Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Sony A7S

Below is a thorough analysis of the Sigma SD1 Merrill versus Sony A7S, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by brands Sigma and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the image resolutions of the SD1 Merrill (15MP) and A7S (12MP) and the SD1 Merrill (APS-C) and A7S (Full frame) use totally different sensor size.

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The SD1 Merrill was revealed 24 months before the A7S making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Sigma SD1 Merrill being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A7S being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple view of how the SD1 Merrill scores vs the A7S with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sigma SD1 Merrill & Sony Alpha A7S. The full galleries are viewable at Sigma SD1 Merrill Gallery & Sony A7S Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera, you're going to have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Sigma SD1 Merrill enjoys exterior dimensions of 146mm x 113mm x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1") with a weight of 790 grams (1.74 lbs) and the Sony A7S has dimensions of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") having a weight of 489 grams (1.08 lbs).

Check the Sigma SD1 Merrill versus Sony A7S in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the SD1 Merrill versus the A7S.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SD1 Merrill and A7S is 57 and 77 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to see the difference between sensor measurements just by going over technical specs. The visual here should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SD1 Merrill and A7S.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SD1 Merrill having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Sigma SD1 Merrill will offer extra detail because of its extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The older SD1 Merrill is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.