Samsung NX5 vs Sony W290

Lets look more closely at the Samsung NX5 and Sony W290, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Samsung and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the NX5 (15MP) and W290 (12MP) and the NX5 (APS-C) and W290 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The NX5 was revealed 16 months later than the W290 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Samsung NX5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W290 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the NX5 matches up versus the W290 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Samsung NX5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The full galleries are provided at Samsung NX5 Gallery and Sony W290 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Samsung NX5 comes with outer dimensions of 123mm x 87mm x 40mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 1.6") and a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Sony W290 has dimensions of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

See the Samsung NX5 and Sony W290 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the NX5 versus the W290.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the NX5 and W290 is 80 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reading technical specs. The photograph below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the NX5 and W290.

As you can tell, both cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The NX5 using its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Samsung NX5 will offer you extra detail because of its extra 3MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more recent NX5 is going to have an edge in sensor innovation.