Samsung PL170 vs Sony a3500

Lets look more closely at the Samsung PL170 and Sony a3500, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Samsung and Sony. The sensor resolution of the PL170 (16MP) and the a3500 (20MP) is relatively comparable but the PL170 (1/2.3") and a3500 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizing.

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The PL170 was launched 4 years earlier than the a3500 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Samsung PL170 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony a3500 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summary of how the PL170 scores against the a3500 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Samsung PL170 and Sony Alpha a3500. The complete galleries are provided at Samsung PL170 Gallery and Sony a3500 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera often, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Samsung PL170 provides external measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) and the Sony a3500 has sizing of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs).

Compare the Samsung PL170 and Sony a3500 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select during that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the PL170 compared to the a3500.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the PL170 and a3500 is 99 and 69 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizes purely by checking out specifications. The pic underneath may offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the PL170 and a3500.

To sum up, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The PL170 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony a3500 will provide more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged PL170 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.