Sony A290 vs Sony W560

The following is a extended analysis of the Sony A290 and Sony W560, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Ultracompact and they are both built by Sony. The resolution of the A290 (14MP) and the W560 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the A290 (APS-C) and W560 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The A290 was introduced 7 months before the W560 and they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W560 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the A290 scores versus the W560 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W560. The whole galleries are provided at Sony A290 Gallery and Sony W560 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and volume. 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) and the Sony W560 has sizing of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Compare the Sony A290 and Sony W560 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the A290 vs the W560.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the A290 and W560 is 66 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by reading through technical specs. The image here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the A290 and W560.

As you can tell, both of those cameras come with the identical MP but not the same sensor dimensions. The A290 offers the larger sensor which will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult. The more aged A290 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.