Pentax I-10 vs Sony A290

On this page, we will be comparing the Pentax I-10 and Sony A290, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. The sensor resolution of the I-10 (12MP) and the A290 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the I-10 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The I-10 was revealed 4 months prior to the A290 and they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax I-10 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the I-10 scores vs the A290 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio I-10 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The full galleries are available at Pentax I-10 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and measurements. The Pentax I-10 has got exterior measurements of 101mm x 65mm x 28mm (4.0" x 2.6" x 1.1") and a weight of 153 grams (0.34 lbs) while 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).

Look at the Pentax I-10 and Sony A290 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at the time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the I-10 against the A290.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the I-10 and A290 is 93 and 66 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to picture the contrast between sensor measurements only by checking specifications. The photograph here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the I-10 and A290.

To sum up, both cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The I-10 using its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony A290 will resolve more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots more aggressively.