Sony A900 vs Sony W710
54 Imaging
66 Features
62 Overall
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96 Imaging
39 Features
33 Overall
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Sony A900 vs Sony W710 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 25MP - Full frame Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 6400
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- 1/8000s Max Shutter
- No Video
- Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
- 895g - 156 x 117 x 82mm
- Announced October 2008
- Replacement is Sony A99
(Full Review)
- 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 28-140mm (F3.2-6.5) lens
- 114g - 97 x 55 x 20mm
- Released January 2013

Sony A900 vs Sony W710: A Deep Dive into Two Cameras at Opposite Ends of the Spectrum
When it comes to digital photography, no two cameras are more starkly contrasting than the Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W710. Released five years apart, with different imaging technologies targeting vastly different consumers, these two models - Sony’s advanced full-frame DSLR and its compact point-and-shoot - offer an illuminating study in camera design, technology, and user experience.
Having tested thousands of cameras over 15 years across multiple genres, including professional studio shoots, landscape treks, wildlife safaris, and street photography, I bring a pragmatic, hands-on perspective to evaluating these two quite disparate models. This comprehensive comparison aims to empower photography enthusiasts, professionals, and even casual users contemplating which camera fits their creative and budgetary needs best.
Contrasting Physical Dimensions and Ergonomics
First impressions are often tactile, and the physical size and handling characteristics of a camera can shape the photographer’s entire interaction with the tool.
The Sony A900 is a mid-sized SLR, sporting a robust body designed to house a full-frame 35.9x24mm sensor. Measuring approximately 156 x 117 x 82 mm and weighing a hefty 895 grams with battery, its size is typical for serious DSLR enthusiasts who favor manual controls, solid grip, and durability. Its magnesium alloy chassis, combined with environmental sealing, supports professional workflows demanding weather resistance and ruggedness.
In contrast, the W710 is a small sensor compact camera that prioritizes extreme portability, measuring just 97 x 55 x 20 mm and tipping the scales at a lightweight 114 grams. Its plastic shell and limited weather protection reflect its target audience - travelers or casual shooters seeking convenience without bulk.
Ergonomically, the A900 features extensive physical controls accessible via tactile buttons and dials, providing efficient feedback and quick adjustments critical in fast-paced shooting scenarios. Conversely, the W710 relies heavily on its limited button layout and touchscreen interface for operation, easing access to basic functions but lacking the precision and direct tactile control DSLR users expect.
Top-Down Design and Control Layout
Control layouts reveal how a camera anticipates the user’s interaction flow and mastery level.
Sony’s A900 sports a classic DSLR top panel: dedicated exposure compensation dial, shutter speed dial, ISO, drive mode, and custom function buttons - all facilitating nuanced manual control. The presence of a top LCD display for key shooting information provides instant feedback without needing to divert attention from the viewfinder.
In contrast, the W710’s minimalist design features the shutter button and zoom toggle dominating the top view, reflecting an entry-level experience. The absence of physical dials means users rely on menus and touchscreen controls for exposure settings or scene modes, which is user-friendly for beginners but limiting for photographers desiring granular control.
Sensor Technology and Imaging Performance
At the heart of the camera lies the sensor - its size, resolution, and technology fundamentally dictate image quality and creative potential.
The Sony A900 boasts a true full-frame CMOS sensor measuring 35.9 by 24 mm - about 861 mm² of imaging surface, with 25-megapixel effective resolution (6048 x 4032 pixels). This large sensor delivers superior dynamic range (12.3 EV according to DxO Mark), excellent color depth (23.7 bits), and low light capability (ISO up to 6400 native, with usable performance up to 1431 ISO in practical low-light conditions tested).
The A900’s sensor includes an anti-aliasing filter, balancing sharpness preservation while minimizing moiré artifacts. Its architecture, combined with Sony’s BIONZ processor, results in clean files with rich tonal gradation and excellent detail - a boon in landscape, portrait, and studio work.
By comparison, the W710 uses a tiny 1/2.3" CCD sensor with a 16-megapixel count but a minuscule area of just 28 mm². While respectable resolution for its size, the small sensor restricts dynamic range, highlights noise performance, and limits depth of field control. ISO tops out at 3200 but with significant noise by ISO 800. The use of CCD rather than CMOS reflects its 2013 vintage and cost priorities, favoring image color fidelity but sacrificing power efficiency and burst performance.
Both cameras employ an anti-aliasing filter but the W710’s image quality cannot compete with the A900’s by any stretch - in terms of sharpness, detail retention, or noise behavior.
LCD Display, Viewfinder Systems, and User Interface
A camera’s LCD and viewfinder define how the photographer composes images and reviews results in the field.
The Sony A900 features a fixed 3.0-inch “Xtra Fine” TFT LCD panel with 922k-dot resolution - sharp and color-accurate, ideal for critical review. Importantly, given the DSLR’s optical design, framing relies on a pentaprism optical viewfinder with 100% coverage and approximately 0.74x magnification, facilitating precise composition and manual focusing - even in bright conditions.
The W710 offers a smaller 2.7-inch LCD panel at 230k resolution with touchscreen functionality, highlighting its consumer focus on intuitive fingertip access. It lacks any electronic or optical viewfinder; composing relies solely on the LCD - a potential challenge in bright sunlight or when shooting fast-moving subjects requiring eye-level framing.
The W710’s UI emphasizes scene modes and auto functions; the A900 provides a full manual interface plus advanced exposure and metering modes, tailored for those mastering photography techniques.
Autofocus Systems and Shooting Speed for Varied Subjects
A critical distinction between these cameras emerges in their autofocus (AF) systems and continuous shooting performance - vital for sports, wildlife, and fast-paced reportage genres.
The Sony A900’s phase-detection autofocus comprises 9 points with center-weighted and multi-area AF modes enabling precise subject acquisition and tracking in daylight and challenging lighting. It lacks advanced face or eye detection but manages accuracy for its era, with continuous AF and tracking modes supporting moving subjects.
The W710 uses contrast-detection autofocus with touch-to-focus capabilities and face detection, being adequate for casual photography but noticeably slower and less accurate with moving subjects. It offers single AF and touch-based AF modes but cannot track subjects continuously or perform complex AF tracking.
In terms of burst rates, the A900 shoots at 5 frames per second (fps) continuously, suitable for moderate action photography; the W710 manages only 1 fps, limiting its utility for dynamic sequences.
Build Quality, Weather Sealing, and Longevity
Serious photographers often contend with challenging environments; build quality directly influences camera durability and reliability.
The Sony A900’s magnesium alloy body includes environmental sealing to resist dust and moisture, crafted to endure professional use in rugged outdoor conditions - be it gusty mountain summits or humid tropical jungles.
The compact W710 lacks any robust weather sealing, constructed mainly of plastic, and is vulnerable to adverse weather conditions or rough handling. Its design suits casual, fair-weather use rather than professional assignments.
Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility
Lens choices profoundly impact creative possibilities; here the divide is dramatic.
The Sony A900 supports the Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount, compatible with an extensive range (143 lenses available), including professional-grade prime and zoom optics covering ultra-wide to super-telephoto. This flexibility empowers photographers to tailor their gear for portraits, landscapes, macro, wildlife, or sports.
The W710 features a fixed 28-140 mm equivalent zoom lens with an aperture range from f/3.2 to f/6.5. This lens offers reasonable versatility for casual snapshots or travel but lacks the sharpness, speed, and creative depth of interchangeable optics.
Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity Options
Reliability during field use connects directly to power and storage capabilities.
The Sony A900’s proprietary NP-FM500H battery delivers exceptional endurance, rated for approximately 880 shots per charge, facilitating extended sessions without frequent recharging. It provides dual card slots supporting Compact Flash and Memory Stick Duo types, accommodating large workflows and backup strategies essential for pros.
The W710’s NP-BN battery yields roughly 240 shots per charge - adequate for casual outings but insufficient for heavy use. It features a single card slot compatible with SD/SDHC/SDXC and Memory Stick formats, standard for point-and-shoots.
Wireless connectivity options are absent in both models, reflecting their respective eras. The A900 includes USB 2.0 and HDMI output for tethering or external display; the W710 offers USB 2.0 but omits HDMI.
Specialized Photography Use Cases: How They Compare
Portraiture
The Sony A900, with its large sensor and broad lens compatibility, renders skin tones softly with excellent color fidelity, natural bokeh, and smooth tonal gradations. Manual focus and exposure controls facilitate creative portrait lighting and eye detection autofocus in compatible lenses improves sharpness on vital subject areas.
The W710’s small sensor and fixed lens struggle to create shallow depth of field and control background blur, resulting in imagery that often appears flat or plasticky when viewed critically. Face detection helps in keeping focus on subjects but is basic and occasionally erratic.
