Sony A560 vs Sony HX20V

Following is a thorough review of the Sony A560 vs Sony HX20V, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are built by Sony. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the A560 (14MP) and HX20V (18MP) and the A560 (APS-C) and HX20V (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The A560 was revealed 23 months earlier than the HX20V making them a generation away from one another. Both cameras feature different body design with the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a brief overview of how the A560 matches up vs the HX20V with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V. The full galleries are available at Sony A560 Gallery and Sony HX20V Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to factor its weight and size. The Sony A560 provides outer measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs) and the Sony HX20V has specifications of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") and a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check out the Sony A560 vs Sony HX20V in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the A560 against the HX20V.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A560 and HX20V is 64 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizes simply by looking through specifications. The image below may provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the A560 and HX20V.

To sum up, the two cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The A560 having a larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Sony HX20V will provide you with extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged A560 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.