Updated (February, 2012): Compare the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Pentax X90

Olympus SZ-30MR

50

Reasons to buy the Olympus SZ-30MR

Movie format
Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Sensor type
CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Panorama
In-camera panoramas
Stitches together multiple photos into a panorama
Light sensitivity (boost)
High ISO (boost)
6,400 ISO
Pentax X90

43

Runner-up

Pentax X90

Reasons to buy the Pentax X90

Zoom
Great zoom
26x
Light sensitivity
High ISO
6,400 ISO
Macro focus
Great macro
0.9 cm
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital
Fastest shutter speed
Fast shutter speed
1/4000 of a second

differences

Advantages of the Olympus SZ-30MR

Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p
Help
Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Size Much smaller 106x69x40 mm vs 112x81x99 mm
Help
3.1x smaller
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Panorama Can create panoramas in-camera Yes vs No
Help
Stitches together multiple photos for a wide perspective
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 460k dots vs 230k dots
Help
2x higher resolution screen
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 7 fps vs 1.1 fps
Help
More than 6x faster continuous shooting
Thickness Much thinner 1.6" vs 3.9"
Help
2.5x thinner
Wide angle Better wide angle 25 mm vs 26 mm
Help
Almost the same
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 6,400 ISO vs None
Help
Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Weight Significantly lighter 246 g vs 428 g
Help
More than 40% lighter
Olympus SZ-30MR Learn more about
the Olympus SZ-30MR

Advantages of the Pentax X90

Aperture Wider aperture f/2.8 vs f/3.0
Help
At its widest zoom, the X90's lens captures marginally more light (0.2 f-stops)
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
The X90's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Zoom More zoom 26x vs 24x
Help
Around 20% more zoom
Macro focus Better macro capability 0.9 cm vs 3 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 3.3x closer to the lens
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Digital vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/4000s vs 1/1700s
Help
2.4x faster max shutter speed
Pentax X90 Learn more about
the Pentax X90
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Olympus SZ-30MR Olympus SZ-30MR
50 vs 43
Explain scores
Pentax X90 Pentax X90
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Olympus SZ-30MR. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a travel zoom with a super zoom.

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Zoom Incredible zoom Help
SZ-30MR:24x
X90:26x
Longest exposure Short max exposure time Help
4 seconds
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Olympus SP-810 UZ

Olympus SP-810 UZ

Super zoom

$269

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Lowest price Is significantly less expensive
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$300

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Zoom Has much more zoom
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ48

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ48

Super zoom

$370 - $426

Image stabilization Has better image stabilization
Longest exposure Much longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$495 - $500

High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Image stabilization Has better image stabilization
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$397 - $400

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker

Olympus SZ-30MR Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

Olympus SZ-31MR

Travel zoom

$394 - $482

Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Travel zoom

$328

Touch screen Has a touch screen
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Zoom Less zoom
Aperture Narrower aperture
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20

Panasonic Lumix ZS20

Travel zoom

$290 - $350

Touch screen Has a touch screen
3D Takes 3D photos
Aperture Narrower aperture
Zoom Less zoom
Nikon Coolpix S9100

Nikon Coolpix S9100

Travel zoom

$237 - $289

Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Aperture Narrower aperture
Zoom Less zoom
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Travel zoom

$319

Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
3D Takes 3D photos
Zoom Less zoom
Aperture Narrower aperture

Pentax X90 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Sensor size Much larger sensor
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Weight Heavier
Kodak Easyshare Z990 MAX

Kodak Easyshare Z990 MAX

Super zoom

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Wide angle Worse wide angle
Size Larger
Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Super zoom

High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Size Much larger
Weight Significantly heavier
Fujifilm FinePix S4000

Fujifilm FinePix S4000

Super zoom

$215

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Zoom More zoom
Aperture Narrower aperture
Light sensitivity Worse maximum light sensitivity

appearance

Olympus SZ-30MR Pentax X90
Olympus SZ-30MR Pentax X90
Olympus SZ-30MR Pentax X90

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