Sony W620 vs Sony A57

Here is a thorough assessment of the Sony W620 vs Sony A57, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR and both of them are offered by Sony. The sensor resolution of the W620 (14MP) and the A57 (16MP) is very similar but the W620 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The W620 was released 8 months before the A57 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Sony W620 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the W620 matches up vs the A57 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620 and Sony SLT-A57. The complete galleries are viewable at Sony W620 Gallery and Sony A57 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony W620 features external dimensions of 98mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 116 grams (0.26 lbs) and the Sony A57 has dimensions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") with a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony W620 vs Sony A57 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the W620 and the A57.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the W620 and A57 is 96 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to see the difference between sensor sizing purely by reviewing specs. The graphic below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the W620 and A57.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The W620 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A57 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images more aggressively. The older W620 is going to be behind in sensor technology.