Pentax WG-3 vs Sony A550

In this article, we are looking at the Pentax WG-3 and Sony A550, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. The sensor resolution of the WG-3 (16MP) and the A550 (14MP) is very close but the WG-3 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) come with different sensor sizes.

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The WG-3 was manufactured 3 years after the A550 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Pentax WG-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a thorough comparison, below is a short summation of how the WG-3 scores vs the A550 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax WG-3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The entire galleries are provided at Pentax WG-3 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera, you should consider its weight and volume. The Pentax WG-3 has got exterior dimensions of 124mm x 64mm x 33mm (4.9" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) and the Sony A550 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check out the Pentax WG-3 and Sony A550 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is the front view size comparison of the WG-3 vs the A550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the WG-3 and A550 is 90 and 63 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to picture the difference in sensor dimensions merely by looking through technical specs. The image below will offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the WG-3 and A550.

As you have seen, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The WG-3 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Pentax WG-3 will result in greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively. The more recent WG-3 provides a benefit in sensor technology.