Pentax X-5 vs Sony A33

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Pentax X-5 vs Sony A33, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. The sensor resolution of the X-5 (16MP) and the A33 (14MP) is relatively similar but the X-5 (1/2.3") and A33 (APS-C) posses different sensor size.

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The X-5 was released 2 years after the A33 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax X-5 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A33 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summary of how the X-5 scores versus the A33 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax X-5 and Sony SLT-A33. The complete galleries are provided at Pentax X-5 Gallery and Sony A33 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Pentax X-5 provides physical measurements of 119mm x 86mm x 107mm (4.7" x 3.4" x 4.2") along with a weight of 595 grams (1.31 lbs) while the Sony A33 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") along with a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax X-5 vs Sony A33 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the X-5 against the A33.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the X-5 and A33 is 65 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions purely by going over specs. The image underneath may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the X-5 and A33.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The X-5 because of its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax X-5 will offer you more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more modern X-5 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.