Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 vs Sigma sd Quattro

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro
      58
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      64
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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 DSLR-A300 and the Sigma sd Quattro, 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 DSLR-A300 was introduced in January 2008 and Sigma sd Quattro was introduced in February 2016. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 Highlights

      • 10.2 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 100 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • Image Stabilization
      • 2.7" 230k dot Tilting Screen
      • Optical (pentamirror) Viewfinder
      • 3.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Sigma sd Quattro Highlights

      • 29 MP APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
      • No Optical Low-pass Filter
      • 100 - 6,400 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 1,620k dot Fixed Screen
      • 2,360k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 3.6 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Wheather Sealed Body
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Sony Alpha DSLR-A300
      4. Advantage of Sigma sd Quattro
      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 DSLR-A300 and Sigma sd Quattro.

      PROS

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.2 Megapixel
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   No Video Capture
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.6 fps
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth


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

      AVERAGE

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 64
      •   Weight - 632 g (1.39 lb / 22.29 oz)
      •   Sensor Resolution - 29 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Weight - 625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz)

      Advantage of Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sony DSLR-A300
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 over Sigma sd Quattro.

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 vs Sigma sd Quattro
      Image Stabilization Sensor Shift vs
      Screen Type Tilting vs Fixed
      Built-in Flash vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha DSLR-A300.

      Sony DSLR-A390
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      APS-C

      14.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A290
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      APS-C

      14.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A200
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A380
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      14.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A350
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      14.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A850
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      Full Frame

      24.6 MP

      Sony DSLR-A100
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A900
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      Full Frame

      24.6 MP

      Sony DSLR-A330
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A450
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      APS-C

      14.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A230
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A700
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      APS-C

      10.24 MP

      Advantage of Sigma sd Quattro

      Sigma sd Quattro
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sigma sd Quattro over Sony Alpha DSLR-A300.

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 vs Sigma sd Quattro
      Higher Sensor Resolution 10.2 Megapixel vs 29 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 3,200 vs 6,400
      Max Image Resolution 3872 x 2592 vs 5424 x 3616
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Larger Screen 2.7" vs 3.0"
      Higher Resolution Screen 230k dot vs 1,620k dot
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 95% vs 100%
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.49x vs 0.73x
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps vs 3.6 fps
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      Higher USB Speed USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) vs USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec)
      HDMI Output vs Mini
      Environmental Sealing vs
      Lighter 632 g (1.39 lb / 22.29 oz) vs 625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sigma sd Quattro.

      Panasonic GH5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.3 MP

      Olympus OM-D E-M1 II
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.3 MP

      Panasonic GH1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Olympus E-3
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 MP

      Canon 7D
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      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Olympus E-1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      5 MP

      Olympus SZ-10
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      1/2.3-inch

      14 MP

      Panasonic G3
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16 MP

      Samsung Galaxy NX
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      APS-C

      20.3 MP

      Olympus E-620
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12.3 MP

      Pentax K-7
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      APS-C

      15 MP

      Panasonic L10
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 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 DSLR-A300 Sigma sd Quattro
        Live View Autofocus
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 Sigma sd Quattro
        No Video Capture
        Timelapse Recording
        Few Focus Points99
        Low Max Continuous Shooting3.0 fps3.6 fps
        No Built-in Microphone
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has a 2.7" Tilting screen with 230k dot resolution and Sigma sd Quattro has a 3.0" Fixed screen with 1,620k dot resolution. Tilting screen makes Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting.

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      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 with Tilting screen


      Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinderSigma sd Quattro has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 2,360k dot resolution. Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has 95% coverage with 0.74x (0.49x 35mm equivalent) magnification and Sigma sd Quattro has 100% coverage with 1.09x (0.73x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 features a 10.2 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.6 x 15.8 mm and a total area of 372.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 3,200. Sigma sd Quattro features a 29 megapixel APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 243.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 6,400.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 can take pictures up to 3872 x 2592 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3872 x 2176, 2896 x 1936, 2896 x 1632, 1920 x 1280, 1920 x 1088. Sigma sd Quattro is equipped with Dual TRUE III processor and can take pictures up to 5424 x 3616 resolution.


      Lens Mount

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has Sony A lens mount and Sigma sd Quattro has Sigma SA lens mount. Due to their APS-C sensor their crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is equal to 1.5x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      No Low-Pass Filter on Sigma sd Quattro

      There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on Sigma sd Quattro. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has a built-in Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Sigma sd Quattro comes with BP-61 battery pack.


      External Storage Slots

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has a single Compact Flash card slot. Sigma sd Quattro has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has Electronically controlled Vertical-traverse Focal-plane shutter. Sigma sd Quattro has Electronic shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Sony Alpha DSLR-A300, and up to 1/4000 sec on Sigma sd Quattro. Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 can shoot continuously up to 3.0 fps. Sigma sd Quattro can shoot continuously up to 3.6 fps.


      Focusing

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has 9 focusing points and Sigma sd Quattro has 9 focusing points. Sigma sd Quattro has detection range from -1 to +18 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Sigma sd Quattro ranges from 0 to +17 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±2 EV range on Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 and ±5 EV range on Sigma sd Quattro. You can also do exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 and exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sigma sd Quattro.


      Flash

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 12.00 m at ISO 100 and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe. Sigma sd Quattro has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe or PC Terminal. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/180 sec on Sigma sd Quattro.

      Physical Parameters

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 body has dimensions of 131 x 99 x 75 mm (5.16 x 3.9 x 2.95") and Sigma sd Quattro body has dimensions of 147 x 95 x 91 mm (5.79 x 3.74 x 3.58"). Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 weighs 632 g (1.39 lb / 22.29 oz) and Sigma sd Quattro weighs 625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz).

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      131 mm

      99 mm

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      147 mm

      95 mm

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      99 mm

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      95 mm

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      75 mm

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      91 mm

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      Size comparisons of Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 and Sigma sd Quattro

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 and Sigma sd Quattro 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 DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      79
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.6 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      AVERAGE
      61
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.6 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      GOOD
      79
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      78
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      GOOD
      81
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 632 g (1.39 lb / 22.29 oz)
      GOOD
      80
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      GOOD
      81
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 632 g (1.39 lb / 22.29 oz)
      GOOD
      84
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 and Sigma sd Quattro and give them scores of 58 and 64 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 DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      OVERALL
      58
      OVERALL
      64

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      GOOD
      70
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 64
      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Sensor Resolution - 29 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      GOOD
      71
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.6 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec

      Video

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      BAD
      0
      •   Image Stabilization
      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization

      Focusing

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      GOOD
      73
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      GOOD
      70
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      GOOD
      71
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot

      Connectivity

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      POOR
      40
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      60
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   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 DSLR-A300

      Sigma sd Quattro

      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 632 g (1.39 lb / 22.29 oz)
      GOOD
      79
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz)


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

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