Sony A700 vs Sony W730

On this page, we are looking at the Sony A700 versus Sony W730, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both created by Sony. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the A700 (12MP) and W730 (16MP) and the A700 (APS-C) and W730 (1/2.3") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The A700 was unveiled 6 years prior to the W730 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony W730 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a concise overview of how the A700 scores against the W730 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W730. The full galleries are provided at Sony A700 Gallery and Sony W730 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Sony A700 provides outside measurements of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") having a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs) and the Sony W730 has measurements of 93mm x 52mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.0" x 0.9") with a weight of 122 grams (0.27 lbs).

Contrast the Sony A700 versus Sony W730 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the A700 vs the W730.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A700 and W730 is 58 and 96 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to visualize the gap between sensor sizing purely by reviewing technical specs. The photograph below might provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the A700 and W730.

As you have seen, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The A700 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony W730 will offer you more detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older A700 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.