Reasons to choose GX-20
Released in 2008, GX-20 has about 365 mm² of sensor area, 14.6 MP effective resolution, and a 790 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Samsung GX-20
vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A290
VS
Sensor area
365 mm²
GX-20369 mm²
Alpha DSLR-A290- Area ratio
- 1.01:1
- Absolute difference
- 4 mm²
- Relative difference
- 1.1%
The Alpha DSLR-A290 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
GX-20MetricAlpha DSLR-A290
14.6 MPEffective pixels14.2 MP
23.4 × 15.6Sensor23.5 × 15.7
5 µmPixel pitch5.1 µm
25 µm²Pixel area25.98 µm²
4 MP/cm²Pixel density3.85 MP/cm²
1.54Crop factor1.53
—Maximum video—
790 gWeight549 g
SDHC, Secure DigitalStorageMemory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo, SD/SDHC
Lithium-Ion rechargeable (SLB-1137D) Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion NP-FH50 rechargeable battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The Alpha DSLR-A290 has the larger sensor area. The Alpha DSLR-A290 has the lighter body. The GX-20 has the higher effective resolution. The Alpha DSLR-A290 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose Alpha DSLR-A290
Released in 2010, Alpha DSLR-A290 has about 369 mm² of sensor area, 14.2 MP effective resolution, and a 549 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.