Olympus 8000 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus 8000 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sigma. The image resolution of the 8000 (12MP) and the DP3 Merrill (15MP) is relatively well matched but the 8000 (1/2.3") and DP3 Merrill (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The 8000 was manufactured 4 years prior to the DP3 Merrill and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a short summation of how the 8000 scores versus the DP3 Merrill for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 and Sigma DP3 Merrill. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus 8000 Gallery and Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus 8000 features outside measurements of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs) while the Sigma DP3 Merrill has proportions of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") and a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Compare the Olympus 8000 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Here is the front view scale comparison of the 8000 and the DP3 Merrill.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 8000 and DP3 Merrill is 94 and 83 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to see the contrast between sensor measurements only by looking at technical specs. The photograph below might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the 8000 and DP3 Merrill.

As you can tell, each of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 8000 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sigma DP3 Merrill will give you extra detail due to its extra 3MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older 8000 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.