Pentax E85 vs Sony A9
95 Imaging
35 Features
10 Overall
25


65 Imaging
73 Features
93 Overall
81
Pentax E85 vs Sony A9 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Display
- ISO 80 - 3200
- 640 x 480 video
- 32-96mm (F2.9-5.2) lens
- 145g - 93 x 58 x 24mm
- Released September 2009
(Full Review)
- 24MP - Full frame Sensor
- 3" Tilting Screen
- ISO 100 - 51200 (Bump to 204800)
- Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
- 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
- 3840 x 2160 video
- Sony E Mount
- 673g - 127 x 96 x 63mm
- Launched April 2017
- Refreshed by Sony A9 II

Pentax E85 vs Sony A9 Overview
Following is a in depth comparison of the Pentax E85 and Sony A9, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Pentax and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the sensor resolutions of the E85 (12MP) and A9 (24MP) and the E85 (1/2.3") and A9 (Full frame) possess totally different sensor measurements.

The E85 was manufactured 8 years prior to the A9 which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.
Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E85 matches up against the A9 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Pentax E85 vs Sony A9 Gallery
This is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio E85 & Sony Alpha A9. The entire galleries are available at Pentax E85 Gallery & Sony A9 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Pentax E85 over the Sony A9
E85 | A9 |
---|
Reasons to pick Sony A9 over the Pentax E85
A9 | E85 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Launched | April 2017 | ![]() | September 2009 | More modern by 92 months |
Focus manually | ![]() | Dial exact focusing | ||
Screen type | Tilting | ![]() | Fixed | Tilting screen |
Screen dimension | 3" | ![]() | 2.7" | Bigger screen (+0.3") |
Screen resolution | 1440k | ![]() | 230k | Clearer screen (+1210k dot) |
Touch screen | ![]() | Quickly navigate |
Common features in the Pentax E85 and Sony A9
E85 | A9 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Selfie screen | ![]() | Lacking selfie screen |
Pentax E85 vs Sony A9 Physical Comparison
If you're intending to carry around your camera regularly, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Pentax E85 comes with physical measurements of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") with a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Sony A9 has proportions of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).
See the Pentax E85 and Sony A9 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the E85 and the A9.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E85 and A9 is 95 and 65 respectively.

Pentax E85 vs Sony A9 Sensor Comparison
Sometimes, it can be difficult to see the gap between sensor sizes only by checking specifications. The picture here will offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E85 and A9.
To sum up, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E85 due to its tinier sensor will make getting bokeh more challenging and the Sony A9 will give more detail due to its extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E85 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.

Pentax E85 vs Sony A9 Screen and ViewFinder


Photography Type Scores
Portrait Comparison

Street Comparison

Sports Comparison

Travel Comparison

Landscape Comparison

Vlogging Comparison

Pentax E85 vs Sony A9 Specifications
Pentax Optio E85 | Sony Alpha A9 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Manufacturer | Pentax | Sony |
Model | Pentax Optio E85 | Sony Alpha A9 |
Type | Small Sensor Compact | Pro Mirrorless |
Released | 2009-09-17 | 2017-04-19 |
Body design | Compact | SLR-style mirrorless |
Sensor Information | ||
Chip | - | BIONZ X |
Sensor type | CCD | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor size | 1/2.3" | Full frame |
Sensor measurements | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 35.6 x 23.8mm |
Sensor area | 28.1mm² | 847.3mm² |
Sensor resolution | 12 megapixel | 24 megapixel |
Anti aliasing filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 4:3 and 16:9 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
Peak resolution | 4000 x 3000 | 6000 x 4000 |
Highest native ISO | 3200 | 51200 |
Highest enhanced ISO | - | 204800 |
Min native ISO | 80 | 100 |
RAW data | ||
Min enhanced ISO | - | 50 |
Autofocusing | ||
Manual focus | ||
AF touch | ||
AF continuous | ||
AF single | ||
Tracking AF | ||
Selective AF | ||
AF center weighted | ||
Multi area AF | ||
AF live view | ||
Face detect AF | ||
Contract detect AF | ||
Phase detect AF | ||
Number of focus points | - | 693 |
Lens | ||
Lens mounting type | fixed lens | Sony E |
Lens focal range | 32-96mm (3.0x) | - |
Maximum aperture | f/2.9-5.2 | - |
Macro focus distance | 10cm | - |
Amount of lenses | - | 121 |
Crop factor | 5.8 | 1 |
Screen | ||
Display type | Fixed Type | Tilting |
Display size | 2.7" | 3" |
Resolution of display | 230k dot | 1,440k dot |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch function | ||
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder type | None | Electronic |
Viewfinder resolution | - | 3,686k dot |
Viewfinder coverage | - | 100 percent |
Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.78x |
Features | ||
Minimum shutter speed | 2s | 30s |
Fastest shutter speed | 1/2000s | 1/8000s |
Fastest quiet shutter speed | - | 1/32000s |
Continuous shutter speed | 1.0 frames/s | 20.0 frames/s |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Manually set exposure | ||
Exposure compensation | - | Yes |
Change WB | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Integrated flash | ||
Flash range | 3.00 m | no built-in flash |
Flash settings | - | Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction, Wireless, Hi-speed sync |
Hot shoe | ||
AE bracketing | ||
WB bracketing | ||
Exposure | ||
Multisegment metering | ||
Average metering | ||
Spot metering | ||
Partial metering | ||
AF area metering | ||
Center weighted metering | ||
Video features | ||
Video resolutions | 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) | - |
Highest video resolution | 640x480 | 3840x2160 |
Video file format | Motion JPEG | MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 |
Microphone jack | ||
Headphone jack | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless | None | Built-In |
Bluetooth | ||
NFC | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
GPS | None | None |
Physical | ||
Environment seal | ||
Water proof | ||
Dust proof | ||
Shock proof | ||
Crush proof | ||
Freeze proof | ||
Weight | 145g (0.32 lbs) | 673g (1.48 lbs) |
Dimensions | 93 x 58 x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") | 127 x 96 x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO Overall score | not tested | 92 |
DXO Color Depth score | not tested | 24.9 |
DXO Dynamic range score | not tested | 13.3 |
DXO Low light score | not tested | 3517 |
Other | ||
Battery life | - | 650 images |
Style of battery | - | Battery Pack |
Battery model | D-LI95 | NP-FZ100 |
Self timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) | Yes (2, 5, 10 secs + continuous) |
Time lapse feature | ||
Type of storage | SD/SDHC, Internal | Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots (UHS-II compatible) |
Storage slots | One | Dual |
Pricing at release | $0 | $4,498 |