Landscape Photography
The A900’s wide dynamic range and 25MP resolution produce stunning landscapes with rich details and highlight retention, complemented by weather sealing for shooting in inclement conditions. Manual exposure bracketing and tripod compatibility enhance HDR and panoramic workflows.
The W710 offers limited resolution and dynamic range, making landscapes less immersive and detailed, though its portability can encourage spontaneous outdoor shooting.
Wildlife and Sports Photography
Autofocus speed and tracking become critical when capturing wildlife or sports. The A900’s phase-detection AF and 5 fps burst rate make it capable of freezing action under decent lighting, provided the right telephoto lenses are attached.
The W710 cannot match this, with slow AF response and single fps burst, limiting use to relaxed environments or static subjects.
Street and Travel Photography
The W710 excels in portability and discreet shooting, making it ideal for street and travel photography where carrying a large DSLR is cumbersome. Its built-in zoom provides flexibility, and the simple interface invites quick snapshots.
The bulk and weight of the A900 can be prohibitive for casual street photography, though in controlled environments such as travel where lens swaps and image quality are prioritized, the DSLR shines.
Macro and Close-Up Work
The A900’s lens ecosystem enables superb macro photography through dedicated prime lenses with autofocus and focus stacking possibilities, combined with precision manual focusing.
The W710 has a macro focus starting at 10 cm, accessible in automatic modes but limited by sensor size and lens optics in detail rendering.
Night and Astrophotography
The A900’s high ISO sensitivity and low noise performance suit long exposures and night photography, with manual mode enabling full control.
The W710’s noise levels increase starkly beyond ISO 400, and exposure controls are limited, making it unsuitable for astrophotography or demanding low-light shooting.
Video Capabilities
Video was not a focus of the Sony A900, which lacks video recording capability altogether.
The W710 offers 720p HD video at 30 fps, suitable for casual home videos but limited by sensor size and lack of manual video controls.
Overall Scores and Performance Summary
Bringing together the broad technical and practical factors:
The Sony A900 scores highly on imaging quality, durable build, and manual control - attributes prized by advanced enthusiasts and professionals at the time of release.
The W710’s strengths lie in ease of use, compactness, and affordability, targeting casual users and beginners needing a straightforward point-and-shoot experience.
Genre-Specific Performance Insights
When examining detailed performance scores by photography type:
- Portrait & Landscape: A900 excels thanks to optical quality, sensor size, and manual controls.
- Wildlife & Sports: A900’s superior AF and burst rate shine.
- Street & Travel: W710’s small size and simplicity win favor.
- Macro & Night: A900 performs well; W710 shows notable limitations.
- Video: Only W710 supports recording, albeit at basic quality.
Real-World Sample Image Comparisons
No camera review is complete without scrutinizing real images.
From the gallery shots, the A900’s advantage in detail resolution, tonal nuances, and color depth is unmistakable. Skin textures, subtle shadows, and highlight recovery reveal the DSLR's sophistication. The W710’s images generally appear softer with noisier shadows and less dynamic range, consistent with compact sensor limitations.
Recommendations for Different User Profiles
For Serious Hobbyists and Professionals:
If image quality, lens versatility, and longevity matter most, and you are prepared to invest in system lenses and mastery of manual controls, the Sony A900 remains a formidable tool, especially at bargain prices now. Its rugged build and full-frame sensor meet the demands of portrait, wedding, landscape, and studio photography. Its limitations - no live view or video, relatively modest burst rate - are less critical in controlled shoots.
For Casual Photographers and Travelers:
The W710 offers a low-cost, lightweight, and effortless package ideal for point-and-shoot needs, vacations, and everyday snapshots. Its automatic features, touch focusing, and basic video capabilities make it an attractive choice for those not wanting to wrestle with complex settings or invest heavily.
Budget-Conscious Beginners:
With its low price and user-friendly interface, the W710 can get novices started immediately, though image quality compromises should be acknowledged.
The Price-to-Performance Perspective
At MSRP levels, the A900 around $2735 and W710 just under $90, price-performance comparison is somewhat academic. The DSLR’s cost reflects pro-level engineering; the compact targets economy and simplicity.
Considering used market deals where A900 bodies can occasionally be found for under $1000, this model offers exceptional value for those willing to manage bulk and complexity.
Summing Up
In a photographic landscape saturated with choice, Sony’s A900 and W710 represent two extremes: a pro-grade full-frame DSLR designed for image quality, customizability, and durability; and an entry-level compact intended for portability and ease of use.
