Sony A7 vs Sony S980

In this write-up, we will be reviewing the Sony A7 vs Sony S980, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are built by Sony. There exists a large gap between the image resolutions of the A7 (24MP) and S980 (12MP) and the A7 (Full frame) and S980 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizing.

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The A7 was brought out 5 years later than the S980 and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony A7 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick overview of how the A7 scores against the S980 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha A7 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The entire galleries are available at Sony A7 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Sony A7 provides exterior measurements of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") and a weight of 474 grams (1.04 lbs) whilst the Sony S980 has sizing of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Examine the Sony A7 vs Sony S980 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you select during that time. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the A7 vs the S980.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A7 and S980 is 78 and 94 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing only by reviewing specs. The visual below may provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the A7 and S980.

All in all, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The A7 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Sony A7 will offer more detail having its extra 12MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures far more aggressively. The younger A7 provides an advantage in sensor technology.