Samsung SL820 vs Sony RX10

Below is a in-depth assessment of the Samsung SL820 and Sony RX10, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by brands Samsung and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the SL820 (12MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the SL820 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SL820 was unveiled 6 years earlier than the RX10 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Samsung SL820 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the SL820 matches up versus the RX10 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Samsung SL820 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The full galleries are viewable at Samsung SL820 Gallery and Sony RX10 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Samsung SL820 features exterior measurements of 95mm x 59mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") having a weight of 168 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Sony RX10 has specifications of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Contrast the Samsung SL820 and Sony RX10 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at that moment. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the SL820 against the RX10.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the SL820 and RX10 is 94 and 58 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements only by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph here may offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SL820 and RX10.

As you can see, both of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SL820 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony RX10 will show greater detail having an extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older SL820 will be behind in sensor tech.