Olympus E-M10 III vs Samsung NX30

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Samsung NX30 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2017 and January 2014. Both the E-M10 III and the NX30 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-M10 III) and an APS-C (NX30) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Samsung provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-M10 III		Samsung NX30
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Samsung NX mount lenses
15.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor		20 MP, APS-C Sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots		3.0 LCD, 1036k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
8.6 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
330 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
122 x 84 x 50 mm, 410 g		127 x 96 x 58 mm, 375 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Samsung NX30? 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-M10 III and the Samsung NX30 are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the NX30 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Samsung NX30 is notably larger (19 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 III. However, the NX30 is markedly lighter (9 percent) than the E-M10 III. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-M10 III nor the NX30 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The power pack in the NX30 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	649
2.		Samsung NX30	127 mm	96 mm	58 mm	375 g	360	n	Jan 2014	999
3.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	420 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899
4.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	499
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	122 mm	84 mm	49 mm	383 g	360	n	Aug 2020	699
6.		Olympus E-PL10	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Oct 2019	599
7.		Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	599
8.		Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	549
9.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	1,199
10.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	649
11.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	699
12.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	599
13.		Olympus E-PL6	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	May 2013	599
14.		Panasonic GX85	122 mm	71 mm	44 mm	426 g	290	n	Apr 2016	799
15.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	899
16.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599
17.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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-M10 III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 35 percent) than the NX30, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-M10 III features a Four Thirds sensor and the Samsung NX30 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the NX30 is 64 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the E-M10 III has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the NX30 offers a 3:2 aspect.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

With 20MP, the NX30 offers a higher resolution than the E-M10 III (15.9MP), but the NX30 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.30μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10 III) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-M10 III is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 7 months) than the NX30, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Samsung NX30 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the NX30 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M10 III are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The NX30 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Samsung NX30 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
2.		Samsung NX30	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.5	12.4	1014	76
3.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
4.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
6.		Olympus E-PL10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
7.		Olympus E-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
8.		Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
9.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
10.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
11.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
12.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
13.		Olympus E-PL6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
14.		Panasonic GX85	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.9	12.6	662	71
15.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24	13.6	1431	83
16.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
17.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-M10 III provides a higher video resolution than the NX30. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Samsung is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the E-M10 III offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the NX30 (2360k vs 2359k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-M10 III and Samsung NX30 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6	Y	Y
2.		Samsung NX30	2359	n	3.0	1036	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0	Y	n
3.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2	1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
4.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0	921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	15.0	Y	Y
6.		Olympus E-PL10	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-PL9	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	n	Y
9.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0	1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	Y
12.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0	1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	n	Y
13.		Olympus E-PL6	optional	n	3.0	460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	n	Y
14.		Panasonic GX85	2765	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0	Y	Y
15.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0	922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0	Y	n
16.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0	922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0	Y	n
17.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0	230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5	Y	n

One feature that differentiates the E-M10 III and the NX30 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-M10 III reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the NX30 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

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-M10 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-M10 III and the Samsung NX30 both have 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-M10 III and the NX30 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M10 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the NX30 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 OM-D E-M10 Mark III and Samsung NX30 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Samsung NX30	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Olympus E-PL10	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Olympus E-PL9	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Olympus E-PL6	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic GX85	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the E-M10 III and the NX30 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The E-M10 III was replaced by the Olympus E-M10 IV, while the NX30 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Olympus and Samsung websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-M10 III or the Samsung NX30 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (122x84mm vs 127x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (35 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 7 months of technical progress since the NX30 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Samsung NX30:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.64x vs 0.62x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the NX30 emerges as the winner of the match-up (9 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 Olympus E-M10 III and the Samsung NX30 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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-M10 III or the NX30. 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 why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	649
2.		Samsung NX30	3/5	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	999
3.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899
4.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2020	699
6.		Olympus E-PL10	..	..	77/100	..	4/5	Oct 2019	599
7.		Olympus E-PL9	..	+	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	599
8.		Olympus E-PL8	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	549
9.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,199
10.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649
11.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699
12.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	599
13.		Olympus E-PL6	..	..	..	..	..	May 2013	599
14.		Panasonic GX85	4.5/5	+ +	82/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	799
15.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	899
16.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599
17.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Specifications: Olympus E-M10 III vs Samsung NX30

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.

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