Pentax ist DS2 vs Sony A99 II

The following is a in-depth review of the Pentax ist DS2 versus Sony A99 II, both Advanced DSLR cameras by rivals Pentax and Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the image resolutions of the ist DS2 (6MP) and A99 II (42MP) and the ist DS2 (APS-C) and A99 II (Full frame) come with totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The ist DS2 was released 12 years prior to the A99 II which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a concise summation of how the ist DS2 scores vs the A99 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax ist DS2 & Sony Alpha A99 II. The complete galleries are available at Pentax ist DS2 Gallery & Sony A99 II Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Pentax ist DS2 comes with external dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs) whilst the Sony A99 II has dimensions of 143mm x 104mm x 76mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 849 grams (1.87 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax ist DS2 versus Sony A99 II in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the ist DS2 compared to the A99 II.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ist DS2 and A99 II is 68 and 57 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions just by going through technical specs. The image below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the ist DS2 and A99 II.

As you can tell, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The ist DS2 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony A99 II will provide extra detail as a result of its extra 36 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The more aged ist DS2 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.