Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony S930

Following is a in depth review of the Sigma DP3 Merrill versus Sony S930, one is a Large Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Sigma and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the DP3 Merrill (15MP) and S930 (10MP) and the DP3 Merrill (APS-C) and S930 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The DP3 Merrill was released 4 years after the S930 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony S930 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief summary of how the DP3 Merrill grades against the S930 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sigma DP3 Merrill and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S930. The complete galleries are viewable at Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery and Sony S930 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Sigma DP3 Merrill enjoys outside 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 S930 has dimensions of 90mm x 61mm x 26mm (3.5" x 2.4" x 1.0") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

See the Sigma DP3 Merrill versus Sony S930 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you choose during that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the DP3 Merrill versus the S930.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the DP3 Merrill and S930 is 83 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizes simply by going over technical specs. The pic underneath might give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the DP3 Merrill and S930.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The DP3 Merrill featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Sigma DP3 Merrill will deliver more detail as a result of its extra 5 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more modern DP3 Merrill will have a benefit in sensor innovation.