Sony A230 vs Sony W550

In this article, we will be evaluating the Sony A230 and Sony W550, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Ultracompact and both are manufactured by Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the A230 (10MP) and W550 (14MP) and the A230 (APS-C) and W550 (1/2.3") possess different sensor size.

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The A230 was manufactured 3 years before the W550 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going through a thorough comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the A230 grades versus the W550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The entire galleries are provided at Sony A230 Gallery and Sony W550 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and volume. The Sony A230 provides physical measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") and a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Sony W550 has sizing of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Examine the Sony A230 and Sony W550 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have at the time. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the A230 vs the W550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the A230 and W550 is 69 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions just by seeing specifications. The picture underneath should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the A230 and W550.

To sum up, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The A230 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony W550 will provide more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots far more aggressively. The more aged A230 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.