Canon SX280 HS vs Sigma SD1 Merrill

Following is a complete assessment of the Canon SX280 HS and Sigma SD1 Merrill, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Canon and Sigma. The image resolution of the SX280 HS (12MP) and the SD1 Merrill (15MP) is pretty similar but the SX280 HS (1/2.3") and SD1 Merrill (APS-C) have different sensor sizes.

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The SX280 HS was introduced 12 months after the SD1 Merrill which means that they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Canon SX280 HS being a Compact camera and the Sigma SD1 Merrill being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the SX280 HS scores versus the SD1 Merrill with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX280 HS and Sigma SD1 Merrill. The whole galleries are provided at Canon SX280 HS Gallery and Sigma SD1 Merrill Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry around your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and size. The Canon SX280 HS has physical dimensions of 106mm x 63mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 233 grams (0.51 lbs) while the Sigma SD1 Merrill has specifications of 146mm x 113mm x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 790 grams (1.74 lbs).

Compare the Canon SX280 HS and Sigma SD1 Merrill in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the SX280 HS versus the SD1 Merrill.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX280 HS and SD1 Merrill is 91 and 57 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to visualize the difference between sensor sizes merely by going over specifications. The picture here might provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SX280 HS and SD1 Merrill.

To sum up, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SX280 HS using its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sigma SD1 Merrill will deliver greater detail using its extra 3 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The younger SX280 HS should have a benefit in sensor technology.