Sony A290 vs Sony WX50

The following is a extended assessment of the Sony A290 and Sony WX50, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are sold by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A290 (14MP) and the WX50 (16MP) is very close but the A290 (APS-C) and WX50 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The A290 was unveiled 20 months earlier than the WX50 making them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony WX50 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a thorough comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the A290 matches up vs the WX50 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50. The full galleries are available at Sony A290 Gallery and Sony WX50 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Sony A290 enjoys external measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") along with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs) whilst the Sony WX50 has dimensions of 92mm x 52mm x 19mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Check out the Sony A290 and Sony WX50 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the A290 against the WX50.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the A290 and WX50 is 66 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to envision the gap in sensor dimensions just by researching technical specs. The pic here may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the A290 and WX50.

As you have seen, both of those cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The A290 with its larger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Sony WX50 will result in more detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will let you crop pics way more aggressively. The more aged A290 will be behind in sensor tech.