Canon SX230 HS vs Olympus E-M10 III

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Canon SX230 HS vs Olympus E-M10 III

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1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
12.1 megapixels
28.00mm - 392.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Canon SX230 HS Review.
See real-world photos taken with the SX230 HS.

4/3 226.2mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M10 III.
Compare Olympus E-M10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M10 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon SX260 HS
Compare SX230 HS vs SX260 HS
Compare Canon SX260 HS vs Olympus E-M10 III

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Differences

Canon SX230 HS advantages over Olympus E-M10 III

Slower slow-motion
240 fps vs 120 fps
Supports slower slow-mo
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Thinner
33 mm vs 49 mm
Thinner

Olympus E-M10 III advantages over Canon SX230 HS

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
4/3 vs 1/2.3 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Bigger pixels
~ 3.78 vs 1.54 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
RAW file ability
Yes vs No
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Fast startup
~1.00 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

330 vs 210 shots
Capture more photos
Newer
7 years vs 14 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More dots on screen
1037k vs 461k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.40 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
16.1 vs 12.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Longer exposure
60 vs 15 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster JPEG shooting
8.6 fps vs 3.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/3200 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 3200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Slow-motion videos
Both provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Buy the Canon SX230 HS

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Buy the Olympus E-M10 III

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Black)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Silver)

All E-M10 III Deals

Review Excerpt

Great zoom range from 28mm to 392mm equivalent; Full HD and slow-motion video; excellent print quality.
Low battery life; some chromatic aberration; flash pops up when powered on every time.
Read our Canon SX230 HS Express Review

Superbly-built, comfortable and compact body; Pairs beautifully with pancake kit lens; Excellent image quality; Excellent performance in most respects; Great single-shot autofocus; Really nice viewfinder and touch-screen display; Friendlier user interface courts amateurs.
Some controls are a bit small and tightly-packed; Hand grips are still a bit modestly-sized for larger lenses; Continuous and video autofocus just isn't up to snuff; New user interface can feel limiting to advanced photographers; Underwhelming battery life.
Read our Olympus E-M10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Samsung HZ35W

Canon SX230 HS

Samsung HZ35W

$269
1/2.3 inch

Fast startup
Built-in GPS

$350
1/2.3 inch

More dots on screen
Shoots 60p video

Compare Canon SX230 HS vs Samsung HZ35W

Olympus E-M10 III

Samsung HZ35W

$549
4/3

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$350
1/2.3 inch

Thinner

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Samsung HZ35W

Compared to Canon SX210 IS

Canon SX230 HS

Canon SX210 IS

$269
1/2.3 inch

Built-in GPS
Shoots 24p video

$262
1/2.3 inch

Longer stills battery life
More pixels

Compare Canon SX230 HS vs Canon SX210 IS

Olympus E-M10 III

Canon SX210 IS

$549
4/3

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$262
1/2.3 inch

Thinner

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Canon SX210 IS

Compared to Olympus SZ-10

Canon SX230 HS

Olympus SZ-10

$269
1/2.3 inch

Built-in GPS
Manual focus

$224
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Canon SX230 HS vs Olympus SZ-10

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus SZ-10

$549
4/3

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$224
1/2.3 inch

Thinner

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus SZ-10

Compared to Olympus E-M10 II

Canon SX230 HS

Olympus E-M10 II

$269
1/2.3 inch

Slower slow-motion
Built-in GPS

$349
4/3

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon SX230 HS vs Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M10 II

$549
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Bigger JPEG buffer

$349
4/3

Less expensive

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus E-M10 II

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Canon SX230 HS

Panasonic GX85

$269
1/2.3 inch

Built-in GPS
Thinner

$598
4/3

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon SX230 HS vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M10 III

Panasonic GX85

$549
4/3

More telephoto lens reach
Higher max flash sync

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Panasonic GX85

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