Sony A99 vs Sony ZV-1

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Sony A99 versus Sony ZV-1, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Large Sensor Compact and they are both created by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A99 (24MP) and the ZV-1 (20MP) is very comparable but the A99 (Full frame) and ZV-1 (1") provide different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The A99 was announced 8 years earlier than the ZV-1 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony ZV-1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the A99 grades versus the ZV-1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony SLT-A99 and Sony ZV-1. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony A99 Gallery and Sony ZV-1 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and size. The Sony A99 has exterior measurements of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") along with a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs) and the Sony ZV-1 has specifications of 105mm x 60mm x 44mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.7") and a weight of 294 grams (0.65 lbs).

Compare the Sony A99 versus Sony ZV-1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the A99 vs the ZV-1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A99 and ZV-1 is 57 and 88 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to imagine the contrast in sensor sizing just by going through a spec sheet. The visual underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the A99 and ZV-1.

Clearly, both of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The A99 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Sony A99 will show more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics way more aggressively. The older A99 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.