Nikon 1 AW1 vs Sony QX30

Below is a thorough analysis of the Nikon 1 AW1 vs Sony QX30, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Lens-style by manufacturers Nikon and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the 1 AW1 (14MP) and QX30 (20MP) and the 1 AW1 (1") and QX30 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The 1 AW1 was manufactured 11 months before the QX30 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Nikon 1 AW1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony QX30 being a Lens-style camera.

Before we go right into a detailed comparison, here is a short view of how the 1 AW1 grades against the QX30 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon 1 AW1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30. The entire galleries are available at Nikon 1 AW1 Gallery & Sony QX30 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Nikon 1 AW1 has got external measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.5") with a weight of 356 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Sony QX30 has proportions of 68mm x 65mm x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3") with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Look at the Nikon 1 AW1 vs Sony QX30 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the 1 AW1 against the QX30.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the 1 AW1 and QX30 is 86 and 91 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to envision the contrast in sensor measurements just by researching technical specs. The visual underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 1 AW1 and QX30.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1 AW1 featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony QX30 will render greater detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older 1 AW1 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.