Sony RX100 II vs Sony A57

Its time to take a deeper look at the Sony RX100 II versus Sony A57, one being a Large Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR and both are produced by Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the RX100 II (20MP) and A57 (16MP) and the RX100 II (1") and A57 (APS-C) come with different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The RX100 II was unveiled 10 months later than the A57 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the RX100 II matches up vs the A57 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II and Sony SLT-A57. The full galleries are available at Sony RX100 II Gallery and Sony A57 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Sony RX100 II enjoys exterior dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs) and the Sony A57 has sizing of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") along with a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Contrast the Sony RX100 II versus Sony A57 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you choose during that time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the RX100 II versus the A57.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the RX100 II and A57 is 89 and 64 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements purely by looking through specs. The visual here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the RX100 II and A57.

All in all, the two cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The RX100 II having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony RX100 II will provide you with more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more modern RX100 II provides a benefit in sensor tech.