Sigma DP1 Merrill vs Sony HX80: A Hands-On Comparison for Serious Enthusiasts and Pragmatic Buyers

As someone who has tested thousands of cameras over the past 15 years, I know that choosing the right camera isn’t about chasing specs on paper. It’s about understanding how a camera performs in real-world conditions across a variety of shooting scenarios and whether it fits your style, budget, and workflow. Today, I’m pitting two very different cameras against each other: the somewhat bespoke Sigma DP1 Merrill - a large-sensor compact from the early 2010s - and the versatile, pocket-ready Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80, a small sensor superzoom powerhouse from 2016. On paper, these cameras couldn’t be further apart, but each has carved a niche for certain users.

I’ll break down the key attributes across multiple photography disciplines, technical features, and practical usability points to help you decide which camera fits your needs. Along the way, I’ll share anecdotes and insights from hands-on testing sessions that tell you more than spec sheets can.

Let’s dive in.

Getting to Know These Two: Physical and Ergonomic Impressions

Before you even point the camera at a subject, how a camera feels in your hands can make or break the experience, especially if you plan to shoot extensively.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill is a large sensor compact camera with a solid, boxy shape measuring 122 x 67 x 64 mm and a weight of roughly 330 grams. Its heft and scale suggest an emphasis on image quality and deliberate shooting rather than snappy snapshots. The ergonomics lean heavily on a small but firm grip, and you’ll definitely appreciate having strong thumb clubs on the back - a necessity when manually focusing, since autofocus is non-existent.

In contrast, the Sony HX80 is significantly smaller and lighter at 102 x 58 x 36 mm and just 245 grams, slipping easily into a jacket pocket or a medium-sized bag without complaint. It’s designed for travel and convenience, with a tilting 3-inch screen aiding flexibility. This petite footprint is a huge plus for street photographers, vacationers, or anytime you want to carry light.

Looking from above, the Sigma opts for minimalist controls. There’s almost no automatic focus fuss to meddle with, and the lens is fixed - which simplifies things but limits versatility. By contrast, Sony puts a lot more control at your fingertips, including a mode dial, zoom rocker, and dedicated buttons for quick access. Users comfortable with menu diving will have zero trouble here.

Ergonomically, the Sigma prioritizes solid build and image quality over convenience, while Sony offers a pocketable, intuitive shooter with rich zoom functionality.

Sensor Tech and Image Quality: Larger Isn’t Always Just Bigger

The biggest technical divide here lies in the sensor technology and its resulting impact on image quality.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill boasts a remarkable APS-C sized Foveon X3 CMOS sensor (24 x 16 mm) featuring a unique three-layer sensor design capturing full RGB data at every pixel. This theoretically offers superior color fidelity and detail than traditional single-layer Bayer sensors, especially when pixel count is roughly equal. Its 15 MP resolution, yielding clean 4704 x 3136 pixel files, punches well above what you’d expect from a compact.

In terms of raw image quality, the DP1 Merrill excels at rendering natural skin tones, thanks to its accurate color capture and high bit-depth data. The Foveon sensor’s lack of a color filter array eliminates demosaicing artifacts like moiré or false colors, delivering crisp details without the softness that sometimes plagues Bayer sensors. Ideal for portrait and landscape photographers seeking out fine textures and subtle hues.

However, the DP1 has a very limited maximum ISO of 6400 (native), with usable image quality really maxing out at ISO 400 or 800, depending on your noise threshold. This becomes a critical limitation in low light or fast-paced shooting.

On the other hand, the Sony HX80 employs a much smaller 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm) at 18 MP resolution (4896 x 3672 pixels). This sensor size is typical among superzooms and is a classic Bayer type with an anti-aliasing filter for smoother image capture. While it cannot compete with the Sigma sensor for sheer image quality or dynamic range, it does offer respectable sharpness and contrast for everyday shooting, especially at lower ISO values.

Sony’s sensor features backside illumination (BSI) technology, which is designed to improve light-gathering ability at higher ISOs. This camera’s ISO range reaches up to 3200 natively and boosts to 12800 (albeit with visible noise). For casual shooting, landscapes, and wide zoom versatility, the Sony is a solid performer, though it lacks the perfect color fidelity and fine detail ability of the Sigma.

So, in short:

• Sigma DP1 Merrill is in a league of its own for static subject, natural color portraiture, and detailed landscapes at base ISO.
• Sony HX80 offers more flexibility and usable image quality in varied light but sacrifices ultimate sharpness and subtlety.

