Sigma DP1 Merrill vs Sony RX100 VA

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Sigma DP1 Merrill and Sony RX100 VA, both Large Sensor Compact cameras by rivals Sigma and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the DP1 Merrill (15MP) and RX100 VA (20MP) and the DP1 Merrill (APS-C) and RX100 VA (1") provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The DP1 Merrill was manufactured 7 years prior to the RX100 VA and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature the same body design (Large Sensor Compact).

Before diving right into a full comparison, here is a short summation of how the DP1 Merrill scores against the RX100 VA in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sigma DP1 Merrill & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V(A). The entire galleries are available at Sigma DP1 Merrill Gallery & Sony RX100 VA Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and volume. The Sigma DP1 Merrill provides outer dimensions of 122mm x 67mm x 64mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.5") along with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 VA has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") along with a weight of 299 grams (0.66 lbs).

Check the Sigma DP1 Merrill and Sony RX100 VA in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose during that time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the DP1 Merrill versus the RX100 VA.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the DP1 Merrill and RX100 VA is 82 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to see the contrast in sensor sizing purely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the DP1 Merrill and RX100 VA.

As you can see, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The DP1 Merrill due to its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Sony RX100 VA will show extra detail due to its extra 5MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older DP1 Merrill will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.