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Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000

Portability
92
Imaging
41
Features
56
Overall
47
Nikon 1 S1 front
 
Sony Alpha A3000 front
Portability
69
Imaging
63
Features
54
Overall
59

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 Key Specs

Nikon 1 S1
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Nikon 1 Mount
  • 197g - 102 x 61 x 30mm
  • Revealed June 2013
  • Replacement is Nikon 1 S2
Sony A3000
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 16000
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 411g - 128 x 91 x 85mm
  • Announced August 2013
  • Replacement is Sony a3500
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Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 Overview

Lets take a deeper look at the Nikon 1 S1 and Sony A3000, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by competitors Nikon and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the image resolutions of the 1 S1 (10MP) and A3000 (20MP) and the 1 S1 (1") and A3000 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizing.

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The 1 S1 was released 2 months earlier than the A3000 so they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Nikon 1 S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A3000 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving through a detailed comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the 1 S1 matches up vs the A3000 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Nikon 1 S1 over the Sony A3000

 1 S1 A3000 
Screen resolution460k230kSharper screen (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony A3000 over the Nikon 1 S1

 A3000 1 S1 

Common features in the Nikon 1 S1 and Sony A3000

 1 S1 A3000 
AnnouncedJune 2013August 2013Same age
Manually focus Very precise focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen measurement
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither contains Touch friendly screen

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 Physical Comparison

When you are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Nikon 1 S1 has got external dimensions of 102mm x 61mm x 30mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 197 grams (0.43 lbs) while the Sony A3000 has proportions of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") along with a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs).

Take a look at the Nikon 1 S1 and Sony A3000 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have at the time. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the 1 S1 versus the A3000.

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 1 S1 and A3000 is 92 and 69 respectively.

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 top view buttons comparison

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, its difficult to visualise the difference in sensor measurements simply by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic here will help give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the 1 S1 and A3000.

Clearly, each of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1 S1 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony A3000 will provide extra detail as a result of its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively.

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 sensor size comparison

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 Screen and ViewFinder

Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Nikon 1 S1 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony A3000 as a Portrait photography camera
48
you can focus manually
nice sensor size (1")
delivers RAW files
external flash not possible
MP count low (10 megapixels)
77
manual focus
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
offers face detection focusing
supports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Nikon 1 S1 as a Street photography camera
Sony A3000 as a Street photography camera
69
nice sensor size (1")
delivers RAW files
lighter than competition in class (197 grams)
no articulating screen
no image stabilization
57
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports RAW files
screen is fixed
no image stabilization
more heavy than competitors (411g)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Nikon 1 S1
Sports photography with Sony A3000
49
silent mode (1/16,000s)
nice sensor size (1")
supports tracking autofocus
supports phase detect AF
no image stabilization
MP count low (10 megapixels)
bad battery life (220 per charge)
60
megapixel count decent (20MP)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
offers tracking autofocus
better than average battery pack (470 CIPA)
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
no image stabilization
doesn't have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Nikon 1 S1 Travel photography factors
Sony A3000 Travel photography factors
61
lighter than competition in class (197 grams)
has built in flash
bad battery life (220 CIPA)
MP count low (10MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
60
better than average battery pack (470 CIPA)
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
has built in flash
lack of Timelapse function
more heavy than competitors (411 grams)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Nikon 1 S1 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony A3000 as a Landscape photography camera
56
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Nikon 1 mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
nice sensor size (1")
delivers RAW files
no image stabilization
MP count low (10 megapixels)
bad battery life (220 CIPA)
70
manual focus
swap lenses (Sony E mount)
screen size is good (3")
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports RAW files
better than average battery pack (470 CIPA)
no image stabilization
lack of Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Nikon 1 S1
Vlogging with Sony A3000
30
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than competition in class (197 grams)
screen isn't selfie friendly
no image stabilization
no external mic socket
26
offers face detection focusing
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
no image stabilization
lack of external microphone support
more heavy than competitors (411 grams)
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Nikon 1 S1 vs Sony A3000 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Nikon 1 S1 and Sony A3000
 Nikon 1 S1Sony Alpha A3000
General Information
Make Nikon Sony
Model Nikon 1 S1 Sony Alpha A3000
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Entry-Level Mirrorless
Revealed 2013-06-21 2013-08-27
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Powered by - BIONZ image
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1" APS-C
Sensor measurements 13.2 x 8.8mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area 116.2mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixel 20 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 3872 x 2592 5456 x 3632
Max native ISO 12800 16000
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 135 25
Lens
Lens mounting type Nikon 1 Sony E
Number of lenses 13 121
Focal length multiplier 2.7 1.5
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 460k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen tech TFT LCD TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.47x
Features
Min shutter speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Max silent shutter speed 1/16000 seconds -
Continuous shutter rate 15.0 frames per second 3.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 5.00 m 6.00 m (at ISO200 / 4m at ISO100)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, Rear curtain Flash off, Auto flash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync.
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Max flash synchronize 1/60 seconds 1/160 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60, 30 fps), 1280 x 720 (60 fps), 1072 x 720 (60 fps) 640 x 240 (400), 320 x 120 (1200) 1920 x 1080
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264 AVCHD, H.264, MP4
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Optional None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 197 grams (0.43 lbs) 411 grams (0.91 lbs)
Dimensions 102 x 61 x 30mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.2") 128 x 91 x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 56 78
DXO Color Depth score 21.4 23.7
DXO Dynamic range score 11.1 12.8
DXO Low light score 397 1068
Other
Battery life 220 shots 470 shots
Style of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model EN-EL20 NP-FW50
Self timer Yes Yes (2-sec. or 10-sec. delay)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC card -
Card slots 1 1
Launch price $231 $398