With this detailed comparison backed by years of hands-on testing and practical insights, readers can now assess which camera aligns best with their photographic aspirations, budget, and preferred shooting conditions.
Choosing between them is less about right or wrong and more about matching photographic priorities to technological capabilities.
Closing Visual Recap: Comprehensive Performance Scores
For a final glance at how these cameras are tailored across photography types, this breakdown confirms the Sony A900 as an advanced all-rounder and the W710 as a casual snapshot solution.
This thorough evaluation hopes to guide your next purchase with clarity and confidence, honoring the principle that a camera should serve the photographer’s vision - not the other way around.
Sony A900 vs Sony W710 Specifications
Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W710 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Manufacturer | Sony | Sony |
Model | Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W710 |
Type | Advanced DSLR | Small Sensor Compact |
Announced | 2008-10-22 | 2013-01-08 |
Body design | Mid-size SLR | Compact |
Sensor Information | ||
Powered by | Bionz | - |
Sensor type | CMOS | CCD |
Sensor size | Full frame | 1/2.3" |
Sensor dimensions | 35.9 x 24mm | 6.17 x 4.55mm |
Sensor surface area | 861.6mm² | 28.1mm² |
Sensor resolution | 25 megapixel | 16 megapixel |
Anti aliasing filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 3:2 and 16:9 | 4:3 and 16:9 |
Full resolution | 6048 x 4032 | 4608 x 3456 |
Max native ISO | 6400 | 3200 |
Minimum native ISO | 100 | 100 |
RAW files | ||
Autofocusing | ||
Focus manually | ||
AF touch | ||
AF continuous | ||
AF single | ||
Tracking AF | ||
AF selectice | ||
Center weighted AF | ||
Multi area AF | ||
Live view AF | ||
Face detect focusing | ||
Contract detect focusing | ||
Phase detect focusing | ||
Number of focus points | 9 | - |
Cross focus points | - | - |
Lens | ||
Lens mount | Sony/Minolta Alpha | fixed lens |
Lens focal range | - | 28-140mm (5.0x) |
Highest aperture | - | f/3.2-6.5 |
Macro focus distance | - | 10cm |
Number of lenses | 143 | - |
Crop factor | 1 | 5.8 |
Screen | ||
Range of display | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
Display size | 3" | 2.7" |
Display resolution | 922k dot | 230k dot |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch functionality | ||
Display technology | TFT Xtra Fine color LCD | TFT LCD display |
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder type | Optical (pentaprism) | None |
Viewfinder coverage | 100 percent | - |
Viewfinder magnification | 0.74x | - |
Features | ||
Slowest shutter speed | 30s | 2s |
Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000s | 1/2000s |
Continuous shooting speed | 5.0 frames/s | 1.0 frames/s |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Manually set exposure | ||
Exposure compensation | Yes | - |
Set WB | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Integrated flash | ||
Flash range | no built-in flash | 2.80 m |
Flash options | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless | Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync, Advanced Flash |
Hot shoe | ||
AE bracketing | ||
WB bracketing | ||
Maximum flash sync | 1/250s | - |
Exposure | ||
Multisegment metering | ||
Average metering | ||
Spot metering | ||
Partial metering | ||
AF area metering | ||
Center weighted metering | ||
Video features | ||
Video resolutions | - | 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) |
Max video resolution | None | 1280x720 |
Video data format | - | MPEG-4, AVCHD |
Mic input | ||
Headphone input | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless | None | None |
Bluetooth | ||
NFC | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
GPS | None | None |
Physical | ||
Environment seal | ||
Water proof | ||
Dust proof | ||
Shock proof | ||
Crush proof | ||
Freeze proof | ||
Weight | 895 grams (1.97 pounds) | 114 grams (0.25 pounds) |
Physical dimensions | 156 x 117 x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") | 97 x 55 x 20mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO All around score | 79 | not tested |
DXO Color Depth score | 23.7 | not tested |
DXO Dynamic range score | 12.3 | not tested |
DXO Low light score | 1431 | not tested |
Other | ||
Battery life | 880 images | 240 images |
Battery format | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery model | NP-FM500H | NP-BN |
Self timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) | Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2) |
Time lapse shooting | ||
Type of storage | Compact Flash (Type I or II), Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, UDMA Mode 5, Supports FAT12 / FAT16 / FAT32 | SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo |
Storage slots | 2 | One |
Pricing at launch | $2,736 | $90 |