Ricoh CX1 vs Sony A77

In this article, we will be matching up the Ricoh CX1 versus Sony A77, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Ricoh and Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the image resolutions of the CX1 (9MP) and A77 (24MP) and the CX1 (1/2.3") and A77 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The CX1 was unveiled 3 years before the A77 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Ricoh CX1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A77 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a short introduction of how the CX1 matches up versus the A77 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Ricoh CX1 & Sony SLT-A77. The full galleries are available at Ricoh CX1 Gallery & Sony A77 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to take into account its weight and size. The Ricoh CX1 features exterior dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 180 grams (0.40 lbs) while the Sony A77 has specifications of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") along with a weight of 732 grams (1.61 lbs).

Contrast the Ricoh CX1 versus Sony A77 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at that moment. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the CX1 compared to the A77.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the CX1 and A77 is 93 and 59 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements merely by going through technical specs. The photograph below will offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the CX1 and A77.

As you have seen, both cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The CX1 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Sony A77 will provide extra detail having an extra 15MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots far more aggressively. The older CX1 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.