Sony A500 vs Sony RX100 VII

On this page, we will be contrasting the Sony A500 and Sony RX100 VII, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both of them are offered by Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the A500 (12MP) and RX100 VII (20MP) and the A500 (APS-C) and RX100 VII (1") have totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The A500 was announced 11 years prior to the RX100 VII and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony RX100 VII being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short overview of how the A500 grades versus the RX100 VII when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony A500 Gallery and Sony RX100 VII Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and volume. The Sony A500 provides outside measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 VII has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 43mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.7") and a weight of 302 grams (0.67 lbs).

Contrast the Sony A500 and Sony RX100 VII in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the A500 and the RX100 VII.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A500 and RX100 VII is 63 and 88 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing simply by going through technical specs. The visual here might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the A500 and RX100 VII.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The A500 having a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Sony RX100 VII will provide more detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older A500 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.