Canon SX170 IS vs Sigma DP2

Its time to look more closely at the Canon SX170 IS and Sigma DP2, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Canon and Sigma. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the SX170 IS (16MP) and DP2 (5MP) and the SX170 IS (1/2.3") and DP2 (APS-C) have different sensor dimensions.

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The SX170 IS was revealed 3 years after the DP2 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX170 IS being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the SX170 IS matches up vs the DP2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot SX170 IS and Sigma DP2. The full galleries are viewable at Canon SX170 IS Gallery and Sigma DP2 Gallery.

In case you're intending to travel with your camera often, you should factor in its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX170 IS has got external dimensions of 108mm x 71mm x 44mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 251 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Sigma DP2 has dimensions of 113mm x 60mm x 56mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 2.2") having a weight of 280 grams (0.62 lbs).

Look at the Canon SX170 IS and Sigma DP2 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilising at the time. Here is a front view size comparison of the SX170 IS compared to the DP2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SX170 IS and DP2 is 88 and 86 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to imagine the gap between sensor dimensions merely by looking at technical specs. The picture here will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SX170 IS and DP2.

As you can tell, both of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SX170 IS with its tinier sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Canon SX170 IS will resolve greater detail because of its extra 11 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more recent SX170 IS should have an edge in sensor innovation.