Pentax X90 vs Sigma DP3 Merrill

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Pentax X90 and Sigma DP3 Merrill, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Pentax and Sigma. The sensor resolution of the X90 (12MP) and the DP3 Merrill (15MP) is pretty similar but the X90 (1/2.3") and DP3 Merrill (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The X90 was announced 3 years prior to the DP3 Merrill and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Pentax X90 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple summary of how the X90 scores against the DP3 Merrill in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax X90 and Sigma DP3 Merrill. The whole galleries are viewable at Pentax X90 Gallery and Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and size. The Pentax X90 provides physical dimensions of 111mm x 85mm x 110mm (4.4" x 3.3" x 4.3") along with a weight of 428 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Sigma DP3 Merrill has specifications of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") along with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

See the Pentax X90 and Sigma DP3 Merrill in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the X90 vs the DP3 Merrill.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the X90 and DP3 Merrill is 69 and 83 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to see the contrast between sensor measurements simply by going over specifications. The graphic here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the X90 and DP3 Merrill.

Plainly, both of these cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The X90 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Sigma DP3 Merrill will offer you extra detail with its extra 3 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots way more aggressively. The older X90 is going to be behind in sensor technology.