Sony A230 vs Sony S980

Let's look a little more closely at the Sony A230 vs Sony S980, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are created by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A230 (10MP) and the S980 (12MP) is very well matched but the A230 (APS-C) and S980 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

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The A230 was announced 3 months after the S980 so they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a thorough comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the A230 matches up against the S980 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The whole galleries are available at Sony A230 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Sony A230 offers external measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") and a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Sony S980 has proportions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Examine the Sony A230 vs Sony S980 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the A230 compared to the S980.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A230 and S980 is 69 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizes simply by looking at technical specs. The image below might offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the A230 and S980.

As you have seen, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The A230 having a larger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Sony S980 will give you greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively.