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Sony A500 vs Sony W690

Portability
63
Imaging
52
Features
52
Overall
52
Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690 front
Portability
95
Imaging
39
Features
32
Overall
36

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 Key Specs

Sony A500
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 630g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Revealed August 2009
  • Renewed by Sony A560
Sony W690
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 142g - 94 x 56 x 22mm
  • Introduced February 2012
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Sony A500 vs Sony W690 Overview

Here, we are contrasting the Sony A500 versus Sony W690, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are manufactured by Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the resolutions of the A500 (12MP) and W690 (16MP) and the A500 (APS-C) and W690 (1/2.3") have different sensor sizing.

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The A500 was revealed 3 years earlier than the W690 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W690 being a Compact camera.

Before we go right into a detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the A500 grades vs the W690 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Sony A500 over the Sony W690

 A500 W690 
Manual focus More precise focus
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Reasons to pick Sony W690 over the Sony A500

 W690 A500 
IntroducedFebruary 2012August 2009Fresher by 30 months

Common features in the Sony A500 and Sony W690

 A500 W690 
Display size3"3"Same display measurement
Display resolution230k230kThe same display resolution
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither comes with Touch friendly display

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 Physical Comparison

In case you're aiming to carry your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony A500 comes with outside dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs) and the Sony W690 has dimensions of 94mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

See the Sony A500 versus Sony W690 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose at the time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the A500 compared to the W690.

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the A500 and W690 is 63 and 95 respectively.

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 top view buttons comparison

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 Sensor Comparison

Usually, it's hard to imagine the gap in sensor sizing purely by viewing specs. The graphic here should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the A500 and W690.

All in all, each of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The A500 having a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony W690 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The older A500 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 sensor size comparison

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 Screen and ViewFinder

Sony A500 vs Sony W690 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Sony A500 Portrait photography features
Sony W690 Portrait photography features
63
manual focus
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports face detection focus
supports RAW formats
low MP (12MP)
34
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
offers face detect focus
manual focus not available
manual exposure not possible
cannot use external flash
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Street Comparison

Sony A500 Street photography factors
Sony W690 Street photography factors
74
tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
57
has image stabilization (Optical)
fixed screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Sony A500 Sports photography info
Sony W690 Sports photography info
51
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
has phase detect auto focus
max fps low (5.0 fps)
low MP (12MP)
low battery pack (520 shots)
40
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16MP)
offers tracking focus
max fps low (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Sony A500 Travel photography features
Sony W690 Travel photography features
43
flash built-in
no Time Lapse mode
low battery pack (520 shots)
low MP (12 megapixels)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
68
decent megapixels (16MP)
has built in flash
pretty wide (25mm)
long zoom (250mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Sony A500 Landscape photography information
Sony W690 Landscape photography information
60
manual focus
swap lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
screen size is good (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
low MP (12MP)
low battery pack (520 CIPA)
no Time Lapse mode
43
pretty wide (25mm)
screen is a decent size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
manual exposure not possible
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
Photography Glossary

Vlogging Comparison

Sony A500 Vlogging information
Sony W690 Vlogging information
9
can't shoot video
31
pretty wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
offers face detect focus
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
screen isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pixels)
doesn't have mic socket
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Sony A500 vs Sony W690 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony A500 and Sony W690
 Sony Alpha DSLR-A500Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690
General Information
Manufacturer Sony Sony
Model Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690
Type Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2009-08-27 2012-02-28
Physical type Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Bionz BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size APS-C 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 23.5 x 15.6mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 366.6mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4272 x 2848 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 12800 3200
Minimum native ISO 200 80
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 9 -
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount Sony/Minolta Alpha fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-250mm (10.0x)
Largest aperture - f/3.3-5.9
Macro focus distance - 5cm
Available lenses 143 -
Focal length multiplier 1.5 5.8
Screen
Type of screen Tilting Fixed Type
Screen sizing 3" 3"
Screen resolution 230k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen technology - ClearPhoto TFT LCD display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.53x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 5.0fps 1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 12.00 m 3.30 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/160 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution None 1280x720
Video format - MPEG-4
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 630 gr (1.39 pounds) 142 gr (0.31 pounds)
Physical dimensions 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") 94 x 56 x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 64 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.8 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 11.6 not tested
DXO Low light score 772 not tested
Other
Battery life 520 pictures 220 pictures
Battery type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model NP-FM500H NP-BN
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots 1 1
Launch cost $638 $297