Samsung ST100 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill

Here is a extended review of the Samsung ST100 and Sigma DP1 Merrill, former being a Ultracompact while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Samsung and Sigma. The resolution of the ST100 (14MP) and the DP1 Merrill (15MP) is very comparable but the ST100 (1/2.3") and DP1 Merrill (APS-C) posses totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The ST100 was revealed 3 years earlier than the DP1 Merrill and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Samsung ST100 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sigma DP1 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go right into a complete comparison, here is a short introduction of how the ST100 grades vs the DP1 Merrill when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Samsung ST100 & Sigma DP1 Merrill. The full galleries are provided at Samsung ST100 Gallery & Sigma DP1 Merrill Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Samsung ST100 features exterior measurements of 100mm x 60mm x 20mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 0.8") with a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs) while the Sigma DP1 Merrill has proportions of 122mm x 67mm x 64mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.5") with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Contrast the Samsung ST100 and Sigma DP1 Merrill in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is a front view size comparison of the ST100 against the DP1 Merrill.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ST100 and DP1 Merrill is 95 and 82 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to see the contrast in sensor sizing purely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph here will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the ST100 and DP1 Merrill.

As you can see, both of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ST100 using its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh harder and the Sigma DP1 Merrill will show extra detail because of its extra 1MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics way more aggressively. The older ST100 will be behind in sensor tech.