Pentax VS20 vs Sony A850

Following is a comprehensive comparison of the Pentax VS20 vs Sony A850, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Pentax and Sony. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the VS20 (16MP) and A850 (25MP) and the VS20 (1/2.3") and A850 (Full frame) have different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The VS20 was brought out 22 months after the A850 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Pentax VS20 being a Compact camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the VS20 grades against the A850 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio VS20 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The entire galleries are viewable at Pentax VS20 Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to factor in its weight and size. The Pentax VS20 comes with outer dimensions of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") along with a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs) and the Sony A850 has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Take a look at the Pentax VS20 vs Sony A850 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is a front view scale comparison of the VS20 vs the A850.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the VS20 and A850 is 90 and 54 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to picture the gap in sensor sizes merely by researching specifications. The image here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VS20 and A850.

To sum up, each of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The VS20 due to its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony A850 will provide you with extra detail having its extra 9MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The fresher VS20 provides an advantage in sensor technology.