Olympus E-5 vs Sony A290

Below, we are matching up the Olympus E-5 versus Sony A290, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-5 (12MP) and the A290 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-5 (Four Thirds) and A290 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-5 was manufactured 8 months later than the A290 and they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-5 matches up versus the A290 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-5 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-5 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-5 provides outside measurements of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) while the Sony A290 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-5 versus Sony A290 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the E-5 versus the A290.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-5 and A290 is 58 and 66 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing only by reading through technical specs. The photograph here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-5 and A290.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-5 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony A290 will give you more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The younger E-5 is going to have an edge in sensor tech.