Sony A290 vs Sony RX100 VA

The following is a in depth review of the Sony A290 versus Sony RX100 VA, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both of them are built by Sony. There exists a large gap among the sensor resolutions of the A290 (14MP) and RX100 VA (20MP) and the A290 (APS-C) and RX100 VA (1") use totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The A290 was introduced 9 years earlier than the RX100 VA which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony RX100 VA being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the A290 matches up against the RX100 VA when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V(A). The whole galleries are available at Sony A290 Gallery & Sony RX100 VA Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Sony A290 comes with physical dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs) while the Sony RX100 VA has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") with a weight of 299 grams (0.66 lbs).

Examine the Sony A290 versus Sony RX100 VA in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the A290 vs the RX100 VA.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A290 and RX100 VA is 66 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to envision the difference in sensor dimensions purely by seeing technical specs. The pic below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the A290 and RX100 VA.

As you have seen, both of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The A290 using its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Sony RX100 VA will provide extra detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The more aged A290 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.