Sony A500 vs Sony G3

Below, we will be looking at the Sony A500 and Sony G3, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both are manufactured by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A500 (12MP) and the G3 (10MP) is relatively close but the A500 (APS-C) and G3 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizing.

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The A500 was revealed 8 months after the G3 and they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony G3 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a more detailed comparison, below is a quick summation of how the A500 grades against the G3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3. The full galleries are viewable at Sony A500 Gallery & Sony G3 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Sony A500 has got physical dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs) and the Sony G3 has sizing of 97mm x 59mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") with a weight of 185 grams (0.41 lbs).

Check the Sony A500 and Sony G3 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is the front view size comparison of the A500 and the G3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A500 and G3 is 63 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizes simply by viewing technical specs. The image below will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the A500 and G3.

As you can tell, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The A500 with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Sony A500 will result in more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots much more aggressively. The more modern A500 should have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.