whereas Canon SX240 HS features a 25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 20× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.00, Olympus SZ-30MR is faster than Canon SX240 HS at this focal length. On the tele end, Olympus SZ-30MR has 100mm longer reach than the Canon SX240 HS. However, with a max aperture of f6.80, Canon SX240 HS is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

SX240 HS

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

SX240 HS

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

SX240 HS

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

SX240 HS

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Olympus SZ-30MR for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon SX240 HS for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
600 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1700s
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
500 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 230 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.80
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon SX240 HS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
226g
24.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details

Compact Body
224g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS for Landscape Photography

POOR

25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Canon SX240 HS: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Olympus SZ-30MR and Canon SX240 HS scores compare:

Olympus SZ-30MR

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #213 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #790 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX240 HS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #111 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #589 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX240 HS has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus SZ-30MR. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that SX240 HS trails behind the SZ-30MR: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Olympus SZ-30MR. If not, we recommend the Canon SX240 HS.

Canon SX240 HS vs Olympus SZ-30MR Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Olympus SZ-30MR	Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Brand	Olympus	Canon
Announced	2011-03-02	2012-02-07
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	n/a	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-600 mm (24×)	25-500 mm (20×)
Max Aperture	F3.0-6.9	F3.5-6.8
Macro Focus Range	1cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1700s	1/3200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m	3.50 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	2.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	226g	224g
Dimensions	106 x 69 x 40mm	106 x 61 x 33mm
Battery Life	220 shots	230 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction