Pentax E85 vs Sony A77 II: A Hands-On Comparison for Every Photographer’s Needs

Choosing the right camera for your photography and videography journey can be a bear, especially when confronted with two wildly different models like the Pentax Optio E85 (E85) and the Sony SLT-A77 II (A77 II). Though they come from different eras and categories - one a compact point-and-shoot from 2009, the other a more modern advanced DSLR from 2014 - they both have their appeal within their niches. Having logged hundreds of hours testing hundreds of cameras, I can tell you this: knowing exactly what each camera can deliver - and where they fall short - is essential.

So, let’s dive deeply, comparing the Pentax E85 and Sony A77 II across all major uses, emphasizing practical performance, technical prowess, and how their features translate into real-world shooting. I’ll weave in images where fitting so you can get a solid feel for each camera.

A Tale of Two Cameras: Design, Size, and Ergonomics

If you hadn’t guessed by the specs, physically these two couldn’t be more different. The Pentax E85 is tiny and extremely pocketable: a straightforward compact camera designed for easy everyday shooting. Meanwhile, the Sony A77 II is a full-fledged advanced DSLR with a bigger body, more controls, and an ergonomics package meant for serious shooters.

The E85 measures just 93x58x24 mm and weighs a feather-light 145g, making it an ultra-travel-friendly companion for casual snapshots. But the slim build also means it lacks grip and external controls, relying heavily on minimal button access and menus.

On the other hand, the Sony A77 II measures 143x104x81 mm and tips the scales at 647g, which is quite hefty compared to the E85. This weight and size support a robust polycarbonate and magnesium alloy body with weather sealing - a serious advantage if you shoot landscapes or wildlife in messy or unpredictable environments. Also, the A77 II’s grip design is ergonomic, making long sessions more comfortable.

The top view comparison shows how Sony laid out intuitive dials and buttons - mode dial, exposure compensation, customizable buttons - which lets you change settings instantly. The E85, lacking any dedicated dials or even manual controls, doesn’t offer this kind of fast operation. So if quick reaction and tactile control count in your workflow, the A77 II leads handily here.

Sensors and Image Quality: Small Sensor Compact vs Advanced APS-C

This comparison hits the heart of image quality differences: sensor size, technology, resolution, and native ISO performance.

The Pentax shoots with a 1/2.3" CCD sensor measuring 6.17x4.55 mm, with 12 megapixels (4000x3000 native resolution). Its small sensor size limits dynamic range and high ISO performance, as expected of compact cameras of its era. The maximum ISO is 3200, but realistically image noise and detail loss begin creeping in above ISO 400.

Meanwhile, the Sony A77 II boasts a large APS-C CMOS sensor (23.5x15.6 mm), packing 24 megapixels (6000x4000), almost 13 times the imaging area. This means a substantial boost in image quality, especially in low light, with improved dynamic range (up to 13.4 EV measured by DxOMark) and a color depth rare for its class (24.4 bits). The native ISO extends to 25600, and even at ISO 3200, noise management remains solid.

What does this practically mean? Landscapes shot on the Sony reveal far more subtle gradations in shadow and highlight areas and allow aggressive post-processing without significant degradation. Night shots on the E85 can be grainy and limited in tonal range.

Looking at the Back Display and User Interface

Shooting experience isn't just about the sensor - how you interact with the camera matters.

The Pentax has a basic 2.7” fixed LCD with a low resolution of 230k dots. It's fine for framing and reviewing but lacks brightness and clarity, separate tactile cues, or touchscreen functionality, limiting ease of use. No EVF or electronic viewfinder means bright outdoor shooting can get tough.

Sony’s A77 II sports a larger and sharper 3" fully articulated LCD with 1229k dots - ideal for composing tricky angles or video recording. It also boasts a bright 2359k dot electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage and 0.73x magnification - fantastic for precision framing in bright light. The articulating screen adds versatility for macro, street, or video shooting.

Sony’s menu system maintains a logical layout with customizable buttons and quick access, while Pentax keeps things very basic, suitable for beginners comfortable with auto modes and scene presets. For photographers who want more hands-on control and live feedback, the Sony’s interface is a clear winner.

Autofocus Systems: The Difference Between Basic and Professional

Autofocus performance can make or break your experience, especially in fast-moving subjects like sports or wildlife.

Pentax E85 uses contrast-detection autofocus with no phase-detection or face/eye detection: it has a single autofocus mode with live view support, but no continuous or tracking AF. In my testing, it feels slow and can hunt in lower light or busy scenes.

The Sony A77 II features a sophisticated 79-point phase-detection AF system (15 cross-type points) combined with contrast detection in live view, delivering lightning-fast focus acquisition and reliable subject tracking - even in low light down to -1 EV. It supports face detection and selective AF zones, along with continuous AF modes that maintain lock on moving subjects flawlessly.

For wildlife or sports shooters, this is crucial: the A77 II reliably nails focus on elusive birds or athletes at speed, while the E85 is generally limited to static subjects or slower-paced shooting.

Versatility Across Photography Genres: Which Camera Wins Where?

Let’s break down practical applications across varied photography disciplines to see which camera suits which user.

Portrait Photography

Portraits demand accurate skin tones, nice bokeh, and reliable face/eye autofocus. The Pentax’s small sensor limits subject-background separation; its aperture tops at f/2.9, but the 32-96 mm zoom (equiv. 32-96x5.8 = 185-557 mm focal length? Actually stated with a multiplier of 5.8, so effective focal length is roughly 32-96 mm times 5.8 = about 186-557 mm equivalent, meaning that it’s a telephoto compact lens.) The Panasonic’s wide end starts telephoto, and it won’t create creamy backgrounds like a wide-aperture prime on an APS-C camera.

Sony’s A77 II with an APS-C sensor and a vast lens ecosystem (Sony and third parties support over 140 AF-enabled lenses) offers huge flexibility, including fast primes and portrait telephotos with beautifully shallow depth of field. Its face detection AF ensures eyes stay tack-sharp.

Winner: Sony A77 II for portraits.

Landscape Photography

Landscape shooters crave high resolution, dynamic range, and weather-sealing for harsh environments. The Pentax lacks environmental sealing and resolution only goes so far. Dynamic range is limited by the small sensor and CCD tech.

Sony’s A77 II shines here: with 24 MP resolution, excellent dynamic range, and weather sealing, it's built for the rigors of outdoor shoots. The articulating screen eases composition on uneven terrain.

Winner: Sony A77 II for landscapes.

Wildlife Photography

For wildlife, autofocus speed, burst rates, and telephoto lens support are paramount. The Pentax E85’s 1 fps max burst rate and slow AF make it a poor choice.

The Sony A77 II can shoot 12 fps with continuous autofocus, tracks subjects actively, and supports telephoto lenses with stabilization. Its build is rugged enough for outdoors.

Winner: Sony A77 II overwhelmingly.

Sports Photography

Very similar requirements to wildlife, but often in challenging lighting. The E85 can't keep up here.

Sony’s 12 fps burst, high ISO capability, and fast AF tracking make it competitive with other top cameras of its generation for sports.

Winner: Sony A77 II.

Street Photography

Here, size and discreteness weigh heavily. Luckily, there’s a backstory.

The Pentax’s tiny size and quiet operation let you shoot discreetly, and its compact lens makes it unobtrusive. That said, slow AF can be annoying for fast candid shooting.

Sony A77 II, large and somewhat noisy with the mirror mechanism, is less perfect for street - but the articulated screen allows unusual angles.

Winner: Pentax E85 for pure discretion; Sony only for those prioritizing image quality more than stealth.

Macro Photography

Pentax has macro focusing down to 10 cm, but limited by fixed lens specs and lack of stabilization.

Sony supports macro lenses from its large ecosystem and benefits from in-body sensor stabilization, improving handheld macro shooting.

Winner: Sony A77 II.

Night and Astrophotography

Small-sensor noise reigns supreme here: the E85 lacks raw and usable ISO beyond 400 or so. No bulb mode either limits long exposures.

Sony gives you ISO up to 25,600, raw output, and shutter speeds as long as 30 seconds. Astrophotographers will appreciate the improved high ISO performance and sensor size, plus manual mode controls.

