Sony a1 vs Sony S980

Below, we will be matching up the Sony a1 vs Sony S980, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are created by Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the a1 (50MP) and S980 (12MP) and the a1 (Full frame) and S980 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The a1 was introduced 12 years later than the S980 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Sony a1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a complete comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the a1 scores vs the S980 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha a1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony a1 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry your camera often, you should consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony a1 offers exterior measurements of 129mm x 97mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 737 grams (1.62 lbs) whilst the Sony S980 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Sony a1 vs Sony S980 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with during that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the a1 compared to the S980.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the a1 and S980 is 61 and 94 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizing simply by going through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the a1 and S980.

Clearly, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The a1 with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Sony a1 will show greater detail using its extra 38 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The younger a1 provides a benefit in sensor tech.