Samsung PL170 vs Sony A100

Let's look a little more in depth at the Samsung PL170 and Sony A100, former is a Ultracompact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Samsung and Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the resolutions of the PL170 (16MP) and A100 (10MP) and the PL170 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The PL170 was unveiled 4 years after the A100 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Samsung PL170 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving through a in-depth comparison, below is a quick view of how the PL170 grades against the A100 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Samsung PL170 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The full galleries are viewable at Samsung PL170 Gallery & Sony A100 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera often, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Samsung PL170 features outside measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) whilst the Sony A100 has sizing of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") along with a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Contrast the Samsung PL170 and Sony A100 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the PL170 versus the A100.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the PL170 and A100 is 99 and 64 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to envision the contrast in sensor sizes merely by looking through specs. The image underneath should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the PL170 and A100.

All in all, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The PL170 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Samsung PL170 will render extra detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics far more aggressively. The fresher PL170 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.