Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Sony A100

Below is a extended review of the Sigma DP2 Merrill and Sony A100, one being a Large Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Sigma and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the DP2 Merrill (15MP) and A100 (10MP) but they feature the exact same sensor sizing (APS-C).

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The DP2 Merrill was revealed 5 years later than the A100 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a thorough comparison, below is a quick view of how the DP2 Merrill matches up versus the A100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Sigma DP2 Merrill and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The full galleries are viewable at Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Sigma DP2 Merrill features exterior measurements of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") along with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs) whilst the Sony A100 has specifications of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") with a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Examine the Sigma DP2 Merrill and Sony A100 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the DP2 Merrill versus the A100.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the DP2 Merrill and A100 is 83 and 64 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to see the difference between sensor measurements purely by reading through specifications. The visual below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the DP2 Merrill and A100.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same megapixels. You should count on the Sigma DP2 Merrill to give more detail because of its extra 5 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more modern DP2 Merrill will have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.