Sony A560 vs Sony W230

In this write-up, we are looking at the Sony A560 versus Sony W230, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both sold by Sony. The resolution of the A560 (14MP) and the W230 (12MP) is very similar but the A560 (APS-C) and W230 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizes.

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The A560 was unveiled 19 months later than the W230 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W230 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a full comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the A560 matches up against the W230 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230. The full galleries are viewable at Sony A560 Gallery & Sony W230 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Sony A560 has got external dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs) and the Sony W230 has sizing 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 A560 versus Sony W230 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Here is the front view scale comparison of the A560 compared to the W230.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A560 and W230 is 64 and 95 respectively.

Normally, its hard to picture the difference between sensor measurements purely by going over specifications. The graphic here might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the A560 and W230.

To sum up, each of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The A560 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony A560 will deliver extra detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will let you crop images a little more aggressively. The younger A560 should have an advantage in sensor innovation.