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Olympus E-30 vs E-620

The Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-620 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2008 and February 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 12.2 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-30
versus
Olympus E-620
Olympus E-30   Olympus E-620
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-3,200 ISO 100-3,200
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 230k dots 2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive) Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second 4 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
750 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
142 x 108 x 75 mm, 701 g 130 x 94 x 60 mm, 521 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-620? 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-620 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-30 vs Olympus E-620
Compare E-30 versus E-620 top
Comparison E-30 or E-620 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-620 is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Olympus E-30. Moreover, the E-620 is markedly lighter (26 percent) than the E-30. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-30 nor the E-620 are weather-sealed.

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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-30 gets 750 shots out of its BLM-1 battery, while the E-620 can take 500 images on a single charge of its BLS-1 power pack.

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.

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Body Specifications
# image 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 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 449ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-3 142 mm 116 mm 75 mm 876 g 750 Y Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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 E-620 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 46 percent) than the E-30, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Olympus E-30 and Olympus E-620 sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 12.2 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the E-30 and the E-620 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the E-620 is a somewhat more recent model (by 3 months) than the E-30, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Olympus E-30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The Olympus E-620 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

E-30 versus E-620 MP

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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image 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 3024none21.310.453055
2.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
3.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
4.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
5.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
6.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
7.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
8.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
9.
 
Olympus E-3 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.610.557156
10.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
11.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
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Both the E-30 and the E-620 offer Live View, so that they make it possible to use the rear screen for framing. Both cameras are still-image focused and cannot record videos.
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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-30 and the E-620 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the E-30 offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the E-620 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-30 has a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.48x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-30 and Olympus E-620 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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-30optical Y2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
4.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
8.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-3optical Y2.5 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 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.
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One feature that is present on the E-30, but is missing on the E-620 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-30 and the E-620 write their files to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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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 Olympus E-620 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-30Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-3Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
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Both the E-30 and the E-620 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-620 was replaced by the Olympus E-600, while the E-30 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-30 and E-620 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-30 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-620 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-30 or the Olympus E-620 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-30:

  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.48x).
  • 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.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2008).


Advantages of the Olympus E-620:

  • More compact: Is smaller (130x94mm vs 142x108mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 180g or 26 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (46 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (3 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-30 emerges as the winner of the contest (7 : 4 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.

E-30 07:04 E-620

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-620 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-30 and the E-620 in practical situations. 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 why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  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......71/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 449ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-3..88/100..+ +o4/5 Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-30 vs Olympus E-620

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-30 Olympus E-620
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date November 2008 February 2009
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 699
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-620
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12.2 Megapixels 12.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4032 x 3024 pixels 4032 x 3024 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.29 μm 4.29 μm
    Pixel Density 5.42 MP/cm2 5.42 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 100 - 3,200 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic III+ TruePic III+
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 55 55
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.3 21.3
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.4 10.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 530 536
    Screen Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-620
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 98% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.51x 0.48x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.7inch 2.7inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots 230k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Swivel screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-620
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 4 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards CF or XD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-620
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-620
    Battery Type BLM-1 BLS-1
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 142 x 108 x 75 mm
    (5.6 x 4.3 x 3.0 in)
    130 x 94 x 60 mm
    (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.4 in)
    Camera Weight 701 g (24.7 oz) 521 g (18.4 oz)
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