Olympus E-30 vs Nikon P900
The Olympus E-30 and the Nikon Coolpix P900 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2008 and March 2015. The E-30 is a DSLR, while the P900 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-30) and a 1/2.3-inch (P900) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 15.9 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 Olympus E-30 and the Nikon Coolpix P900? 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 Olympus E-30 and the Nikon P900 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 size dimensions 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 Nikon P900 is notably smaller (6 percent) than the Olympus E-30. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-30 nor the P900 are weather-sealed.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the P900 has a lens built in, whereas the E-30 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-30 and their specifications in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the E-30 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the P900 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL23 power pack. The power pack in the P900 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-30 | 142 mm | 108 mm | 75 mm | 701 g | 750 | n | Nov 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon P900 | 140 mm | 103 mm | 137 mm | 899 g | 360 | n | Mar 2015 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon P950 | 140 mm | 110 mm | 150 mm | 1005 g | 290 | n | Jan 2020 | 799 | amazon.com | |
4. | Nikon P1000 | 146 mm | 119 mm | 181 mm | 1415 g | 250 | n | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon B700 | 125 mm | 85 mm | 107 mm | 565 g | 350 | n | Feb 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon B500 | 114 mm | 78 mm | 95 mm | 541 g | 600 | n | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon L840 | 113 mm | 78 mm | 96 mm | 538 g | 590 | n | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2009 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 535 g | 500 | n | Aug 2009 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-P1 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Jun 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-P2 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Nov 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-420 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-520 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 535 g | 750 | n | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | 142 mm | 116 mm | 75 mm | 876 g | 750 | Y | Oct 2007 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-410 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
17. | Olympus E-510 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 538 g | 750 | n | Mar 2007 | 799 | 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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The P900 was launched at a lower price than the E-30, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-30 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Nikon P900 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the P900 is 88 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 5.6. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.
Despite having a smaller sensor, the P900 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the E-30. 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 1.33μm versus 4.29μm for the E-30). However, it should be noted that the P900 is much more recent (by 6 years and 3 months) than the E-30, 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 P900 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Nikon P900 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the P900 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-30 are 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm for good quality, 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Olympus E-30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix P900 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.
In terms of underlying technology, the E-30 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the P900 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-30 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.4 | 530 | 55 | |
2. | Nikon P900 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 727 | 47 | |
3. | Nikon P950 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.3 | 1189 | 52 | |
4. | Nikon P1000 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1044 | 51 | |
5. | Nikon B700 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.4 | 11.8 | 818 | 48 | |
6. | Nikon B500 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 20.3 | 11.7 | 810 | 48 | |
7. | Nikon L840 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 20.2 | 11.6 | 721 | 47 | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.5 | 512 | 56 | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.5 | 10.3 | 541 | 55 | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
11. | Olympus E-P1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.4 | 536 | 55 | |
12. | Olympus E-P2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.4 | 505 | 56 | |
13. | Olympus E-420 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.4 | 527 | 56 | |
14. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.6 | 10.5 | 571 | 56 | |
16. | Olympus E-410 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.1 | 10.0 | 494 | 51 | |
17. | Olympus E-510 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.2 | 10.0 | 442 | 52 | |
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 also of capturing video footage. The P900 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-30 does not. The highest resolution format that the P900 can use is 1080/60p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the P900 has an electronic viewfinder (921k dots), while the E-30 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-30 and Nikon P900 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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. | Olympus E-30 | optical | Y | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Nikon P900 | 921 | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Nikon P950 | 2359 | n | 3.2 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Nikon P1000 | 2359 | n | 3.2 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Nikon B700 | 921 | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Nikon B500 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Nikon L840 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-P1 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
12. | Olympus E-P2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Olympus E-420 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
14. | Olympus E-520 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Olympus E-410 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
17. | Olympus E-510 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that is present on the E-30, but is missing on the P900 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.
Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.The Nikon P900 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 E-30 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the P900 uses SDXC cards. The E-30 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the P900 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 Olympus E-30 and Nikon Coolpix P900 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. | Olympus E-30 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Nikon P900 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
3. | Nikon P950 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
4. | Nikon P1000 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
5. | Nikon B700 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
6. | Nikon B500 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
7. | Nikon L840 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-P1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-P2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-420 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Olympus E-520 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Olympus E-410 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Olympus E-510 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the E-30 has a hotshoe, while the P900 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.
Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the P900 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.
Both the E-30 and the P900 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The P900 was replaced by the Nikon P950, while the E-30 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-30 and P900 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-30 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P900 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-30 and the Nikon P900? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-30:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
- Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in November 2008).
Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix P900:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the E-30 requires a separate lens.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More modern: Reflects 6 years and 3 months of technical progress since the E-30 launch.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the P900 emerges as the winner of the match-up (15 : 13 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Olympus E-30 and the Nikon P900 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-30 or the P900. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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. | Olympus E-30 | .. | .. | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon P900 | .. | .. | .. | 77/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2015 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon P950 | .. | .. | 3/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2020 | 799 | amazon.com | |
4. | Nikon P1000 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 73/100 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Jul 2018 | 999 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon B700 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon B500 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon L840 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2009 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | Aug 2009 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-P1 | .. | + | .. | 66/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-P2 | 3/5 | + | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-420 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-520 | .. | 87/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-3 | .. | 88/100 | .. | + + | o | 4/5 | Oct 2007 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-410 | .. | 86/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
17. | Olympus E-510 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 799 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
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 use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 4000D vs Nikon P900
- Canon 550D vs Olympus E-30
- Canon 5D vs Olympus E-30
- Canon G7 X Mark II vs Olympus E-30
- Nikon D40 vs Nikon P900
- Nikon P900 vs Olympus E-PL1
- Nikon P900 vs Olympus E-PL9
- Nikon P900 vs Sony A7
- Nikon P900 vs Sony NEX-5T
- Nikon W150 vs Olympus E-30
- Olympus E-30 vs Olympus TG-6
- Olympus E-30 vs Pentax MX-1
Specifications: Olympus E-30 vs Nikon P900
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 | Olympus E-30 | Nikon P900 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | 24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5 |
Launch Date | November 2008 | March 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 1,299 | USD 599 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-30 | Nikon P900 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | 1/2.3" Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 6.17 x 4.55 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 28.0735 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 7.7 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 5.6x |
Sensor Resolution | 12.2 Megapixels | 15.9 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.29 μm | 1.33 μm |
Pixel Density | 5.42 MP/cm2 | 56.73 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 100 - 6,400 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 100 - 12,800 ISO |
Image Processor | TruePic III+ | EXPEED C2 |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 55 | .. |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.3 | .. |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.4 | .. |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 530 | .. |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-30 | Nikon P900 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 98% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.51x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 921k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 2.7inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | 921k dots |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | Swivel screen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-30 | Nikon P900 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | 7 shutter flaps/s |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens-based stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-30 | Nikon P900 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | no Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Geotagging | no internal GPS | GPS built-in |
Body Specs | Olympus E-30 | Nikon P900 |
Battery Type | Olympus BLM-1 | Nikon EN-EL23 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 360 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
142 x 108 x 75 mm (5.6 x 4.3 x 3.0 in) |
140 x 103 x 137 mm (5.5 x 4.1 x 5.4 in) |
Camera Weight | 701 g (24.7 oz) | 899 g (31.7 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.