Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A290

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic 3D1 versus Sony A290, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the 3D1 (12MP) and the A290 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the 3D1 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) provide different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The 3D1 was brought out 18 months later than the A290 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic 3D1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the 3D1 matches up against the A290 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic 3D1 Gallery and Sony A290 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic 3D1 has physical measurements of 108mm x 58mm x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) and the Sony A290 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") along with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic 3D1 versus Sony A290 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using during that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the 3D1 versus the A290.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the 3D1 and A290 is 93 and 66 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to visualize the difference in sensor measurements simply by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the 3D1 and A290.

Clearly, the 2 cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The 3D1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony A290 will provide greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more recent 3D1 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.