Pentax W90 vs Sony A580

Below is a in depth assessment of the Pentax W90 versus Sony A580, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the W90 (12MP) and A580 (16MP) and the W90 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.

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The W90 was released 15 months before the A580 making them a generation apart from each other. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax W90 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving right into a full comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the W90 grades vs the A580 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio W90 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The complete galleries are available at Pentax W90 Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Pentax W90 has got outer measurements of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") along with a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax W90 versus Sony A580 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the W90 and the A580.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the W90 and A580 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to see the difference between sensor measurements purely by checking a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the W90 and A580.

Clearly, both the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The W90 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony A580 will resolve greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older W90 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.