Pentax W60 vs Sony A290

On this page, we will be matching up the Pentax W60 versus Sony A290, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the W60 (10MP) and A290 (14MP) and the W60 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) boast different sensor sizes.

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The W60 was brought out 11 months earlier than the A290 and they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras have different body design with the Pentax W60 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving into a in-depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the W60 grades vs the A290 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio W60 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are provided at Pentax W60 Gallery and Sony A290 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera often, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Pentax W60 enjoys exterior dimensions of 98mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) whilst the Sony A290 has dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Look at the Pentax W60 versus Sony A290 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you choose at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the W60 vs the A290.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the W60 and A290 is 94 and 66 respectively.

Generally, its tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements simply by viewing technical specs. The photograph underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the W60 and A290.

As you have seen, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The W60 because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony A290 will result in extra detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older W60 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.