Sony W800 vs Sony A57

Below, we will be matching up the Sony W800 versus Sony A57, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR and they are both built by Sony. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the W800 (20MP) and A57 (16MP) and the W800 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) use different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The W800 was brought out 18 months later than the A57 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both cameras come with different body type with the Sony W800 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving through a detailed comparison, below is a simple view of how the W800 grades vs the A57 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800 & Sony SLT-A57. The entire galleries are provided at Sony W800 Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony W800 enjoys outside measurements of 97mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony A57 has dimensions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") having a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Contrast the Sony W800 versus Sony A57 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the W800 against the A57.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the W800 and A57 is 96 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizing only by researching specifications. The photograph here should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the W800 and A57.

Plainly, the two cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The W800 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony W800 will render more detail having its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs much more aggressively. The newer W800 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.