Panasonic ZR1 vs Sony A290

Below, we will be looking at the Panasonic ZR1 versus Sony A290, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the ZR1 (12MP) and the A290 (14MP) is pretty close but the ZR1 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) come with different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The ZR1 was brought out 10 months before the A290 and they are of a similar age. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the ZR1 matches up versus the A290 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZR1 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZR1 has got outer dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony A290 has measurements 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 Panasonic ZR1 versus Sony A290 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the ZR1 versus the A290.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the ZR1 and A290 is 94 and 66 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to picture the difference in sensor dimensions just by looking through a spec sheet. The image below might give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZR1 and A290.

Clearly, both cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The ZR1 because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh harder and the Sony A290 will result in greater detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more aged ZR1 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.