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 Sony A57 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). Sony A57 has external dimensions of 132 x 98 x 81 mm (5.2 x 3.86 x 3.19″) and weighs 618 g (1.36 lb / 21.80 oz) (including batteries).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A57. Olympus SZ-30MR is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 26mm narrower, 29mm shorter and 41mm thinner than Sony A57. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Olympus SZ-30MR has a built-in lens but Sony A57 doesn't. Once you put a lens on A57, its thickness will increase significantly.
![Olympus SZ-30MR vs Sony A57 Camera Size Comparison - Front View]()
Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A57 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A57.
![Olympus SZ-30MR vs Sony A57 Camera Size Comparison - Top View]()
Top View Comparison image of Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A57 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 (392g ) than the Sony A57 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.
Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on A57, the total kit will weigh much higher.
Weather Sealing
Unfortunately neither Olympus SZ-30MR nor Sony SLT-A57 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 DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
LCD Screen Size and Features
Olympus SZ-30MR and Sony A57's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".
On the other hand, Sony A57 sports a
Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Olympus SZ-30MR's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to A57.