Sony A390 vs Sony W230

Here, we are analyzing the Sony A390 and Sony W230, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are created by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A390 (14MP) and the W230 (12MP) is very comparable but the A390 (APS-C) and W230 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The A390 was unveiled 18 months after the W230 making them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W230 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the A390 matches up against the W230 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A390 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230. The full galleries are available at Sony A390 Gallery and Sony W230 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry around your camera, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony A390 provides 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) while the Sony W230 has dimensions of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs).

Compare the Sony A390 and Sony W230 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the A390 against the W230.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A390 and W230 is 66 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to imagine the gap in sensor sizes purely by seeing specs. The pic below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the A390 and W230.

All in all, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The A390 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Sony A390 will produce extra detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more modern A390 should have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.