Sony A560 vs Sony W290

Below, we will be matching up the Sony A560 versus Sony W290, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both offered by Sony. The resolution of the A560 (14MP) and the W290 (12MP) is relatively well matched but the A560 (APS-C) and W290 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

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The A560 was released 19 months later than the W290 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony W290 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the A560 matches up versus the W290 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The complete galleries are available at Sony A560 Gallery & Sony W290 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and size. The Sony A560 has got outer measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs) whilst the Sony W290 has specifications of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony A560 versus Sony W290 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you use at that moment. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the A560 compared to the W290.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the A560 and W290 is 64 and 94 respectively.

Often, it's hard to see the difference between sensor sizing just by checking a spec sheet. The graphic below should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the A560 and W290.

As you can see, both cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The A560 due to its bigger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Sony A560 will resolve greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs much more aggressively. The newer A560 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.