Sony A290 vs Sony NEX-C3

Its time to look more closely at the Sony A290 and Sony NEX-C3, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are built by Sony. The image resolution of the A290 (14MP) and the NEX-C3 (16MP) is pretty close and both cameras have the identical sensor sizes (APS-C).

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The A290 was released 14 months earlier than the NEX-C3 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a simple overview of how the A290 scores against the NEX-C3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 and Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The complete galleries are provided at Sony A290 Gallery and Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony A290 comes with physical dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") having a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs) while the Sony NEX-C3 has dimensions of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Compare the Sony A290 and Sony NEX-C3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the A290 versus the NEX-C3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A290 and NEX-C3 is 66 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions only by looking through specifications. The picture below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the A290 and NEX-C3.

To sum up, both cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different megapixels. You should expect the Sony NEX-C3 to render more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures way more aggressively. The more aged A290 will be behind in sensor technology.