Pentax XG-1 vs Sony A850

Its time to examine more in depth at the Pentax XG-1 versus Sony A850, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the sensor resolutions of the XG-1 (16MP) and A850 (25MP) and the XG-1 (1/2.3") and A850 (Full frame) use totally different sensor measurements.

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The XG-1 was introduced 4 years after the A850 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Pentax XG-1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go through a in-depth comparison, below is a brief summary of how the XG-1 grades against the A850 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax XG-1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The whole galleries are available at Pentax XG-1 Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and proportions. The Pentax XG-1 has got exterior measurements of 119mm x 89mm x 98mm (4.7" x 3.5" x 3.9") with a weight of 567 grams (1.25 lbs) and the Sony A850 has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Check out the Pentax XG-1 versus Sony A850 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at the time. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the XG-1 compared to the A850.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the XG-1 and A850 is 66 and 54 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to see the difference in sensor sizes simply by researching specifications. The image below might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the XG-1 and A850.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The XG-1 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony A850 will render more detail using its extra 9 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more recent XG-1 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.