Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A850

In this article, we will be analyzing the Sigma DP3 Merrill versus Sony A850, one is a Large Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Sigma and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the DP3 Merrill (15MP) and A850 (25MP) and the DP3 Merrill (APS-C) and A850 (Full frame) use different sensor sizes.

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The DP3 Merrill was announced 2 years after the A850 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a simple view of how the DP3 Merrill scores against the A850 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Sigma DP3 Merrill and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The whole galleries are viewable at Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera, you have to consider its weight and volume. The Sigma DP3 Merrill provides 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) and the Sony A850 has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Check the Sigma DP3 Merrill versus Sony A850 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the DP3 Merrill compared to the A850.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the DP3 Merrill and A850 is 83 and 54 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to picture the contrast in sensor sizes just by going through a spec sheet. The pic below should provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the DP3 Merrill and A850.

Clearly, both the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The DP3 Merrill using its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Sony A850 will produce greater detail with its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The more modern DP3 Merrill should have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.