Sony W290 vs Sony A58

Lets take a deeper look at the Sony W290 versus Sony A58, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR and both are built by Sony. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the W290 (12MP) and A58 (20MP) and the W290 (1/2.3") and A58 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The W290 was revealed 5 years earlier than the A58 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Sony W290 being a Compact camera and the Sony A58 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summation of how the W290 matches up against the A58 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 and Sony SLT-A58. The full galleries are viewable at Sony W290 Gallery and Sony A58 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and measurements. The Sony W290 enjoys exterior dimensions of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) and the Sony A58 has proportions of 129mm x 95mm x 78mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 3.1") with a weight of 492 grams (1.08 lbs).

Check out the Sony W290 versus Sony A58 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the W290 against the A58.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the W290 and A58 is 94 and 68 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to envision the gap between sensor sizing merely by reading technical specs. The photograph here will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the W290 and A58.

As you can tell, both the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The W290 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony A58 will deliver extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The older W290 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.