Samsung NX1000 vs Sony A290

In this article, we will be matching up the Samsung NX1000 and Sony A290, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Samsung and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the NX1000 (20MP) and A290 (14MP) but they possess the same exact sensor size (APS-C).

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The NX1000 was unveiled 23 months later than the A290 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Samsung NX1000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the NX1000 scores against the A290 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Samsung NX1000 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The full galleries are provided at Samsung NX1000 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Samsung NX1000 offers outside dimensions of 114mm x 63mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 222 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Sony A290 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Analyze the Samsung NX1000 and Sony A290 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the NX1000 vs the A290.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the NX1000 and A290 is 90 and 66 respectively.

Generally, its hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing just by going through technical specs. The visual below might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the NX1000 and A290.

As you can tell, each of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Samsung NX1000 to produce greater detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The more modern NX1000 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.