Pentax W60 vs Sony A57

Its time to look more closely at the Pentax W60 versus Sony A57, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Pentax and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the image resolutions of the W60 (10MP) and A57 (16MP) and the W60 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) boast different sensor dimensions.

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The W60 was revealed 4 years earlier than the A57 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Pentax W60 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the W60 scores against the A57 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio W60 & Sony SLT-A57. The full galleries are viewable at Pentax W60 Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera often, you'll have to consider 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 A57 has dimensions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") having a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Examine the Pentax W60 versus Sony A57 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the W60 and the A57.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the W60 and A57 is 94 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to imagine the gap between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The graphic below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the W60 and A57.

As you can see, each of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The W60 using its tinier sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony A57 will give you more detail because of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older W60 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.