Pentax Q7 vs Sony A850

In this article, we are analyzing the Pentax Q7 versus Sony A850, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the Q7 (12MP) and A850 (25MP) and the Q7 (1/1.7") and A850 (Full frame) use totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The Q7 was released 3 years later than the A850 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Pentax Q7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving through a detailed comparison, below is a simple view of how the Q7 scores vs the A850 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Q7 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The complete galleries are provided at Pentax Q7 Gallery & Sony A850 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and measurements. The Pentax Q7 comes with physical measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs) and the Sony A850 has proportions of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Compare the Pentax Q7 versus Sony A850 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at that time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the Q7 and the A850.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the Q7 and A850 is 92 and 54 respectively.

Generally, its tough to envision the difference in sensor measurements just by looking through specifications. The graphic underneath may give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the Q7 and A850.

To sum up, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The Q7 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A850 will provide you with extra detail as a result of its extra 13 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The fresher Q7 will have an advantage in sensor tech.