Pentax X90 vs Sigma SD15

Lets take a more detailed look at the Pentax X90 and Sigma SD15, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Pentax and Sigma. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the X90 (12MP) and SD15 (5MP) and the X90 (1/2.3") and SD15 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The X90 was announced 5 months later than the SD15 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Pentax X90 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sigma SD15 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the X90 grades versus the SD15 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax X90 and Sigma SD15. The whole galleries are viewable at Pentax X90 Gallery and Sigma SD15 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Pentax X90 has physical dimensions of 111mm x 85mm x 110mm (4.4" x 3.3" x 4.3") having a weight of 428 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Sigma SD15 has measurements of 144mm x 107mm x 81mm (5.7" x 4.2" x 3.2") along with a weight of 750 grams (1.65 lbs).

See the Pentax X90 and Sigma SD15 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the X90 and the SD15.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the X90 and SD15 is 69 and 59 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor measurements purely by reviewing technical specs. The graphic below will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the X90 and SD15.

As you can tell, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The X90 using its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax X90 will offer extra detail with its extra 7MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos a good deal more aggressively.