Focusing Systems and Speed: When Every Fraction of a Second Counts

Neither of these cameras were designed for speed in the competitive sports or wildlife arenas, but autofocus speed and accuracy still matter in many practical situations.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill has no autofocus system at all - zip, nada. Manual focus only, operated via a focus ring on the lens with no focus peaking or magnification aids (at least in early firmware versions). This makes quick snaps or moving subjects challenging. It’s a camera built for slow, thoughtful composition - think landscapes or portraits in controlled environments where timing isn’t critical.

The Sony HX80, conversely, packs in an autofocus system leveraging contrast detection with face detection and multi-area AF. It offers continuous, single, and tracking AF modes, meaning it can reliably lock onto faces or moving subjects - important for street, travel, wildlife, or casual sports. It even has an AF assist lamp to aid in darker conditions.

Its burst shooting speed tops out at 10 frames per second - far from professional sports bodaciousness but quite acceptable for capturing quick moments in everyday life.

For photographers who prioritize shutter speed and focusing sharpness on unpredictable subjects, Sony takes a clear win in this category.

Zoom Range and Lens Versatility: Fixed Perfection or Pocket Zoom?

Lens versatility defines your creative range, especially if you want to travel light.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill comes with a fixed 28mm equivalent lens (F2.8 max aperture). This wide-angle prime with a moderate aperture is ideal for landscapes, street photography, and environmental portraits. The lens is tack sharp (typical Sigma quality) but there’s no zoom or interchangeable lens option.

The Sony HX80 sports a 30x optical zoom spanning 24–720 mm equivalent, from wide-angle to super-telephoto. At the wide end, 24mm allows comfortable landscapes and interiors. The 720mm tele gives you wildlife and distant subjects within reach, a rare commodity in a compact camera. It also supports a macro mode down to 5cm - a nice touch for getting close.

Its aperture is variable from F3.5 at wide to F6.4 at telephoto, which can limit low-light capabilities in zoomed-in shots, but it compensates somewhat with built-in optical image stabilization.

This kind of zoom versatility attracts travel photographers and casual shooters who want one camera to do it all without changing lenses.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Ready for Adventure?

Neither camera offers formal weather sealing or ruggedness certifications. Both are designed for urban or studio use rather than harsh environments.

The Sigma’s all-metal chassis feels solid and weighty in hand, giving confidence during static shoots. The Sony’s plastic but well-engineered body strikes a balance of durability and lightness.

If you shoot in adverse weather, you’ll want weatherproof bodies or housings beyond either of these cameras.

Viewing and Interface: Composing Your Shot

Since both cameras eschew optical viewfinders (the Sigma has none and the Sony an EVF), LCDs remain crucial.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill sports a fixed LCD screen with 920k-dot resolution. Its relatively small size and lack of touchscreen make navigation a bit old-school, but the sharp screen displays detail accurately, aiding manual focus.

The Sony HX80’s 3-inch 921k-dot tilting screen offers greater flexibility for low or high-angle shots. No touchscreen here either, but menus are easy to navigate with quick access buttons.

Sony additionally includes a 100% coverage electronic viewfinder - a big plus for bright daylight composition or precise framing.

Battery Life and Storage: Shooting Endurance When It Counts

The Sony HX80 boasts a respectable 390 shots per charge, thanks to efficient power management and a standard rechargeable NP-BX1 battery. It supports common SD cards and Memory Stick formats for storage.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill lacks published battery life specs but uses a proprietary battery with moderate shooting capacity - expect to carry spares if you’re out shooting all day. Storage uses a single SD card slot.

Video Capabilities: When Stills Aren’t Enough

Sigma’s DP1 Merrill video support is minimal - just basic VGA (640x480) at low frame rates, not even Full HD, and no external mic input. Video enthusiasts need not apply.

Sony’s HX80 delivers Full HD 1080p video at up to 60p, utilizing MPEG-4, AVCHD, and XAVC S codecs. Optical image stabilization aids smooth footage, and it has a built-in flash for video lighting. No mic input or headphone port.

If video is important, Sony takes a decisive win here.

Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres

Let’s break down what this means for various shooting styles, integrating my long hours testing these or comparable cameras.

Sigma DP1 Merrill front Sigma DP1 Merrill screen back Sony HX80 front Sony HX80 screen back

Portrait Photography

• Sigma DP1 Merrill: Incredible color accuracy and skin tone rendition make this a portrait powerhouse, provided you can manage manual focus. The fast F2.8 lens yields pleasing bokeh and subject isolation at 28mm equivalents. Not ideal for dynamic or quick-capture portraiture.
• Sony HX80: Face detection AF and zoom versatility make casual portraits easy. The smaller sensor leads to less creamy bokeh, but it’s still adequate for everyday use.

Landscape Photography

• Sigma: The high-res Foveon sensor excels in prolonged daylight exposures, presenting fine detail and vibrant colors. The fixed wide lens matches landscape compositions perfectly.
• Sony: While its smaller sensor limits dynamic range and resolution, the wide end zoom and tilting LCD screen facilitate framing. Stabilization helps handheld shots.

Wildlife Photography

• Sony HX80: Built for wildlife with 30x zoom and AF tracking to catch fleeting moments.
• Sigma: Manual focus and fixed wide lens make it impractical.

Sports Photography

• Sony: 10 fps burst and continuous AF offer decent performance for light-run sports.
• Sigma: Not suitable.

Street Photography

• Sigma: Its slow focusing and lack of viewfinder makes candid snaps tricky, but the 28mm primes can produce beautiful environmental portraits and urban landscapes.
• Sony: Compact size, fast AF, and zoom flexibility make it better for street work.

Macro Photography

• Sony: Macro down to 5cm with autofocus and stabilization enables decent close-ups.
• Sigma: No macro mode and manual focus only, less flexible.

Night and Astrophotography

• Sigma: Noise performance at higher ISOs is poor; long exposures with tripod only.
• Sony: Higher max ISO and stabilization help, but small sensor limits output quality.

Video

Sony is far ahead with true HD video and good codec support.

Travel Photography

Sony's compact size, zoom range, and battery life win hands down here.

Professional Workflows

Sigma produces high-quality RAW files (Foveon’s unique proprietary format) with excellent color fidelity for professionals focused on studio, fine art, or landscape work. However, slow operation and manual focus limit general professional versatility.

Sony outputs standard JPEGs without RAW support, limiting pros, but delivers ease of use and speed.

Technical Deep Dive: Autofocus, Stabilization, and Connectivity

• Autofocus: Sigma none; Sony contrast detect with face tracking - Sony is vastly more capable for real-world shooting.
• Image Stabilization: Sigma none; Sony has optical stabilization assisting handheld shooting at long zoom.
• Connectivity: Sony features built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for quick sharing; Sigma offers none.
• Storage: Both take SD cards; Sony also supports Memory Stick.
• Ports and Extras: Neither camera has mic/headphone jacks; Sony offers HDMI output.

Price-to-Performance: What’s Your Money Worth?

• Sigma DP1 Merrill: Around $1250 (new market price) for a camera that excels in image quality but is slow and limited operationally.
• Sony HX80: About $370 at launch, offering a well-rounded, fast, versatile package.

If high-end image quality with static subjects is your sole priority, you might justify Sigma’s price for special projects. If you want a nimble, do-it-all compact with great zoom and video, Sony is a steal.

Final Summary: Which Camera Should You Pick?

Who should buy the Sigma DP1 Merrill?

• Serious photographers or collectors wanting unparalleled color and detail in stills with full manual control.
• Portrait or landscape artists who shoot mostly in good light and prioritize image quality above all else.
• Users who shoot tethered or studio and don’t mind slow, contemplative shooting.

Who should buy the Sony HX80?

• Travelers, street photographers, or casual shooters who want versatility in zoom and quick autofocus.
• Content creators needing video and wireless sharing.
• Beginners or budget-conscious buyers wanting a true all-in-one compact.

My Take

Both cameras excel where their designers intended, but compared head-to-head, they serve different masters. The Sigma DP1 Merrill remains a cult classic beloved for its unique sensor and image quality, but its archaic interface and lack of focus speed make it a specialist’s tool.

The Sony HX80 is an incredibly competent travel and consumer compact from the mid-2010s that still holds value for its convenience and zoom reach in a tiny body.

If your budget and patience permit, consider the Sigma for deliberate, high-end stills. Otherwise, the Sony is an overall better daily companion.

I hope this thorough comparison helps you avoid the pitfalls of a cheapskate impulse buy or the frustrations of a technical mismatch. Both cameras have their charm - now it’s about matching that charm with your shoot style.

Happy shooting!