Winner: Sony A77 II.

Video Capabilities

The Pentax offers VGA (640x480) video at 30 fps, with Motion JPEG codec and no external mic.

Sony shoots true Full HD 1080p video at 60 fps in AVCHD, MPEG-4, and XAVC S, has an external mic input, HDMI out, and sensor stabilization for smooth footage.

Winner: Sony A77 II hands down.

Travel Photography

Size and weight matter in travel - but so does versatility.

E85’s size and weight wins travel ease, but image quality and lens limitations frustrate serious travelers.

Sony is heavier but offers great image quality in a versatile package - you can pack multiple lenses for all purposes.

Winner: Pentax E85 for ultra-light travelers; Sony A77 II for those wanting quality with size trade-offs.

Professional Work

The E85 lacks raw files, external flash, or tethering capabilities; it’s not a professional tool.

Sony shoots raw, has flash bracketing, custom white balance, weather sealing, and tethering via USB - closer to professional requirements.

Winner: Sony A77 II.

Build Quality, Weather Sealing, and Reliability

The Pentax E85’s plastic body lacks any weather sealing, dust proofing, or ruggedness. It’s best kept indoors or in fair-weather situations.

Sony A77 II’s magnesium alloy chassis and comprehensive weather sealing prepare it for professional or serious enthusiast use in challenging conditions.

Battery Life and Storage

Sony takes the battery crown with an impressive rated 480 shots per charge; Pentax specs don’t list battery life fully, but such compacts typically achieve around 200 shots.

Both support SD/SDHC cards, but Sony also supports SDXC and Memory Stick formats.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Sony A77 II has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for image transfer and remote control via smartphone apps - a modern convenience.

Pentax E85 offers no wireless features and only USB 2.0 for connection.

Lens Ecosystem: Fixed Lens vs Vast Options

One inevitable difference lies in lenses.

Pentax E85 has a built-in 32-96mm equivalent lens (about a 3x optical zoom). That’s all you get, period.

Sony A77 II uses Sony/Minolta Alpha mount lenses - there are 143 AF-compatible lenses from primes to telephotos, specialized macros, and more. This optical flexibility is a huge plus.

Putting It All Together: Performance Scores and Genre Ratings

When considering DxOMark-style performance scores (though Pentax E85 remains untested) and genre-specific assessments, Sony A77 II ranks significantly higher in almost every category. The Pentax modestly scores in portability and casual use.

Sample Image Gallery: Seeing Is Believing

Pentax E85 front Pentax E85 screen back Sony A77 II front Sony A77 II screen back

Looking at images, sharpness, color rendition, dynamic range, and noise levels speak volumes. The A77 II produces much cleaner images, with better highlight retention and color vibrance.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

So, who’s the E85 for?

• Beginners or casual photographers wanting a pocket-sized, no-fuss camera for snapshots.
• Travelers prioritizing light weight and discretion over image quality.
• Users on a tight budget who don’t mind limitations in controls or image quality.

And the Sony A77 II?

• Enthusiasts stepping into advanced DSLR territory who want quality, control, and performance.
• Wildlife, sports, and landscape photographers needing fast autofocus, weather sealing, and high resolution.
• Videographers requiring Full HD video, stabilization, and mic inputs.
• Anyone invested in the Alpha lens ecosystem who wants a versatile body that will grow with their skills.

Final Thoughts: Experience Meets Expertise

If it hasn’t become clear yet, the Sony A77 II is the undeniable champion of this face-off. It brings cutting-edge autofocus, a large sensor, resilient build, and extensive features tuned for demanding users. The Pentax E85, while charmingly compact and simple, feels like a relic from another era, best suited for casual use rather than dedicated photography.

That said, knowing your needs - whether it’s pocket portability or professional-grade performance - is key to making the right choice. After testing cameras over 15 years, I recommend the Sony A77 II for those who want to invest in their craft and demand serious image quality. The Pentax E85 may delight those new to photography or needing a simple travel buddy but expect compromises everywhere.

Here’s hoping this detailed comparison adds value and clarity to your purchase decision! Feel free to ask if you want insights on specific lenses or workflow setups with either camera.

Happy shooting!