Sigma SD1 vs Sony RX1R II

Below is a extended assessment of the Sigma SD1 and Sony RX1R II, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Sigma and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the SD1 (15MP) and RX1R II (42MP) and the SD1 (APS-C) and RX1R II (Full frame) provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The SD1 was unveiled 6 years before the RX1R II and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Sigma SD1 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony RX1R II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a simple summary of how the SD1 scores against the RX1R II with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sigma SD1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II. The full galleries are available at Sigma SD1 Gallery and Sony RX1R II Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Sigma SD1 has got exterior dimensions of 146mm x 113mm x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1") and a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) and the Sony RX1R II has proportions of 113mm x 65mm x 72mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") along with a weight of 507 grams (1.12 lbs).

Examine the Sigma SD1 and Sony RX1R II in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the SD1 versus the RX1R II.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SD1 and RX1R II is 77 and 78 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements merely by reading technical specs. The visual here will give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SD1 and RX1R II.

As you have seen, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SD1 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony RX1R II will offer more detail having an extra 27MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The older SD1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.