Sony A290 vs Sony W730

Lets look closer at the Sony A290 versus Sony W730, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are built by Sony. The image resolution of the A290 (14MP) and the W730 (16MP) is very well matched but the A290 (APS-C) and W730 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The A290 was unveiled 3 years prior to the W730 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W730 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief overview of how the A290 matches up against the W730 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W730. The full galleries are viewable at Sony A290 Gallery and Sony W730 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Sony A290 features physical measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs) whilst the Sony W730 has proportions of 93mm x 52mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.0" x 0.9") and a weight of 122 grams (0.27 lbs).

Compare the Sony A290 versus Sony W730 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the A290 versus the W730.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A290 and W730 is 66 and 96 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to visualize the gap between sensor measurements purely by checking specs. The graphic underneath may provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the A290 and W730.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The A290 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony W730 will resolve extra detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images far more aggressively. The older A290 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.