Sony S980 vs Sony A57

Below, we are looking at the Sony S980 versus Sony A57, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR and both are manufactured by Sony. There is a large difference between the sensor resolutions of the S980 (12MP) and A57 (16MP) and the S980 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The S980 was announced 4 years before the A57 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Sony S980 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving in to a in depth comparison, below is a short view of how the S980 grades against the A57 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 & Sony SLT-A57. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony S980 Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Sony S980 provides outer dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Sony A57 has dimensions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") with a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Look at the Sony S980 versus Sony A57 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select during that time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the S980 and the A57.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the S980 and A57 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizes just by reading through specifications. The pic underneath will give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S980 and A57.

To sum up, the two cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The S980 using its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony A57 will give you more detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged S980 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.