Pentax XG-1 vs Sony a3500

Following is a extensive comparison of the Pentax XG-1 and Sony a3500, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Pentax and Sony. The sensor resolution of the XG-1 (16MP) and the a3500 (20MP) is pretty comparable but the XG-1 (1/2.3") and a3500 (APS-C) have different sensor sizes.

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The XG-1 was unveiled 4 months after the a3500 so they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax XG-1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony a3500 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the XG-1 matches up against the a3500 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax XG-1 and Sony Alpha a3500. The full galleries are viewable at Pentax XG-1 Gallery and Sony a3500 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry around your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Pentax XG-1 features outside measurements of 119mm x 89mm x 98mm (4.7" x 3.5" x 3.9") along with a weight of 567 grams (1.25 lbs) while the Sony a3500 has specifications of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs).

Examine the Pentax XG-1 and Sony a3500 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the XG-1 and the a3500.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XG-1 and a3500 is 66 and 69 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizes merely by checking out technical specs. The image here will give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the XG-1 and a3500.

As you have seen, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The XG-1 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony a3500 will show more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively.