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Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7

Portability
57
Imaging
56
Features
45
Overall
51
Sigma SD1 Merrill front
 
Sony Alpha A7 front
Portability
78
Imaging
70
Features
80
Overall
74

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 Key Specs

Sigma SD1 Merrill
(Full Review)
  • 15MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • No Video
  • Sigma SA Mount
  • 790g - 146 x 113 x 80mm
  • Launched April 2012
  • Superseded the Sigma SD1
Sony A7
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 50 - 25600
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 474g - 127 x 94 x 48mm
  • Revealed January 2014
  • Newer Model is Sony A7 II
Photography Glossary

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 Overview

Let's take a deeper look at the Sigma SD1 Merrill and Sony A7, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Sigma and Sony. There exists a large gap among the image resolutions of the SD1 Merrill (15MP) and A7 (24MP) and the SD1 Merrill (APS-C) and A7 (Full frame) feature different sensor size.

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The SD1 Merrill was released 21 months before the A7 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Sigma SD1 Merrill being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A7 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the SD1 Merrill grades versus the A7 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Sigma SD1 Merrill over the Sony A7

 SD1 Merrill A7 

Reasons to pick Sony A7 over the Sigma SD1 Merrill

 A7 SD1 Merrill 
RevealedJanuary 2014April 2012More recent by 21 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution1230k460kClearer screen (+770k dot)

Common features in the Sigma SD1 Merrill and Sony A7

 SD1 Merrill A7 
Focus manually Dial precise focusing
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen size
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen
Touch screen Lack of Touch screen

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to factor its weight and size. The Sigma SD1 Merrill has outside dimensions of 146mm x 113mm x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1") along with a weight of 790 grams (1.74 lbs) while the Sony A7 has specifications of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") having a weight of 474 grams (1.04 lbs).

Check the Sigma SD1 Merrill and Sony A7 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have attached during that time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the SD1 Merrill vs the A7.

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SD1 Merrill and A7 is 57 and 78 respectively.

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 top view buttons comparison

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 Sensor Comparison

Typically, its tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements purely by seeing technical specs. The graphic here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the SD1 Merrill and A7.

As you have seen, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SD1 Merrill because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony A7 will produce more detail as a result of its extra 9 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The older SD1 Merrill will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 sensor size comparison

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 Screen and ViewFinder

Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Sigma SD1 Merrill Portrait photography highlights
Sony A7 Portrait photography highlights
65
manual focus
good MP (15 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
no liveview feature
82
manual focus
megapixel count good (24 megapixels)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
offers face detect autofocus
exports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Sigma SD1 Merrill
Street photography with Sony A7
57
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
environment proofing
no moving screen
does not have image stabilization
79
screen tilts up and down
sensor size is large (Full frame)
exports RAW formats
weather proof
lighter than average in class (474g)
great ISO range (25,600)
no image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Sigma SD1 Merrill Sports photography details
Sony A7 Sports photography details
61
good MP (15MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
environment proofing
supports phase detect auto focus
no liveview feature
does not have image stabilization
66
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000 seconds)
megapixel count good (24 megapixels)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
weather proof
supports phase detect autofocus
painfully slow continuous shooting (5.0 frames/s)
no image stabilization
low battery power (340 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Sigma SD1 Merrill
Travel photography with Sony A7
54
environment proofing
good MP (15 megapixels)
missing Timelapse mode
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
69
lighter than average in class (474g)
weather proof
megapixel count good (24 megapixels)
low battery power (340 shots)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Sigma SD1 Merrill as a Landscape photography camera
Sony A7 as a Landscape photography camera
63
manual focus
switch lenses (Sigma SA mount)
good sized screen (3 inches)
good MP (15MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
environment proofing
no liveview feature
does not have image stabilization
missing Timelapse mode
75
manual focus
switch lenses (Sony E mount)
nice screen size (3")
megapixel count good (24 megapixels)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
great ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW formats
weather proof
no image stabilization
low battery power (340 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Sigma SD1 Merrill Vlogging information
Sony A7 Vlogging information
9
no video
35
offers face detect autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
comes with mic support
lighter than average in class (474g)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
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Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sigma SD1 Merrill and Sony A7
 Sigma SD1 MerrillSony Alpha A7
General Information
Make Sigma Sony
Model type Sigma SD1 Merrill Sony Alpha A7
Category Advanced DSLR Pro Mirrorless
Launched 2012-04-10 2014-01-22
Physical type Mid-size SLR SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor Dual True II Bionz X
Sensor type CMOS (Foveon X3) CMOS
Sensor size APS-C Full frame
Sensor dimensions 24 x 16mm 35.8 x 23.9mm
Sensor area 384.0mm² 855.6mm²
Sensor resolution 15 megapixel 24 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio - 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4800 x 3200 6000 x 4000
Highest native ISO 6400 25600
Minimum native ISO 100 50
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points - 117
Cross type focus points - 25
Lens
Lens mount type Sigma SA Sony E
Available lenses 76 121
Crop factor 1.5 1
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Tilting
Display diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 460k dots 1,230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display technology - Xtra Fine LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359k dots
Viewfinder coverage 96 percent 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification 0.64x 0.71x
Features
Lowest shutter speed - 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed - 1/8000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate - 5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance no built-in flash no built-in flash
Flash options no built-in flash no built-in flash
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize - 1/250 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Highest video resolution None 1920x1080
Video format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 790g (1.74 lb) 474g (1.04 lb)
Dimensions 146 x 113 x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1") 127 x 94 x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 90
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 24.8
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 14.2
DXO Low light rating not tested 2248
Other
Battery life - 340 shots
Type of battery - Battery Pack
Battery ID - NP-FW50
Self timer Yes Yes (2 or 10 sec; continuous (3 or 5 exposures))
Time lapse recording With downloadable app
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I, UDMA compatible) SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots One One
Cost at launch $2,339 $798