Pentax RZ18 vs Sony A33

Lets look much closer at the Pentax RZ18 vs Sony A33, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Pentax and Sony. The image resolution of the RZ18 (16MP) and the A33 (14MP) is pretty close but the RZ18 (1/2.3") and A33 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The RZ18 was released 13 months after the A33 which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Pentax RZ18 being a Compact camera and the Sony A33 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the RZ18 matches up against the A33 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Optio RZ18 & Sony SLT-A33. The complete galleries are provided at Pentax RZ18 Gallery & Sony A33 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to take into account its weight and volume. The Pentax RZ18 comes with external measurements of 97mm x 61mm x 33mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) while the Sony A33 has sizing of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax RZ18 vs Sony A33 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the RZ18 vs the A33.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the RZ18 and A33 is 92 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizes purely by researching specifications. The pic below may give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the RZ18 and A33.

To sum up, the two cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The RZ18 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax RZ18 will provide you with greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures more aggressively. The newer RZ18 will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.