Sony A290 vs Sony A99

Lets look much closer at the Sony A290 and Sony A99, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Advanced DSLR and both are built by Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the image resolutions of the A290 (14MP) and A99 (24MP) and the A290 (APS-C) and A99 (Full frame) possess totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The A290 was revealed 3 years prior to the A99 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting through a in-depth comparison, below is a short overview of how the A290 scores versus the A99 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A290 and Sony SLT-A99. The full galleries are viewable at Sony A290 Gallery and Sony A99 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Sony A290 enjoys outer dimensions 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 A99 has sizing of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") with a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

See the Sony A290 and Sony A99 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at that moment. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the A290 versus the A99.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A290 and A99 is 66 and 57 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions simply by researching specs. The picture underneath may offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the A290 and A99.

All in all, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The A290 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony A99 will provide you with greater detail because of its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged A290 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.