Sony A850 vs Sony W560

Below is a extensive analysis of the Sony A850 versus Sony W560, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Ultracompact and both are sold by Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the image resolutions of the A850 (25MP) and W560 (14MP) and the A850 (Full frame) and W560 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizing.

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The A850 was released 8 months before the W560 and they are both of a similar age. Both cameras feature different body design with the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony W560 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief overview of how the A850 matches up versus the W560 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A850 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W560. The complete galleries are available at Sony A850 Gallery & Sony W560 Gallery.

In case you're intending to lug around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Sony A850 has outside dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") having a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs) while the Sony W560 has specifications of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Check the Sony A850 versus Sony W560 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the A850 vs the W560.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A850 and W560 is 54 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to picture the contrast in sensor measurements purely by researching a spec sheet. The photograph below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the A850 and W560.

As you can see, the 2 cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The A850 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Sony A850 will result in extra detail as a result of its extra 11MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics way more aggressively. The older A850 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.