Olympus SZ-10 vs Sony A290

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus SZ-10 versus Sony A290, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-10 (14MP) and the A290 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the SZ-10 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) provide different sensor size.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The SZ-10 was manufactured 9 months after the A290 and they are of a similar age. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-10 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the SZ-10 matches up against the A290 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-10 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-10 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-10 comes with external dimensions of 106mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 215 grams (0.47 lbs) while the Sony A290 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") and a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-10 versus Sony A290 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the SZ-10 versus the A290.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-10 and A290 is 90 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions simply by seeing technical specs. The image underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-10 and A290.

As you have seen, the two cameras have the same megapixel count albeit different sensor dimensions. The SZ-10 contains the smaller sensor which is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult. The newer SZ-10 provides an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.