Samsung MV800 vs Sony A390

Its time to look a little more closely at the Samsung MV800 vs Sony A390, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Samsung and Sony. The resolution of the MV800 (16MP) and the A390 (14MP) is very well matched but the MV800 (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

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The MV800 was released 14 months after the A390 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Samsung MV800 being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a concise overview of how the MV800 scores versus the A390 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Samsung MV800 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The complete galleries are viewable at Samsung MV800 Gallery & Sony A390 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Samsung MV800 enjoys physical dimensions of 92mm x 56mm x 10mm (3.6" x 2.2" x 0.4") having a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony A390 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Compare the Samsung MV800 vs Sony A390 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Below is the front view size comparison of the MV800 against the A390.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the MV800 and A390 is 97 and 66 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions simply by looking at specifications. The image below will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the MV800 and A390.

To sum up, both of the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The MV800 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Samsung MV800 will give you more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more recent MV800 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.