Olympus SP-800 UZ vs Sony A290

On this page, we are comparing the Olympus SP-800 UZ vs Sony A290, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SP-800 UZ (14MP) and the A290 (14MP) is fairly close but the SP-800 UZ (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) boast different sensor size.

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The SP-800 UZ was announced 4 months before the A290 so they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-800 UZ being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the SP-800 UZ grades versus the A290 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SP-800 UZ & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SP-800 UZ Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera, you should factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-800 UZ enjoys exterior measurements of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") having a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs) while the Sony A290 has dimensions 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 Olympus SP-800 UZ vs Sony A290 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the SP-800 UZ versus the A290.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SP-800 UZ and A290 is 69 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by viewing a spec sheet. The image underneath may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SP-800 UZ and A290.

Clearly, the two cameras provide the same megapixel count but different sensor dimensions. The SP-800 UZ has got the smaller sensor which will make getting shallower DOF harder.