Nikon 1 AW1 vs Sony A390

In this write-up, we will be comparing the Nikon 1 AW1 and Sony A390, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Nikon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the 1 AW1 (14MP) and the A390 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the 1 AW1 (1") and A390 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The 1 AW1 was announced 3 years after the A390 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Nikon 1 AW1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the 1 AW1 matches up versus the A390 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon 1 AW1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The whole galleries are viewable at Nikon 1 AW1 Gallery and Sony A390 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you have to think about its weight and size. The Nikon 1 AW1 provides physical measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 356 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Sony A390 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") along with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Look at the Nikon 1 AW1 and Sony A390 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is the front view scale comparison of the 1 AW1 versus the A390.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 1 AW1 and A390 is 86 and 66 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions only by looking at technical specs. The image below should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 1 AW1 and A390.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy the same exact megapixels albeit different sensor dimensions. The 1 AW1 provides the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallow DOF harder. The fresher 1 AW1 provides an edge in sensor tech.