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 200-25600		ISO 100-25600
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, just click on the right or left arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Olympus E-M10 III»	4.8 in	3.3 in	2.0 in	14.5 oz	330	n	Aug 2017	649			Olympus E-M10 III
	Samsung NX30«	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.3 in	13.2 oz	360	n	Jan 2014	999	-		Samsung NX30
	Nikon D5500« »	4.9 in	3.8 in	2.8 in	14.8 oz	820	n	Jan 2015	899	-		Nikon D5500
	Nikon D3300« »	4.9 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	15.2 oz	700	n	Jan 2014	499	-		Nikon D3300
	Olympus E-PL9« »	4.6 in	2.7 in	1.5 in	13.4 oz	350	n	Feb 2018	549			Olympus E-PL9
	Olympus E-PL8« »	4.5 in	2.6 in	1.5 in	12.6 oz	350	n	Sep 2016	549	-		Olympus E-PL8
	Olympus PEN-F« »	4.9 in	2.8 in	1.5 in	15.1 oz	330	n	Jan 2016	1,199			Olympus PEN-F
	Olympus E-M10 II« »	4.7 in	3.3 in	1.9 in	13.8 oz	320	n	Aug 2015	649	-		Olympus E-M10 II
	Olympus E-M10« »	4.7 in	3.2 in	1.8 in	14.0 oz	320	n	Jan 2014	699	-		Olympus E-M10
	Olympus E-PL7« »	4.5 in	2.6 in	1.5 in	12.6 oz	350	n	Aug 2014	599	-		Olympus E-PL7
	Olympus E-PL6« »	4.4 in	2.5 in	1.5 in	11.5 oz	360	n	May 2013	599	-		Olympus E-PL6
	Olympus E-PL5« »	4.4 in	2.5 in	1.5 in	11.5 oz	360	n	Sep 2012	599	-		Olympus E-PL5
	Olympus E-PL2« »	4.5 in	2.8 in	1.7 in	12.8 oz	280	n	Jan 2011	599	-		Olympus E-PL2
	Panasonic GX85« »	4.8 in	2.8 in	1.7 in	15.0 oz	290	n	Apr 2016	799			Panasonic GX85
	Sony A6400« »	4.7 in	2.6 in	2.0 in	14.2 oz	410	n	Jan 2019	899			Sony A6400
	Sony A6000« »	4.7 in	2.6 in	1.8 in	12.1 oz	360	n	Feb 2014	599	-		Sony A6000
	Sony A3000« »	5.0 in	3.6 in	3.3 in	14.5 oz	470	n	Aug 2013	329	-		Sony A3000
Convert to Metric
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

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 inch or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inch or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inch or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M10 III are 23 x 17.3 inch or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inch or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inch 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.

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.

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 has to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.

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.

The E-M10 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Olympus. In contrast, the NX30 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the NX30 from Samsung. 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 comes out slightly ahead of the E-M10 III (8 : 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 (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Olympus E-M10 III»	+	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	649			Olympus E-M10 III
	Samsung NX30«	-	77/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	999	-		Samsung NX30
	Nikon D5500« »	+	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	-		Nikon D5500
	Nikon D3300« »	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499	-		Nikon D3300
	Olympus E-PL9« »	+	-	4.5/5	-	4/5	Feb 2018	549			Olympus E-PL9
	Olympus E-PL8« »	-	-	4.5/5	-	4/5	Sep 2016	549	-		Olympus E-PL8
	Olympus PEN-F« »	-	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,199			Olympus PEN-F
	Olympus E-M10 II« »	+ +	80/100	5/5	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649	-		Olympus E-M10 II
	Olympus E-M10« »	-	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699	-		Olympus E-M10
	Olympus E-PL7« »	+	-	5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	599	-		Olympus E-PL7
	Olympus E-PL6« »	-	-	-	-	-	May 2013	599	-		Olympus E-PL6
	Olympus E-PL5« »	+ +	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	-		Olympus E-PL5
	Olympus E-PL2« »	83/100	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	599	-		Olympus E-PL2
	Panasonic GX85« »	+ +	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	799			Panasonic GX85
	Sony A6400« »	+	85/100	4.5/5	-	4/5	Jan 2019	899			Sony A6400
	Sony A6000« »	+	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	-		Sony A6000
	Sony A3000« »	+	-	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	-		Sony A3000
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.

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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