Sony A380 vs Sony RX100 III

Following is a extensive review of the Sony A380 vs Sony RX100 III, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both of them are designed by Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the A380 (14MP) and RX100 III (20MP) and the A380 (APS-C) and RX100 III (1") have different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The A380 was launched 5 years prior to the RX100 III which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony RX100 III being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the A380 matches up versus the RX100 III when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. The complete galleries are available at Sony A380 Gallery & Sony RX100 III Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Sony A380 has got external measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs) and the Sony RX100 III has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") along with a weight of 290 grams (0.64 lbs).

Check out the Sony A380 vs Sony RX100 III in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you use at the time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the A380 compared to the RX100 III.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A380 and RX100 III is 68 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to visualize the difference in sensor sizes just by checking out technical specs. The pic here will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the A380 and RX100 III.

As you have seen, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The A380 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Sony RX100 III will provide more detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged A380 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.