Sony W290 vs Sony A77

Here, we are analyzing the Sony W290 versus Sony A77, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR and both of them are offered by Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the W290 (12MP) and A77 (24MP) and the W290 (1/2.3") and A77 (APS-C) boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The W290 was introduced 3 years earlier than the A77 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Sony W290 being a Compact camera and the Sony A77 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving right into a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the W290 scores versus the A77 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 and Sony SLT-A77. The whole galleries are available at Sony W290 Gallery and Sony A77 Gallery.

In case you're going to travel with your camera, you need to factor in its weight and volume. The Sony W290 offers physical measurements of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) while the Sony A77 has sizing of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") having a weight of 732 grams (1.61 lbs).

Analyze the Sony W290 versus Sony A77 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the W290 vs the A77.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the W290 and A77 is 94 and 59 respectively.

Quite often, it is very hard to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions merely by viewing technical specs. The picture below should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the W290 and A77.

As you have seen, both of those cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The W290 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony A77 will render extra detail using its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged W290 will be behind in sensor innovation.