Pentax ist DS2 vs Sony W710

Lets take a deeper look at the Pentax ist DS2 vs Sony W710, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Pentax and Sony. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the ist DS2 (6MP) and W710 (16MP) and the ist DS2 (APS-C) and W710 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ist DS2 was launched 8 years before the W710 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony W710 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a concise view of how the ist DS2 matches up versus the W710 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax ist DS2 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W710. The complete galleries are viewable at Pentax ist DS2 Gallery and Sony W710 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor in its weight and volume. The Pentax ist DS2 provides exterior dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs) while the Sony W710 has sizing of 97mm x 55mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 114 grams (0.25 lbs).

See the Pentax ist DS2 vs Sony W710 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the ist DS2 compared to the W710.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the ist DS2 and W710 is 68 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by looking at a spec sheet. The picture below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the ist DS2 and W710.

Clearly, both of those cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The ist DS2 because of its larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony W710 will resolve extra detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged ist DS2 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.