Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A580

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Sigma DP3 Merrill and Sony A580, former is a Large Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Sigma and Sony. The resolution of the DP3 Merrill (15MP) and the A580 (16MP) is pretty similar and they come with the exact same sensor size (APS-C).

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The DP3 Merrill was unveiled 20 months after the A580 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both cameras come with different body type with the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the DP3 Merrill matches up vs the A580 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Sigma DP3 Merrill & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are provided at Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Sigma DP3 Merrill features external dimensions of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") accompanied by a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs) while the Sony A580 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

See the Sigma DP3 Merrill and Sony A580 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use during that time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the DP3 Merrill compared to the A580.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the DP3 Merrill and A580 is 83 and 64 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to envision the gap between sensor dimensions purely by reading a spec sheet. The image here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the DP3 Merrill and A580.

Clearly, both the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Sony A580 to offer you greater detail having an extra 1MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more modern DP3 Merrill will have an edge in sensor innovation.