Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A300

On this page, we are looking at the Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A300, former is a Large Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Sigma and Sony. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the DP3 Merrill (15MP) and A300 (10MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor size (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The DP3 Merrill was introduced 5 years after the A300 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A300 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise summary of how the DP3 Merrill grades against the A300 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sigma DP3 Merrill & Sony Alpha DSLR-A300. The whole galleries are available at Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery & Sony A300 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Sigma DP3 Merrill comes with outside dimensions of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs) whilst the Sony A300 has specifications of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check out the Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A300 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the DP3 Merrill against the A300.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the DP3 Merrill and A300 is 83 and 64 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizes purely by looking through technical specs. The picture below should give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the DP3 Merrill and A300.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have the same sensor dimensions but different resolution. You can expect to see the Sigma DP3 Merrill to render greater detail using its extra 5 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The younger DP3 Merrill should have a benefit in sensor innovation.