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Olympus E-620 vs E-30

The Olympus E-620 and the Olympus E-30 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2009 and November 2008. 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-620
versus
Olympus E-30
Olympus E-620   Olympus E-30
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)
4 shutter flaps per second 5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
500 shots per battery charge750 shots per battery charge
130 x 94 x 60 mm, 521 g 142 x 108 x 75 mm, 701 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-620 and the Olympus E-30? 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-620 and the Olympus E-30 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

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

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-30 is notably larger (25 percent) than the Olympus E-620. Moreover, the E-30 is substantially heavier (35 percent) than the E-620. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-620 nor the E-30 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-620 gets 500 shots out of its Olympus BLS-1 battery, while the E-30 can take 750 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLM-1 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-30 142 mm 108 mm 75 mm 701 g 750 n Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1 115 mm 72 mm 42 mm 334 g 290 n Feb 2010 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 449ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 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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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. 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. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 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-620 and Olympus E-30 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-620 and the E-30 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-620 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The Olympus E-30 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-620 versus E-30 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
2.
 
Olympus E-30 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.453055
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.148754
4.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
5.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
6.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
7.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
8.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
9.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
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-620 and the E-30 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

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-620 and the E-30 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-620 and Olympus E-30 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-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-30optical Y2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1optional n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/2000s 3.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
5.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
9.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/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-620 and the E-30 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-620 and Olympus E-30 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-620Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-30Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
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Both the E-620 and the E-30 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-620 and E-30 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-620 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-30 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-620 and the Olympus E-30? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.


Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-620:

  • More compact: Is smaller (130x94mm vs 142x108mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 180g or 26 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (46 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 3 months after the E-30).


Advantages of 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 a control panel on top to check 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: Gets more shots (750 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2008).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-30 emerges as the winner of the match-up (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-620 04:07 E-30

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-620 and the Olympus E-30 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-620 or the E-30. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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.

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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-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-30......71/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1..86/100..69/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2010 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 449ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 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 were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-620 vs Olympus E-30

    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-620 Olympus E-30
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date February 2009 November 2008
    Launch Price USD 699 USD 1,299
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-620 Olympus E-30
    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) 10.3 10.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 536 530
    Screen Specs Olympus E-620 Olympus E-30
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 98%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.48x 0.51x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    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-620 Olympus E-30
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 4 shutter flaps/s 5 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-620 Olympus E-30
    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-620 Olympus E-30
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-1 Olympus BLM-1
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge750 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 130 x 94 x 60 mm
    (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.4 in)
    142 x 108 x 75 mm
    (5.6 x 4.3 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 521 g (18.4 oz) 701 g (24.7 oz)
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