Olympus E-420 vs Sony W290

Following is a extended review of the Olympus E-420 vs Sony W290, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-420 (10MP) and the W290 (12MP) is very comparable but the E-420 (Four Thirds) and W290 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-420 was unveiled 7 months prior to the W290 which means that they are of a similar generation. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W290 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E-420 grades vs the W290 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-420 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Sony W290 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera, you should consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-420 offers physical measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") along with a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Sony W290 has sizing of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-420 vs Sony W290 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have during that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-420 and the W290.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-420 and W290 is 77 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to envision the difference in sensor sizes only by checking out technical specs. The pic below should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-420 and W290.

As you have seen, both cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-420 with its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony W290 will provide extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.