Canon A490 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. A490 has a native ISO range of 80 - 1600 but unfortunately, Canon A490 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Leica Q (Typ 116) or Casio Exilim EX-10 in the same price range.
Canon A490 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Canon SX740 HS with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon A490 vs Canon SX740 HS or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.
Let's look at how the size of the Canon A490's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.
Comparison image of Canon A490 Sensor Size with other standard sensors
Sensor size is what determines the circle of confusion, and therefore how much
depth of field Canon A490 gives you at any given aperture.
You can
calculate
the exact depth of field for the Canon A490
at any focal length, aperture and subject distance, including the hyperfocal distance
for landscapes and how close you can get before the focus zone becomes too thin.
