Olympus SZ-30MR vs Olympus SP-810 UZ 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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Olympus SP-810 UZ

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Olympus SP-810 UZ Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SZ-30MR and SP-810 UZ, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Olympus. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Olympus SZ-30MR has a 16.0 MP and Olympus SP-810 UZ has a 14.0 MP resolution. Olympus SZ-30MR was introduced to market in March 2011 and Olympus SP-810 UZ was launched in July 2011. There is only 5 months difference between SZ-30MR and SP-810 UZ 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 Olympus SP-810 UZ 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

Olympus SP-810 UZ Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-27

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

24-864 mm F2.9-5.7 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

0.7 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

413g. 106 x 76 x 74 mm

Replaced Olympus SP-800 UZ Compare

Olympus SP-810 UZ was replaced by Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ vs Olympus SP-810 UZ
Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ vs Olympus SZ-30MR

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Olympus SZ-30MR over Olympus SP-810 UZ

Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 14 MP	14% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/1700s vs 1/1200s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 0.7fps	1.3 fps faster
Weight	226 g vs 413 g	187 g lighter
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Reasons to choose Olympus SP-810 UZ over Olympus SZ-30MR

Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	864mm vs 600mm	264 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	36× vs 24×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.90 vs 3.00	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 6.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	6.2m vs 4.0m	2.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.04µm² vs 1.76µm²	15% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ

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 864mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ

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 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 0.7fps	Slow shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	6.90 vs 5.70	Slow lenses at tele

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Olympus SP-810 UZ: 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 Olympus SP-810 UZ 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). Olympus SP-810 UZ has external dimensions of 106 x 76 x 74 mm (4.17 x 2.99 x 2.91″) and weighs 413 g (0.91 lb / 14.57 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ. Olympus SZ-30MR has the same height with Olympus SP-810 UZ. On the other hand, with a width of 69mm, it is 7 narrower and also with a thickness of 40mm, it is 34mm thinner than Olympus SP-810 UZ.

Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ.

Top View Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ 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 (187g ) than the Olympus SP-810 UZ which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SZ-30MR

SP-810 UZ

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SZ-30MR

SP-810 UZ

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus SZ-30MR nor Olympus SP-810 UZ 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 Olympus SP-810 UZ'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 Olympus SP-810 UZ: 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, Olympus SP-810 UZ has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III+ processor.

Below you can see the SZ-30MR and SP-810 UZ sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ Cameras

Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ 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 Olympus SP-810 UZ has 15% larger pixel area (2.04µm² 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 Olympus SP-810 UZ Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR features a 25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 24× zoom lens whereas Olympus SP-810 UZ features a 24-864 mm F2.9-5.7 36× zoom lens.

Olympus SP-810 UZ has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus SZ-30MR. At f2.90, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus SP-810 UZ has 264mm longer reach than the Olympus SZ-30MR. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SZ-30MR

SP-810 UZ

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

SZ-30MR

SP-810 UZ

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

SZ-30MR

SP-810 UZ

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

SZ-30MR

SP-810 UZ

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus SZ-30MR and Olympus SP-810 UZ 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

Olympus SP-810 UZ 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
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
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus SP-810 UZ 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
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
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

Olympus SZ-30MR for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-810 UZ 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
864 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Slow Continuous Shooting: 0.7fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1200s
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus SP-810 UZ for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

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

36.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
413g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

Olympus SZ-30MR for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus SP-810 UZ 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

24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Olympus SP-810 UZ: 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 Olympus SP-810 UZ, 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 Olympus SP-810 UZ 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

Olympus SP-810 UZ

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #100 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #820 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Olympus SZ-30MR has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus SP-810 UZ and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus SP-810 UZ vs Olympus SZ-30MR Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Olympus SZ-30MR	Olympus SP-810 UZ
Brand	Olympus	Olympus
Announced	2011-03-02	2011-07-27
Body Type	Compact	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CCD
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	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	4288 x 3216
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	80 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×)	24-864 mm (36×)
Max Aperture	F3.0-6.9	F2.9-5.7
Macro Focus Range	1cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1700s	1/1200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m	6.20 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	0.7 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Video Formats	MPEG-4	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	226g	413g
Dimensions	106 x 69 x 40mm	106 x 76 x 74mm
Battery Life	220 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction