Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Sony A850

Its time to look more in depth at the Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Sony A850, former being a Large Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Sigma and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the DP2 Merrill (15MP) and A850 (25MP) and the DP2 Merrill (APS-C) and A850 (Full frame) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The DP2 Merrill was introduced 23 months later than the A850 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a full comparison, here is a quick overview of how the DP2 Merrill scores vs the A850 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Sigma DP2 Merrill & Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The whole galleries are viewable at Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery & Sony A850 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera, you will want to think about its weight and proportions. The Sigma DP2 Merrill comes with external dimensions of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") and a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs) whilst the Sony A850 has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") along with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Examine the Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Sony A850 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the DP2 Merrill and the A850.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the DP2 Merrill and A850 is 83 and 54 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to envision the contrast in sensor measurements merely by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph here will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the DP2 Merrill and A850.

As you can see, both cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The DP2 Merrill with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony A850 will provide extra detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics way more aggressively. The more modern DP2 Merrill will have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.