Nikon 1 AW1 vs Nikon D3X

Below is a thorough analysis of the Nikon 1 AW1 vs Nikon D3X, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro DSLR and they are both designed by Nikon. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the 1 AW1 (14MP) and D3X (25MP) and the 1 AW1 (1") and D3X (Full frame) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The 1 AW1 was released 4 years later than the D3X and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Nikon 1 AW1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Nikon D3X being a Large SLR camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summary of how the 1 AW1 grades against the D3X in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon 1 AW1 and Nikon D3X. The complete galleries are viewable at Nikon 1 AW1 Gallery and Nikon D3X Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and proportions. The Nikon 1 AW1 features exterior dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 356 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Nikon D3X has measurements of 160mm x 157mm x 88mm (6.3" x 6.2" x 3.5") accompanied by a weight of 1260 grams (2.78 lbs).

Examine the Nikon 1 AW1 vs Nikon D3X in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the 1 AW1 and the D3X.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 1 AW1 and D3X is 86 and 51 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements merely by seeing technical specs. The graphic here should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the 1 AW1 and D3X.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1 AW1 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Nikon D3X will produce greater detail as a result of its extra 11 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The more recent 1 AW1 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.