Sony W650 vs Sony A57

Below is a extensive analysis of the Sony W650 and Sony A57, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR and both are manufactured by Sony. The sensor resolution of the W650 (16MP) and the A57 (16MP) is very well matched but the W650 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The W650 was launched 8 months prior to the A57 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras feature different body design with the Sony W650 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a full comparison, here is a brief overview of how the W650 grades vs the A57 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W650 and Sony SLT-A57. The complete galleries are provided at Sony W650 Gallery and Sony A57 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Sony W650 comes with outer dimensions of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 124 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Sony A57 has proportions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") and a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Compare the Sony W650 and Sony A57 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the W650 vs the A57.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the W650 and A57 is 96 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements just by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the W650 and A57.

As you can see, both the cameras come with the identical resolution but different sensor measurements. The W650 provides the tinier sensor which is going to make obtaining shallower DOF trickier. The older W650 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.