Sony A290 vs Sony RX100

Below is a extended analysis of the Sony A290 versus Sony RX100, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both are designed by Sony. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the A290 (14MP) and RX100 (20MP) and the A290 (APS-C) and RX100 (1") offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The A290 was brought out 3 years prior to the RX100 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise view of how the A290 grades versus the RX100 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The entire galleries are viewable at Sony A290 Gallery and Sony RX100 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and volume. The Sony A290 has got outer dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs) and the Sony RX100 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") with a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Check the Sony A290 versus Sony RX100 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose at the time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the A290 against the RX100.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the A290 and RX100 is 66 and 91 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to envision the contrast between sensor measurements simply by going over specifications. The graphic below will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the A290 and RX100.

To sum up, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The A290 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Sony RX100 will offer you more detail having its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older A290 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.