Olympus SP-100 vs Sony A290

On this page, we will be looking at the Olympus SP-100 versus Sony A290, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SP-100 (16MP) and the A290 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the SP-100 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

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The SP-100 was launched 3 years after the A290 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summary of how the SP-100 grades vs the A290 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SP-100 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SP-100 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus SP-100 provides exterior dimensions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") with a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) and the Sony A290 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") and a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check the Olympus SP-100 versus Sony A290 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have at that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the SP-100 and the A290.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SP-100 and A290 is 63 and 66 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes simply by reading through technical specs. The pic underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-100 and A290.

As you have seen, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The SP-100 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Olympus SP-100 will give extra detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures more aggressively. The younger SP-100 provides an advantage in sensor tech.