Canon SX150 IS vs Sigma DP3 Merrill

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Canon SX150 IS and Sigma DP3 Merrill, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Canon and Sigma. The image resolution of the SX150 IS (14MP) and the DP3 Merrill (15MP) is pretty well matched but the SX150 IS (1/2.3") and DP3 Merrill (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The SX150 IS was brought out 7 months before the DP3 Merrill and they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX150 IS being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple view of how the SX150 IS matches up against the DP3 Merrill in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX150 IS & Sigma DP3 Merrill. The entire galleries are provided at Canon SX150 IS Gallery & Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Canon SX150 IS has physical dimensions of 113mm x 73mm x 46mm (4.4" x 2.9" x 1.8") having a weight of 306 grams (0.67 lbs) whilst the Sigma DP3 Merrill has specifications of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") along with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Compare the Canon SX150 IS and Sigma DP3 Merrill in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the SX150 IS versus the DP3 Merrill.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SX150 IS and DP3 Merrill is 86 and 83 respectively.

Quite often, it is very tough to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing just by looking at technical specs. The photograph below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SX150 IS and DP3 Merrill.

As you have seen, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SX150 IS because of its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sigma DP3 Merrill will give you greater detail having its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The older SX150 IS is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.