Sony A230 vs Sony RX100

The following is a in-depth comparison of the Sony A230 vs Sony RX100, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both of them are manufactured by Sony. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the A230 (10MP) and RX100 (20MP) and the A230 (APS-C) and RX100 (1") provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The A230 was manufactured 4 years prior to the RX100 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a full comparison, here is a brief summation of how the A230 scores vs the RX100 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The entire galleries are viewable at Sony A230 Gallery and Sony RX100 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Sony A230 comes with exterior measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") having a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") having a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Analyze the Sony A230 vs Sony RX100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have at that time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the A230 vs the RX100.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A230 and RX100 is 69 and 91 respectively.

Typically, its tough to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions simply by checking a spec sheet. The picture below might provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the A230 and RX100.

Clearly, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The A230 due to its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony RX100 will give greater detail due to its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged A230 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.