Sony A290 vs Sony W310

On this page, we are comparing the Sony A290 and Sony W310, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Ultracompact and both are sold by Sony. The image resolution of the A290 (14MP) and the W310 (12MP) is very well matched but the A290 (APS-C) and W310 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizing.

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The A290 was released 6 months later than the W310 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W310 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting straight to a thorough comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the A290 matches up against the W310 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W310. The complete galleries are provided at Sony A290 Gallery and Sony W310 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera, you will want to consider its weight and size. The Sony A290 has got external measurements 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 W310 has specifications of 95mm x 55mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 137 grams (0.30 lbs).

Compare the Sony A290 and Sony W310 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the A290 and the W310.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A290 and W310 is 66 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to picture the difference between sensor measurements only by checking specs. The visual below will help offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the A290 and W310.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The A290 due to its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Sony A290 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively.