Sony W230 vs Sony A57

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Sony W230 vs Sony A57, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR and both are built by Sony. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the W230 (12MP) and A57 (16MP) and the W230 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor size.

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The W230 was announced 4 years earlier than the A57 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Sony W230 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving through a in-depth comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the W230 scores against the A57 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230 & Sony SLT-A57. The whole galleries are provided at Sony W230 Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and proportions. The Sony W230 offers exterior dimensions of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs) whilst the Sony A57 has measurements of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Compare the Sony W230 vs Sony A57 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the W230 against the A57.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the W230 and A57 is 95 and 64 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes only by going through a spec sheet. The picture underneath may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the W230 and A57.

Clearly, both of those cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The W230 using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony A57 will produce extra detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged W230 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.