Pentax RS1500 vs Sony A68

Below is a extended analysis of the Pentax RS1500 and Sony A68, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the RS1500 (14MP) and A68 (24MP) and the RS1500 (1/2.3") and A68 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The RS1500 was unveiled 5 years before the A68 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Pentax RS1500 being a Compact camera and the Sony A68 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the RS1500 scores against the A68 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio RS1500 and Sony SLT-A68. The full galleries are available at Pentax RS1500 Gallery and Sony A68 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Pentax RS1500 comes with outer dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Sony A68 has measurements of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") and a weight of 610 grams (1.34 lbs).

Check out the Pentax RS1500 and Sony A68 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you select during that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the RS1500 compared to the A68.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the RS1500 and A68 is 93 and 64 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to see the difference between sensor measurements just by reading a spec sheet. The photograph here might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the RS1500 and A68.

Clearly, each of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The RS1500 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A68 will deliver more detail having an extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots way more aggressively. The older RS1500 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.