Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sony A58

Its time to look much closer at the Sigma DP3 Merrill and Sony A58, former being a Large Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Sigma and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the image resolutions of the DP3 Merrill (15MP) and A58 (20MP) but both cameras have the same sensor size (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The DP3 Merrill was announced 10 months earlier than the A58 so they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A58 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a complete comparison, here is a concise summation of how the DP3 Merrill scores against the A58 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sigma DP3 Merrill & Sony SLT-A58. The whole galleries are viewable at Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery & Sony A58 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Sigma DP3 Merrill has got outer measurements of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") having a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs) and the Sony A58 has specifications of 129mm x 95mm x 78mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 3.1") along with a weight of 492 grams (1.08 lbs).

Check out the Sigma DP3 Merrill and Sony A58 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the DP3 Merrill against the A58.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the DP3 Merrill and A58 is 83 and 68 respectively.

Normally, its tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizing simply by reading a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the DP3 Merrill and A58.

As you can see, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different MP. You can anticipate the Sony A58 to deliver greater detail with its extra 5 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images more aggressively. The older DP3 Merrill is going to be behind in sensor innovation.