Sony a290 vs Nikon D200

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a290 and Nikon D200. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Sony a290

Nikon D200

Manufacturing

Sony a290 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D200 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a290 were released 2010 and Nikon D200 was released 2005. That is a 5 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera	Released
Sony a290	2010
Nikon D200	2005

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a290 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D200 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera	Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a290	75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Nikon D200	75 mm Nikon DX sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a290 has a 14 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D200 has 10 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera	Megapixels
Sony a290	14 MP 14033152 pixels 4592 x 3056
Nikon D200	10 MP 10036224 pixels 3872 x 2592

Sony a290 has a 40 % larger resolution than Nikon D200. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Sony a290 has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D200. Sony a290 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 3200 while Nikon D200 has 100 to 1600.

Camera	ISO Range
Sony a290	100-3200
Nikon D200	100-1600

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a290
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D200

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a290 can shoot up to 2,5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D200 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a290	2,5
Nikon D200	5

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

Though, neither Sony a290 or Nikon D200 can shoot movies so if that is a functionality that you are really looking for you should look elsewhere.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Nikon D200 weighs 920 gr (equal to 2.03 lb) which is 68% heavier than Sony a290 and its 549 gr (or 1.21 lb).

Camera	Weight
Sony a290	549 gr 1.21 lb
Nikon D200	920 gr 2.03 lb