Pentax K-500 vs Sony A850

Below is a in depth comparison of the Pentax K-500 versus Sony A850, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Pentax and Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the resolutions of the K-500 (16MP) and A850 (25MP) and the K-500 (APS-C) and A850 (Full frame) use totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The K-500 was introduced 3 years later than the A850 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a in-depth comparison, below is a simple view of how the K-500 matches up versus the A850 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax K-500 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The whole galleries are viewable at Pentax K-500 Gallery & Sony A850 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera often, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Pentax K-500 has exterior dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs) whilst the Sony A850 has proportions of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax K-500 versus Sony A850 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at the time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the K-500 and the A850.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the K-500 and A850 is 64 and 54 respectively.

Often, it's hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements simply by researching a spec sheet. The photograph here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the K-500 and A850.

Clearly, the 2 cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The K-500 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A850 will render extra detail using its extra 9MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The newer K-500 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.