Pentax E85 vs Sony A300

In this write-up, we are evaluating the Pentax E85 and Sony A300, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Pentax and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E85 (12MP) and the A300 (10MP) is fairly similar but the E85 (1/2.3") and A300 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E85 was released 20 months after the A300 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both cameras offer different body type with the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera and the Sony A300 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving through a detailed comparison, below is a short view of how the E85 matches up against the A300 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio E85 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A300. The complete galleries are viewable at Pentax E85 Gallery & Sony A300 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera often, you'll have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Pentax E85 has external dimensions 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 A300 has dimensions of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check the Pentax E85 and Sony A300 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have during that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the E85 versus the A300.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E85 and A300 is 95 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizes purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The picture underneath will help give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E85 and A300.

As you can see, both cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E85 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax E85 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a little more aggressively. The younger E85 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.