Canon A490 has a
10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Nikon AW100 has a
16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .
Nikon AW100's sensor provides 6MP more than Canon A490's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.
Below you can see the A490 and AW100 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon A490 and Nikon AW100 Cameras
Canon A490 and Nikon AW100 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Canon A490 has 59% larger pixel area compared to Nikon AW100, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Canon A490
or the
Nikon AW100 ,
including hyperfocal distance.
