Sony a3500 vs Sony W290
69 Imaging
63 Features
54 Overall
59


94 Imaging
34 Features
28 Overall
31
Sony a3500 vs Sony W290 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 20MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 16000
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Sony E Mount
- 411g - 128 x 91 x 85mm
- Launched March 2014
- Old Model is Sony A3000
(Full Review)
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 80 - 3200
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 28-140mm (F3.3-5.2) lens
- 167g - 98 x 57 x 23mm
- Revealed February 2009

Sony a3500 vs Sony W290 Overview
Lets examine more in depth at the Sony a3500 and Sony W290, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both created by Sony. There exists a substantial gap among the image resolutions of the a3500 (20MP) and W290 (12MP) and the a3500 (APS-C) and W290 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor size.

The a3500 was revealed 5 years later than the W290 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony a3500 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W290 being a Compact camera.
Before delving in to a thorough comparison, below is a quick summation of how the a3500 matches up against the W290 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Sony a3500 vs Sony W290 Gallery
This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha a3500 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The full galleries are provided at Sony a3500 Gallery & Sony W290 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Sony a3500 over the Sony W290
a3500 | W290 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Revealed | March 2014 | ![]() | February 2009 | Fresher by 62 months |
Reasons to pick Sony W290 over the Sony a3500
W290 | a3500 |
---|
Common features in the Sony a3500 and Sony W290
a3500 | W290 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Manual focus | ![]() | More exact focus | ||
Display type | Fixed | ![]() | Fixed | Fixed display |
Display sizing | 3" | ![]() | 3" | Equivalent display size |
Display resolution | 230k | ![]() | 230k | Exact same display resolution |
Selfie screen | ![]() | Absent selfie screen | ||
Touch display | ![]() | Absent Touch display |
Sony a3500 vs Sony W290 Physical Comparison
For anybody who is going to carry your camera, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. The Sony a3500 features external dimensions of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") with a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs) and the Sony W290 has specifications of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).
Examine the Sony a3500 and Sony W290 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the a3500 versus the W290.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the a3500 and W290 is 69 and 94 respectively.

Sony a3500 vs Sony W290 Sensor Comparison
Typically, it can be hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing just by researching technical specs. The visual below may give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the a3500 and W290.
As you can tell, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The a3500 having a larger sensor will make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Sony a3500 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The fresher a3500 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.

Sony a3500 vs Sony W290 Screen and ViewFinder


Photography Type Scores
Portrait Comparison

Street Comparison

Sports Comparison

Travel Comparison

Landscape Comparison

Vlogging Comparison

Sony a3500 vs Sony W290 Specifications
Sony Alpha a3500 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Company | Sony | Sony |
Model | Sony Alpha a3500 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 |
Class | Entry-Level Mirrorless | Small Sensor Compact |
Launched | 2014-03-21 | 2009-02-17 |
Body design | SLR-style mirrorless | Compact |
Sensor Information | ||
Processor | BIONZ image | - |
Sensor type | CMOS | CCD |
Sensor size | APS-C | 1/2.3" |
Sensor dimensions | 23.5 x 15.6mm | 6.17 x 4.55mm |
Sensor area | 366.6mm² | 28.1mm² |
Sensor resolution | 20MP | 12MP |
Anti aliasing filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 3:2 and 16:9 | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 |
Highest Possible resolution | 5456 x 3632 | 4000 x 3000 |
Maximum native ISO | 16000 | 3200 |
Min native ISO | 100 | 80 |
RAW pictures | ||
Autofocusing | ||
Manual focus | ||
Autofocus touch | ||
Autofocus continuous | ||
Single autofocus | ||
Autofocus tracking | ||
Selective autofocus | ||
Center weighted autofocus | ||
Multi area autofocus | ||
Autofocus live view | ||
Face detect autofocus | ||
Contract detect autofocus | ||
Phase detect autofocus | ||
Number of focus points | 25 | 9 |
Lens | ||
Lens mounting type | Sony E | fixed lens |
Lens focal range | - | 28-140mm (5.0x) |
Highest aperture | - | f/3.3-5.2 |
Macro focus range | - | 10cm |
Available lenses | 121 | - |
Focal length multiplier | 1.5 | 5.8 |
Screen | ||
Range of display | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
Display diagonal | 3 inches | 3 inches |
Resolution of display | 230 thousand dot | 230 thousand dot |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch screen | ||
Display technology | TFT LCD | - |
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder | Electronic | None |
Viewfinder coverage | 100% | - |
Viewfinder magnification | 0.47x | - |
Features | ||
Min shutter speed | 30 secs | 2 secs |
Max shutter speed | 1/4000 secs | 1/1600 secs |
Continuous shutter speed | 4.0 frames/s | 2.0 frames/s |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Manually set exposure | ||
Exposure compensation | Yes | - |
Set white balance | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Inbuilt flash | ||
Flash range | 6.00 m (at ISO200 / 4m at ISO100) | 3.90 m |
Flash settings | Flash off, Auto flash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync. | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync |
Hot shoe | ||
AEB | ||
WB bracketing | ||
Max flash sync | 1/160 secs | - |
Exposure | ||
Multisegment exposure | ||
Average exposure | ||
Spot exposure | ||
Partial exposure | ||
AF area exposure | ||
Center weighted exposure | ||
Video features | ||
Supported video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 | 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps) |
Maximum video resolution | 1920x1080 | 1280x720 |
Video file format | AVCHD, H.264 | MPEG-4 |
Mic jack | ||
Headphone jack | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless | None | None |
Bluetooth | ||
NFC | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
GPS | None | None |
Physical | ||
Environmental seal | ||
Water proof | ||
Dust proof | ||
Shock proof | ||
Crush proof | ||
Freeze proof | ||
Weight | 411 grams (0.91 lb) | 167 grams (0.37 lb) |
Dimensions | 128 x 91 x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") | 98 x 57 x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO Overall score | not tested | not tested |
DXO Color Depth score | not tested | not tested |
DXO Dynamic range score | not tested | not tested |
DXO Low light score | not tested | not tested |
Other | ||
Battery life | 470 pictures | - |
Battery form | Battery Pack | - |
Battery model | NP-FW50 | - |
Self timer | Yes (2-sec. or 10-sec. delay) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
Time lapse shooting | ||
Storage media | - | Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, Internal |
Storage slots | Single | Single |
Price at release | $398 | $230 |