Sony A380 vs Sony S980

On this page, we will be comparing the Sony A380 versus Sony S980, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both are sold by Sony. The image resolution of the A380 (14MP) and the S980 (12MP) is pretty similar but the A380 (APS-C) and S980 (1/2.3") have different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The A380 was unveiled 7 months later than the S980 and they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the A380 matches up against the S980 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The full galleries are available at Sony A380 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Sony A380 has outside 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 S980 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Compare the Sony A380 versus Sony S980 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with during that time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the A380 vs the S980.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A380 and S980 is 68 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements merely by reading specifications. The graphic below may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the A380 and S980.

Plainly, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The A380 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Sony A380 will deliver greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The more modern A380 provides a benefit in sensor innovation.