Canon S100 vs Sony NEX-3

Here, we are analyzing the Canon S100 vs Sony NEX-3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Canon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the S100 (12MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is fairly close but the S100 (1/1.7") and NEX-3 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizes.

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The S100 was unveiled 19 months after the NEX-3 making them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon S100 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a concise summary of how the S100 grades vs the NEX-3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot S100 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The full galleries are available at Canon S100 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Canon S100 comes with external measurements of 99mm x 60mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Compare the Canon S100 vs Sony NEX-3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the S100 vs the NEX-3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the S100 and NEX-3 is 93 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it can be hard to see the difference in sensor dimensions merely by viewing specifications. The image underneath will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the S100 and NEX-3.

Plainly, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The S100 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Sony NEX-3 will render greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more modern S100 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.