Olympus SZ-30MR vs Fujifilm HS30EXR 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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Fujifilm HS30EXR

16 MP | 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) EXRCMOS Sensor

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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Fujifilm HS30EXR Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SZ-30MR and HS30EXR, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Olympus and Fujifilm. Both cameras have 16.0MP sensors but Olympus SZ-30MR's sensor is 1/2.3-inch sized whereas Fujifilm HS30EXR has a 1/2-inch sensor. Olympus SZ-30MR was introduced to market in March 2011 and Fujifilm HS30EXR was launched in January 2012. There is only 10 months difference between SZ-30MR and HS30EXR 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 Fujifilm HS30EXR 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

Fujifilm HS30EXR Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-01-05

16MP - 1/2-inch EXRCMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 12800)

24-720 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

Electronic viewfinder

11 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

320fps High-Speed Video

687g. 131 x 97 x 126 mm

Replaced FujiFilm FinePix HS20 EXR Compare

Fujifilm HS30EXR was replaced by Fujifilm FinePix HS35EXR. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Fujifilm FinePix HS35EXR vs Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR
Fujifilm FinePix HS35EXR vs Olympus SZ-30MR

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Olympus SZ-30MR over Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR

Weight	226 g vs 687 g	461 g lighter

Reasons to choose Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR over Olympus SZ-30MR

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/1700s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	11.0fps vs 2.0fps	9 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	720mm vs 600mm	120 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	30× vs 24×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.00	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.60 vs 6.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	7.1m vs 4.0m	3.1m longer range
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	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 720mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR

LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Fujifilm HS30EXR: 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 Fujifilm HS30EXR 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). Fujifilm HS30EXR has external dimensions of 131 x 97 x 126 mm (5.16 x 3.82 x 4.96″) and weighs 687 g (1.51 lb / 24.23 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR. Olympus SZ-30MR is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 25mm narrower, 28mm shorter and 86mm thinner than Fujifilm HS30EXR.

Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR.

Top View Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus SZ-30MR is significantly lighter (461g ) than the Fujifilm HS30EXR which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SZ-30MR

HS30EXR

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SZ-30MR

HS30EXR

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus SZ-30MR nor Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Fujifilm HS30EXR features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Olympus SZ-30MR has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to HS30EXR.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Fujifilm HS30EXR: Sensor Comparison

Both Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR have 16.0 MP resolution sensors but Olympus SZ-30MR's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Fujifilm HS30EXR's sensor is 1/2-inch (6.4 x 4.8 mm ).

Since Fujifilm HS30EXR's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Olympus SZ-30MR.

Below you can see the SZ-30MR and HS30EXR sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR Cameras

Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Fujifilm HS30EXR Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR features a 25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 24× zoom lens whereas Fujifilm HS30EXR features a 24-720 mm F2.8-5.6 30× zoom lens.

Fujifilm HS30EXR has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus SZ-30MR. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Fujifilm HS30EXR has 120mm longer reach than the Olympus SZ-30MR. At f5.60, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

HS30EXR

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

SZ-30MR

HS30EXR

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

SZ-30MR

HS30EXR

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

SZ-30MR

HS30EXR

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus SZ-30MR and Fujifilm HS30EXR 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

Fujifilm HS30EXR for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Street Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm HS30EXR for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

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
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Sports Photography

POOR

Fujifilm HS30EXR for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Daily Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm HS30EXR 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

RAW shooting capability
30.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
687g
Body Thickness 126mm
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Landscape Photography

POOR

Fujifilm HS30EXR 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
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Fujifilm HS30EXR: 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 Fujifilm HS30EXR, 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 Fujifilm HS30EXR 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

Fujifilm HS30EXR

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #19 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #351 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Fujifilm HS30EXR is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus SZ-30MR in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Olympus SZ-30MR. Otherwise, Fujifilm HS30EXR is the better camera overall.

Fujifilm HS30EXR vs Olympus SZ-30MR Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Olympus SZ-30MR	Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR
Brand	Olympus	Fujifilm
Announced	2011-03-02	2012-01-05
Body Type	Compact	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	CMOS	EXRCMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.4 x 4.8 mm
Area	28.07mm²	30.72mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	12800 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-600 mm (24×)	24-720 mm (30×)
Max Aperture	F3.0-6.9	F2.8-5.6
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1700s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m	7.10 m (Wide: 30cm - 7.1m / Tele: 2.0m - 3.8m )
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	11.0 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	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	226g	687g
Dimensions	106 x 69 x 40mm	131 x 97 x 126mm
Battery Life	220 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction