Pentax RS1500 vs Sony A700

On this page, we will be comparing the Pentax RS1500 and Sony A700, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. The image resolution of the RS1500 (14MP) and the A700 (12MP) is pretty comparable but the RS1500 (1/2.3") and A700 (APS-C) have different sensor dimensions.

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The RS1500 was manufactured 3 years after the A700 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Pentax RS1500 being a Compact camera and the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the RS1500 matches up versus the A700 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Optio RS1500 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. The entire galleries are available at Pentax RS1500 Gallery & Sony A700 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera often, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Pentax RS1500 has got physical measurements of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Sony A700 has proportions of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") having a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax RS1500 and Sony A700 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the RS1500 and the A700.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the RS1500 and A700 is 93 and 58 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to picture the contrast in sensor sizes purely by seeing technical specs. The picture below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the RS1500 and A700.

As you have seen, both cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The RS1500 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Pentax RS1500 will produce more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The younger RS1500 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.