Pentax ist DL2 vs Sony A380

Its time to examine more closely at the Pentax ist DL2 versus Sony A380, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the image resolutions of the ist DL2 (6MP) and A380 (14MP) but they feature the exact same sensor size (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The ist DL2 was brought out 4 years earlier than the A380 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a thorough comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the ist DL2 scores versus the A380 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax ist DL2 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The entire galleries are viewable at Pentax ist DL2 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Pentax ist DL2 comes with outer dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs) while the Sony A380 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Look at the Pentax ist DL2 versus Sony A380 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you choose at that time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the ist DL2 and the A380.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ist DL2 and A380 is 69 and 68 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to see the difference between sensor sizes merely by checking a spec sheet. The pic below will help offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ist DL2 and A380.

Clearly, both of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You can count on the Sony A380 to resolve greater detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The more aged ist DL2 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.