Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230
83 Imaging
56 Features
33 Overall
46
69 Imaging
49 Features
40 Overall
45
Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 15MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 6400
- 640 x 480 video
- 75mm (F2.8) lens
- 330g - 122 x 67 x 59mm
- Introduced January 2013
- Old Model is Sigma DP2 Merrill
(Full Review)
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230 Overview
Following is a thorough overview of the Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230, former is a Large Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Sigma and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the image resolutions of the DP3 Merrill (15MP) and A230 (10MP) but they possess the same exact sensor measurements (APS-C).
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banThe DP3 Merrill was announced 3 years after the A230 which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.
Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the DP3 Merrill grades against the A230 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.
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Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sigma DP3 Merrill & Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The whole galleries are available at Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery & Sony A230 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Sigma DP3 Merrill over the Sony A230
| DP3 Merrill | A230 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revealed | January 2013 | May 2009 | More modern by 45 months | |
| Screen sizing | 3" | 2.7" | Bigger screen (+0.3") | |
| Screen resolution | 920k | 230k | Sharper screen (+690k dot) |
Reasons to pick Sony A230 over the Sigma DP3 Merrill
| A230 | DP3 Merrill |
|---|
Common features in the Sigma DP3 Merrill and Sony A230
| DP3 Merrill | A230 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus manually | More precise focus | |||
| Screen type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed screen | |
| Selfie screen | Neither offers selfie screen | |||
| Touch screen | Neither offers Touch screen |
Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230 Physical Comparison
For those who are planning to carry around your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Sigma DP3 Merrill offers outer measurements of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") and a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs) while the Sony A230 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).
Examine the Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the DP3 Merrill compared to the A230.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the DP3 Merrill and A230 is 83 and 69 respectively.
Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230 Sensor Comparison
Sometimes, it is tough to envision the contrast between sensor sizes merely by checking specifications. The picture underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the DP3 Merrill and A230.
To sum up, both of the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Sigma DP3 Merrill to give extra detail with its extra 5MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The more modern DP3 Merrill is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.
Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230 Screen and ViewFinder
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Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A230 Specifications
| Sigma DP3 Merrill | Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Company | Sigma | Sony |
| Model | Sigma DP3 Merrill | Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 |
| Type | Large Sensor Compact | Entry-Level DSLR |
| Introduced | 2013-01-08 | 2009-05-18 |
| Physical type | Large Sensor Compact | Compact SLR |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Processor | Dual TRUE II engine | Bionz |
| Sensor type | CMOS (Foveon X3) | CCD |
| Sensor size | APS-C | APS-C |
| Sensor measurements | 24 x 16mm | 23.5 x 15.7mm |
| Sensor area | 384.0mm² | 369.0mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 15 megapixels | 10 megapixels |
| Anti aliasing filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | - | 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Maximum resolution | 4704 x 3136 | 3872 x 2592 |
| Maximum native ISO | 6400 | 3200 |
| Min native ISO | 100 | 100 |
| RAW files | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Manual focus | ||
| AF touch | ||
| AF continuous | ||
| Single AF | ||
| Tracking AF | ||
| Selective AF | ||
| AF center weighted | ||
| Multi area AF | ||
| AF live view | ||
| Face detection focusing | ||
| Contract detection focusing | ||
| Phase detection focusing | ||
| Number of focus points | - | 9 |
| Cross focus points | - | - |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mounting type | fixed lens | Sony/Minolta Alpha |
| Lens focal range | 75mm (1x) | - |
| Highest aperture | f/2.8 | - |
| Available lenses | - | 143 |
| Crop factor | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Screen | ||
| Type of screen | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
| Screen size | 3 inches | 2.7 inches |
| Screen resolution | 920 thousand dots | 230 thousand dots |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch capability | ||
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | None | Optical (pentamirror) |
| Viewfinder coverage | - | 95% |
| Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.55x |
| Features | ||
| Slowest shutter speed | - | 30 secs |
| Maximum shutter speed | - | 1/4000 secs |
| Continuous shooting rate | 4.0 frames per sec | 3.0 frames per sec |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Expose Manually | ||
| Exposure compensation | Yes | Yes |
| Set WB | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Inbuilt flash | ||
| Flash range | no built-in flash | 10.00 m |
| Flash modes | no built-in flash | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Wireless |
| Hot shoe | ||
| AEB | ||
| WB bracketing | ||
| Maximum flash synchronize | - | 1/160 secs |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment | ||
| Average | ||
| Spot | ||
| Partial | ||
| AF area | ||
| Center weighted | ||
| Video features | ||
| Supported video resolutions | 640 x 480 | - |
| Maximum video resolution | 640x480 | None |
| Video file format | Motion JPEG | - |
| Microphone port | ||
| Headphone port | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | None | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environment sealing | ||
| Water proof | ||
| Dust proof | ||
| Shock proof | ||
| Crush proof | ||
| Freeze proof | ||
| Weight | 330g (0.73 lbs) | 490g (1.08 lbs) |
| Dimensions | 122 x 67 x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") | 128 x 97 x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO All around score | not tested | 63 |
| DXO Color Depth score | not tested | 22.3 |
| DXO Dynamic range score | not tested | 11.4 |
| DXO Low light score | not tested | 531 |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | - | 230 photographs |
| Form of battery | - | Battery Pack |
| Battery model | - | NP-FH50 |
| Self timer | - | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Time lapse feature | ||
| Storage type | - | SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo |
| Card slots | 1 | 1 |
| Pricing at launch | $1,353 | $569 |