Canon A490 vs Sony S980

Below is a detailed overview of the Canon A490 and Sony S980, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by brands Canon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the A490 (10MP) and the S980 (12MP) is fairly comparable and both cameras offer the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The A490 was unveiled 11 months later than the S980 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the A490 scores versus the S980 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot A490 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The full galleries are available at Canon A490 Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and size. The Canon A490 offers outside measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) while the Sony S980 has specifications of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Compare the Canon A490 and Sony S980 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the A490 compared to the S980.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A490 and S980 is 93 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by checking out technical specs. The visual here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the A490 and S980.

As you have seen, each of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different megapixels. You should anticipate the Sony S980 to provide extra detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images more aggressively. The fresher A490 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.