Canon 30D vs Olympus E-M1 III
The Canon EOS 30D and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2006 and February 2020. The 30D is a DSLR, while the E-M1 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (30D) and a Four Thirds (E-M1 III) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 8.2 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 20.2 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 30D and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The physical size and weight of the Canon 30D and the Olympus E-M1 III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M1 III is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Canon 30D. Moreover, the E-M1 III is markedly lighter (26 percent) than the 30D. It is noteworthy in this context that the E-M1 III is splash and dust-proof, while the 30D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (30D) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M1 III). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-M1 III, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.
Concerning battery life, the 30D gets 750 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the E-M1 III can take 420 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLH-1 power pack. The power pack in the E-M1 III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 30D | 144 mm | 106 mm | 74 mm | 785 g | 750 | n | Feb 2006 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 III | 134 mm | 91 mm | 69 mm | 580 g | 420 | Y | Feb 2020 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 7D | 148 mm | 111 mm | 74 mm | 860 g | 800 | Y | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 10D | 150 mm | 107 mm | 75 mm | 850 g | 500 | n | Feb 2003 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 20D | 144 mm | 106 mm | 72 mm | 770 g | 700 | n | Aug 2004 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 40D | 146 mm | 108 mm | 74 mm | 822 g | 750 | n | Aug 2007 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 50D | 146 mm | 108 mm | 74 mm | 822 g | 800 | Y | Aug 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 60D | 145 mm | 106 mm | 79 mm | 755 g | 1100 | Y | Aug 2010 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 70D | 139 mm | 104 mm | 79 mm | 755 g | 920 | Y | Jul 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon Rebel | 142 mm | 99 mm | 72 mm | 649 g | 400 | n | Aug 2003 | 899 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon XT | 127 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 540 g | 400 | n | Feb 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
12. | Canon XTi | 127 mm | 84 mm | 65 mm | 556 g | 370 | n | Aug 2006 | 799 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-M1 II | 134 mm | 91 mm | 67 mm | 574 g | 440 | Y | Sep 2016 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-M1X | 144 mm | 147 mm | 75 mm | 997 g | 870 | Y | Jan 2019 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
15. | OM System OM-1 | 135 mm | 92 mm | 73 mm | 599 g | 520 | Y | Feb 2022 | 2,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Panasonic G9 | 137 mm | 97 mm | 92 mm | 658 g | 400 | Y | Nov 2017 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic G95 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 77 mm | 536 g | 290 | Y | Apr 2019 | 999 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 30D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 22 percent) than the E-M1 III, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.
Sensor comparison
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 30D features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M1 III a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M1 III is 33 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the 30D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M1 III offers a 4:3 aspect.
Despite having a smaller sensor, the E-M1 III offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 8.2 MP of the 30D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 6.42μm for the 30D). However, it should be noted that the E-M1 III is much more recent (by 13 years and 11 months) than the 30D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M1 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M1 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M1 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 30D are 17.5 x 11.7 inches or 44.5 x 29.7 cm for good quality, 14 x 9.3 inches or 35.6 x 23.7 cm for very good quality, and 11.7 x 7.8 inches or 29.7 x 19.8 cm for excellent quality prints.
The E-M1 III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
Unlike the 30D, the E-M1 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).
The Canon EOS 30D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 64-25600.
Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 30D | APS-C | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 21.5 | 10.8 | 736 | 59 | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 III | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.3 | 13.1 | 1356 | 76 | |
3. | Canon 7D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.0 | 11.7 | 854 | 66 | |
4. | Canon 10D | APS-C | 6.3 | 3072 | 2048 | none | 21.1 | 10.9 | 571 | 57 | |
5. | Canon 20D | APS-C | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 21.9 | 11.0 | 721 | 62 | |
6. | Canon 40D | APS-C | 10.1 | 3888 | 2592 | none | 22.1 | 11.3 | 703 | 64 | |
7. | Canon 50D | APS-C | 15.1 | 4752 | 3168 | none | 21.8 | 11.4 | 696 | 63 | |
8. | Canon 60D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.2 | 11.5 | 813 | 66 | |
9. | Canon 70D | APS-C | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 22.5 | 11.6 | 926 | 68 | |
10. | Canon Rebel | APS-C | 6.3 | 3072 | 2048 | none | 21.0 | 10.8 | 544 | 55 | |
11. | Canon XT | APS-C | 8.0 | 3456 | 2304 | none | 21.8 | 10.8 | 637 | 60 | |
12. | Canon XTi | APS-C | 10.1 | 3888 | 2592 | none | 22.1 | 11.0 | 664 | 62 | |
13. | Olympus E-M1 II | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.7 | 12.8 | 1312 | 80 | |
14. | Olympus E-M1X | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.2 | 13.0 | 1254 | 75 | |
15. | OM System OM-1 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/60p | 23.4 | 13.4 | 1553 | 77 | |
16. | Panasonic G9 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/60p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1138 | 74 | |
17. | Panasonic G95 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.2 | 13.0 | 1273 | 75 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The E-M1 III indeed provides for movie recording, while the 30D does not. The highest resolution format that the E-M1 III can use is 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the E-M1 III has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 30D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-M1 III offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 30D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-M1 III has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.56x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 30D, the Olympus E-M1 III, and comparable cameras.
Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 30D | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 III | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 18.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon 7D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Canon 10D | optical | Y | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon 20D | optical | Y | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Canon 40D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.5/s | Y | n | |
7. | Canon 50D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.3/s | Y | n | |
8. | Canon 60D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.3/s | Y | n | |
9. | Canon 70D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Canon Rebel | optical | n | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
11. | Canon XT | optical | n | 1.8 / 115 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Canon XTi | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Olympus E-M1 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 18.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Olympus E-M1X | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 18.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | OM System OM-1 | 5760 | n | 3.0 / 1640 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Panasonic G9 | 3680 | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Panasonic G95 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1240 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 30D has one, while the E-M1 III does not. While the built-in flash of the 30D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The E-M1 III has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the 30D does not have a selfie-screen.The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the E-M1 III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
The Olympus E-M1 III has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.
The 30D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the E-M1 III uses SDXC cards. The E-M1 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 30D only has one slot.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 30D and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 30D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
3. | Canon 7D | Y | mono / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 10D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
5. | Canon 20D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
6. | Canon 40D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Canon 50D | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Canon 60D | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon 70D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Canon Rebel | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
11. | Canon XT | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Canon XTi | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-M1 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | - | |
14. | Olympus E-M1X | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | Y | |
15. | OM System OM-1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | Y | |
16. | Panasonic G9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.0 | Y | - | Y | |
17. | Panasonic G95 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y |
It is notable that the E-M1 III offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 30D does not provide wifi capability.
Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.
Both the 30D and the E-M1 III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 30D was replaced by the Canon 40D, while the E-M1 III was followed by the OM System OM-1. Further information on the features and operation of the 30D and E-M1 III can be found, respectively, in the Canon 30D Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M1 III Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 30D and the Olympus E-M1 III? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 30D:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 420) on a single battery charge.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (22 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2006).
Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 8.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 54%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.56x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 230k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (18 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (134x91mm vs 144x106mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 205g or 26 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- More modern: Reflects 13 years and 11 months of technical progress since the 30D launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M1 III is the clear winner of the contest (27 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 30D and the Olympus E-M1 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 30D or the E-M1 III. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.
Expert reviews
This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 30D | .. | + + | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2006 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 III | 5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2020 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 7D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 10D | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Feb 2003 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 20D | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Aug 2004 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 40D | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2007 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 50D | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 60D | 5/5 | + | .. | 79/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2010 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 70D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon Rebel | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Aug 2003 | 899 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon XT | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
12. | Canon XTi | .. | + + | .. | + + | o | 4/5 | Aug 2006 | 799 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-M1 II | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2016 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-M1X | 4.5/5 | o | 5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | .. | Jan 2019 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
15. | OM System OM-1 | 5/5 | .. | .. | 87/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2022 | 2,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Panasonic G9 | .. | + + | 5/5 | 85/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Nov 2017 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic G95 | 4.5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2019 | 999 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 30D vs Canon G16
- Canon 30D vs Canon G9 X Mark II
- Canon 30D vs Fujifilm X-A10
- Canon 30D vs Olympus E-410
- Canon 30D vs Olympus E-PL1
- Canon 30D vs Sony RX0
- Canon 700D vs Olympus E-M1 III
- Fujifilm GFX 100S vs Olympus E-M1 III
- Fujifilm X-T4 vs Olympus E-M1 III
- Leica SL3 vs Olympus E-M1 III
- Olympus E-M1 III vs Panasonic FZ2000
- Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7S III
Specifications: Canon 30D vs Olympus E-M1 III
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Canon 30D | Olympus E-M1 III |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | February 2006 | February 2020 |
Launch Price | USD 1,399 | USD 1,799 |
Sensor Specs | Canon 30D | Olympus E-M1 III |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 22.5 x 15.0 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 337.5 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 27 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.6x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 8.2 Megapixels | 20.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3504 x 2336 pixels | 5184 x 3888 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 6.42 μm | 3.34 μm |
Pixel Density | 2.43 MP/cm2 | 8.96 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 1,600 ISO | 200 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 64 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC 2 | TruePic IX |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 59 | .. |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.5 | .. |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.8 | .. |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 736 | .. |
Screen Specs | Canon 30D | Olympus E-M1 III |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.56x | 0.74x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 2.5inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | 1037k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Swivel screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Canon 30D | Olympus E-M1 III |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | 18 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | 400 000 actuations |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/32000s |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | CF cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Dual card slots |
Connectivity Specs | Canon 30D | Olympus E-M1 III |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.1 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Canon 30D | Olympus E-M1 III |
Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Canon BP-511A | Olympus BLH-1 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 420 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
144 x 106 x 74 mm (5.7 x 4.2 x 2.9 in) |
134 x 91 x 69 mm (5.3 x 3.6 x 2.7 in) |
Camera Weight | 785 g (27.7 oz) | 580 g (20.5 oz) |
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