Sony A290 vs Sony W290

Here is a thorough comparison of the Sony A290 vs Sony W290, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are created by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A290 (14MP) and the W290 (12MP) is very similar but the A290 (APS-C) and W290 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The A290 was introduced 16 months later than the W290 making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W290 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summation of how the A290 grades vs the W290 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The whole galleries are provided at Sony A290 Gallery & Sony W290 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Sony A290 comes with exterior 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 W290 has sizing of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Analyze the Sony A290 vs Sony W290 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the A290 against the W290.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the A290 and W290 is 66 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing simply by going over technical specs. The visual below may give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the A290 and W290.

As you have seen, both of those cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The A290 having a larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony A290 will offer you extra detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos more aggressively. The newer A290 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.