Pentax RZ18 vs Sony A390

Let's look a little more in depth at the Pentax RZ18 versus Sony A390, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. The image resolution of the RZ18 (16MP) and the A390 (14MP) is fairly close but the RZ18 (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor dimensions.

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The RZ18 was revealed 14 months later than the A390 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Pentax RZ18 being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a comprehensive comparison, below is a short view of how the RZ18 grades against the A390 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio RZ18 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The full galleries are provided at Pentax RZ18 Gallery and Sony A390 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera often, you should factor its weight and volume. The Pentax RZ18 has got external measurements of 97mm x 61mm x 33mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) while the Sony A390 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") and a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax RZ18 versus Sony A390 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the RZ18 vs the A390.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the RZ18 and A390 is 92 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing just by looking through technical specs. The graphic underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the RZ18 and A390.

As you have seen, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The RZ18 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Pentax RZ18 will result in extra detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The younger RZ18 will have an edge in sensor tech.