Fujifilm S4500 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Fujifilm S4500 and Sigma DP3 Merrill, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals FujiFilm and Sigma. The resolution of the Fujifilm S4500 (14MP) and the DP3 Merrill (15MP) is very close but the Fujifilm S4500 (1/2.3") and DP3 Merrill (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The Fujifilm S4500 was announced 12 months before the DP3 Merrill so they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Fujifilm S4500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the Fujifilm S4500 scores vs the DP3 Merrill with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Fujifilm FinePix S4500 & Sigma DP3 Merrill. The whole galleries are provided at Fujifilm S4500 Gallery & Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Fujifilm S4500 provides external dimensions of 118mm x 81mm x 100mm (4.6" x 3.2" x 3.9") having a weight of 543 grams (1.20 lbs) and the Sigma DP3 Merrill has specifications of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") having a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Examine the Fujifilm S4500 and Sigma DP3 Merrill in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the Fujifilm S4500 and the DP3 Merrill.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the Fujifilm S4500 and DP3 Merrill is 67 and 83 respectively.

Sometimes, its tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizing only by researching a spec sheet. The photograph below might give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the Fujifilm S4500 and DP3 Merrill.

As you can see, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The Fujifilm S4500 using its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sigma DP3 Merrill will render greater detail with its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The older Fujifilm S4500 will be behind in sensor tech.