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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Leica V-Lux 40 Comparison

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Olympus SZ-30MR

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

Olympus SZ-30MR
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Leica V-Lux 40

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica V-Lux 40
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Leica V-Lux 40 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SZ-30MR and V-Lux 40, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Olympus and Leica. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Olympus SZ-30MR has a 16.0 MP and Leica V-Lux 40 has a 14.0 MP resolution. Olympus SZ-30MR was introduced to market in March 2011 and Leica V-Lux 40 was launched in May 2012. There is 14 months difference between SZ-30MR and V-Lux 40 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger V-Lux 40, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 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

Leica V-Lux 40 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-05-10
  • 14MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in GPS
  • 210g. 105 x 59 x 28 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Olympus SZ-30MR over Leica V-Lux 40
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 14 MP 14% more pixels
Battery Life
220 shots vs 210 shots 10 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele
600mm vs 480mm 120 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
24× vs 20× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.00 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide


Reasons to choose Leica V-Lux 40 over Olympus SZ-30MR
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1700s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Weight
210 g vs 226 g 16 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Tele
6.40 vs 6.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
6.4m vs 4.0m 2.4m longer range
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40
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 480mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
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
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Olympus SZ-30MR vs Leica V-Lux 40: 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 Leica V-Lux 40 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). Leica V-Lux 40 has external dimensions of 105 x 59 x 28 mm (4.13 x 2.32 x 1.1″) and weighs 210 g (0.46 lb / 7.41 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40. Leica V-Lux 40 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 1mm narrower, 10mm shorter and 12mm thinner than Olympus SZ-30MR.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Leica V-Lux 40 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40.
Olympus SZ-30MR vs Leica V-Lux 40 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica V-Lux 40 is 16g lighter than the Olympus SZ-30MR but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR
V-Lux 40
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR
V-Lux 40
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus SZ-30MR nor Leica V-Lux 40 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 Leica V-Lux 40'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 Leica V-Lux 40: 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, Leica V-Lux 40 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the SZ-30MR and V-Lux 40 sensor size comparison.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Leica V-Lux 40 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 Cameras


Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 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 Leica V-Lux 40 Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR features a 25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 24× zoom lens whereas Leica V-Lux 40 features a 24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 20× zoom lens.

Leica V-Lux 40 has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus SZ-30MR. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.00, Olympus SZ-30MR is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus SZ-30MR has 120mm longer reach than the Leica V-Lux 40. However, with a max aperture of f6.40, Leica V-Lux 40 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR
V-Lux 40
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR
V-Lux 40
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR
V-Lux 40
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR
V-Lux 40
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Olympus SZ-30MR and Leica V-Lux 40 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

Leica V-Lux 40 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica V-Lux 40 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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 40 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
480 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica V-Lux 40 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
210g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 40 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 Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Leica V-Lux 40: 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 Leica V-Lux 40, 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 Leica V-Lux 40 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
Leica V-Lux 40
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #135 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #637 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Leica V-Lux 40 has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus SZ-30MR and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus SZ-30MR
Olympus SZ-30MR
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Leica V-Lux 40
Leica V-Lux 40
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Leica V-Lux 40 vs Olympus SZ-30MR Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Olympus SZ-30MR Leica V-Lux 40
Brand Olympus Leica
Announced 2011-03-02 2012-05-10
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area 28.07mm2 27.72mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4320 x 3240
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 6,400 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 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-600 mm (24×) 24-480 mm (20×)
Max Aperture F3.0-6.9 F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range 1cm 3cm
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 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.00 m 6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps 10.0 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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 226g 210g
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm 105 x 59 x 28mm
Battery Life 220 shots 210 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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