Pentax P80 vs Sony A390

In this article, we are contrasting the Pentax P80 and Sony A390, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Pentax and Sony. The resolution of the P80 (12MP) and the A390 (14MP) is very comparable but the P80 (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) possess different sensor sizes.

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The P80 was announced 11 months before the A390 which means that they are of a similar age. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Pentax P80 being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise summary of how the P80 matches up against the A390 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio P80 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The whole galleries are provided at Pentax P80 Gallery & Sony A390 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera often, you'll need to factor its weight and measurements. The Pentax P80 comes with outside measurements of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Sony A390 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") having a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax P80 and Sony A390 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the P80 versus the A390.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the P80 and A390 is 95 and 66 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to picture the contrast in sensor sizes purely by going through a spec sheet. The pic here should provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the P80 and A390.

Clearly, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The P80 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A390 will produce greater detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged P80 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.