Pentax WG-3 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill

Let's look more closely at the Pentax WG-3 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Pentax and Sigma. The resolution of the WG-3 (16MP) and the DP2 Merrill (15MP) is relatively similar but the WG-3 (1/2.3") and DP2 Merrill (APS-C) posses different sensor sizing.

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The WG-3 was launched 18 months later than the DP2 Merrill which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Pentax WG-3 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the WG-3 grades vs the DP2 Merrill in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax WG-3 & Sigma DP2 Merrill. The complete galleries are viewable at Pentax WG-3 Gallery & Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera often, you need to think about its weight and measurements. The Pentax WG-3 has physical measurements of 124mm x 64mm x 33mm (4.9" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) and the Sigma DP2 Merrill has proportions of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") accompanied by a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Look at the Pentax WG-3 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is a front view size comparison of the WG-3 compared to the DP2 Merrill.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the WG-3 and DP2 Merrill is 90 and 83 respectively.

Usually, its difficult to imagine the gap between sensor measurements simply by reading specifications. The visual underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the WG-3 and DP2 Merrill.

To sum up, each of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The WG-3 because of its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF trickier and the Pentax WG-3 will offer you greater detail utilizing its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The fresher WG-3 should have an edge in sensor innovation.