Samsung WB850F vs Sony a1

Below is a thorough assessment of the Samsung WB850F and Sony a1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Samsung and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the WB850F (16MP) and a1 (50MP) and the WB850F (1/2.3") and a1 (Full frame) possess totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The WB850F was released 10 years before the a1 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Samsung WB850F being a Compact camera and the Sony a1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the WB850F grades versus the a1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Samsung WB850F and Sony Alpha a1. The complete galleries are provided at Samsung WB850F Gallery and Sony a1 Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera, you're going to have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Samsung WB850F provides outer measurements of 109mm x 62mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.0") having a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Sony a1 has measurements of 129mm x 97mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 737 grams (1.62 lbs).

Contrast the Samsung WB850F and Sony a1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at that moment. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the WB850F versus the a1.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the WB850F and a1 is 91 and 61 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements just by looking through specs. The photograph below may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the WB850F and a1.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The WB850F featuring a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Sony a1 will result in greater detail as a result of its extra 34MP. Greater resolution will let you crop images a little more aggressively. The older WB850F will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.