Sony Alpha 3500 vs Pentax Optio P80

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80
      59
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      44
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Sony Alpha 3500 and the Pentax Optio P80, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Sony Alpha 3500 was introduced in March 2014 and Pentax Optio P80 was introduced in August 2009. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Sony Alpha 3500 Highlights

      • 20 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 16,000 Native ISO
      • 25 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • Electronic Viewfinder
      • 3.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash

      Pentax Optio P80 Highlights

      • 12.1 MP 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
      • 64 - 6,400 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • 2.70" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • 3.2 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Sony Alpha 3500
      4. Advantage of Pentax Optio P80
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Sony Alpha 3500 and Pentax Optio P80.

      PROS

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      •   Video Capture
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz)
      •   Video Capture
      •   64 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz)
      •   Internal Storage
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 470 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.2 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      •   Sensor Resolution - 20 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   Screen Size - 2.70"

      Advantage of Sony Alpha 3500

      Sony a3500
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha 3500 over Pentax Optio P80.

      Sony Alpha 3500 vs Pentax Optio P80
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1/2.3-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20 Megapixel vs 12.1 Megapixel
      Max Image Resolution 5456 x 3632 vs 4000 x 3000
      RAW Support vs
      More Focus Points 25 vs 9
      Multi Area Autofocus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Larger Screen 3.0" vs 2.70"
      Viewfinder Electronic vs
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 30 sec vs 4 sec
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/1000 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 3.5 fps vs 3.2 fps
      External Flash Connectivity vs
      Manual Exposure Mode vs
      Aperture Priority vs
      Shutter Priority vs
      Higher Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720
      Built-in Microphone Stereo vs Mono

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha 3500.

      Sony a3000
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      APS-C

      20.1 MP

      Pentax K-3 III
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      APS-C

      25.73 MP

      Hasselblad X2D 100c
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      Medium format

      100 MP

      Leica D-Lux (Typ 109)
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      12.8 MP

      Pentax K100D
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      6.1 MP

      Nikon D80
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Sony a6300
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Nikon D500
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      APS-C

      20.9 MP

      Pentax K-500
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      APS-C

      16.3 MP

      Fujifilm X-T200
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      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Fujifilm X-E2S
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      APS-C

      16.3 MP

      Panasonic G2
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Advantage of Pentax Optio P80

      Pentax P80
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pentax Optio P80 over Sony Alpha 3500.

      Sony Alpha 3500 vs Pentax Optio P80
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 64
      Higher Native ISO 16,000 vs 6,400
      Lighter 411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz) vs 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz)
      Internal Storage vs 33.6 MB

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Pentax Optio P80.

      Fujifilm GFX 100
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      Medium format

      102 MP

      Fujifilm XF10
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      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Sigma sd Quattro
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      APS-C

      29 MP

      Sony a7R V
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      Full Frame

      61.0 MP

      Canon SX10 IS
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      1/2.3-inch

      10.0 MP

      Panasonic LX100
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12.8 MP

      Nikon P530
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      1/2.3-inch

      16.1 MP

      Sony DSLR-A390
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      APS-C

      14.2 MP

      Nikon D60
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Olympus E-420
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 MP

      Nikon D5100
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      APS-C

      16.2 MP

      Fujifilm GFX 100S
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      Medium format

      102 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Sony Alpha 3500 Pentax Optio P80
        Video Capture
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
        HDMI Output Mini
        Light411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz)125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz)
      WEAKNESSES Sony Alpha 3500 Pentax Optio P80
        Timelapse Recording
        No Image Stabilization
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        Low Resolution Screen230k dot230k dot
        Low Max Continuous Shooting3.5 fps3.2 fps
        Low Video Resolution1920 x 10801280 x 720
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        No Environmental Sealing

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Sony Alpha 3500 has a 3.0" screen with 230k dot resolution and Pentax Optio P80 has a 2.70" screen with 230k dot resolution. Both have Fixed screens.


      Electronic Viewfinder on Sony Alpha 3500

      Sony Alpha 3500 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder. It has a 100% coverage and 0.70x (0.47x 35mm equivalent) magnification. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Pentax Optio P80.

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 3500 features a 20 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 366.6 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 16,000. Pentax Optio P80 features a 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 64 - 6,400.

      Photography Features

      Sony Alpha 3500 is equipped with BIONZ processor and can take pictures up to 5456 x 3632 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3872 x 2576, 2736 x 1824 with 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Pentax Optio P80 is equipped with Prime processor and can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3072 x 2304, 2592 x 1944, 2048 x 1536, 1920 x 1080, 1024 x 768 with 4:3, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Sony Alpha 3500 it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Pentax Optio P80 nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Sony Alpha 3500 has a Mini HDMI and Pentax Optio P80 has an HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Sony Alpha 3500 comes with NP-FW50 battery pack with battery life of 470 shots and Pentax Optio P80 comes with D-LI68 battery pack.


      External Storage Slots

      Sony Alpha 3500 has a single card slot. Pentax Optio P80 has a single SD/SDHC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Sony Alpha 3500, and up to 1/1000 sec on Pentax Optio P80. Sony Alpha 3500 can shoot continuously up to 3.5 fps. Pentax Optio P80 can shoot continuously up to 3.2 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 4m at ISO100 on Sony Alpha 3500 and 4.60 m on Pentax Optio P80. Sony Alpha 3500 also accepts external flash. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec on Sony Alpha 3500.

      Physical Parameters

      Sony Alpha 3500 body has dimensions of 128 x 91 x 85 mm (5.04 x 3.58 x 3.35") and Pentax Optio P80 body has dimensions of 102 x 59 x 25 mm (4.02 x 2.32 x 0.98"). Sony Alpha 3500 weighs 411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz) and Pentax Optio P80 weighs 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz).

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      128 mm

      91 mm

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      102 mm

      59 mm

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      91 mm

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      59 mm

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      85 mm

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      25 mm

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      Size comparisons of Sony Alpha 3500 and Pentax Optio P80

      Sony Alpha 3500 and Pentax Optio P80 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      POOR
      47
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      AVERAGE
      67
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 470 shots
      POOR
      44
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.2 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      AVERAGE
      57
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 470 shots
      POOR
      53
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.2 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      GOOD
      76
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      POOR
      51
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.70"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      GOOD
      80
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz)
      GOOD
      80
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      GOOD
      80
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 470 shots
      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Sony Alpha 3500 and Pentax Optio P80 and give them scores of 59 and 44 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      OVERALL
      59
      OVERALL
      44

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      AVERAGE
      63
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      POOR
      48
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   64 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      AVERAGE
      56
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      BAD
      26
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.2 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity

      Video

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      BAD
      16
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      BAD
      7
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720

      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      GOOD
      71
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      POOR
      54
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      POOR
      50
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.70"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder

      Connectivity

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      55
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Sony Alpha 3500

      Pentax Optio P80

      POOR
      43
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 411 g (0.91 lb / 14.50 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 470 shots
      POOR
      49
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 125 g (0.28 lb / 4.41 oz)
      •   Internal Storage


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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