Nikon P520 vs Sony NEX-C3

Below is a extensive assessment of the Nikon P520 versus Sony NEX-C3, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Nikon and Sony. The image resolution of the P520 (18MP) and the NEX-C3 (16MP) is very close but the P520 (1/2.3") and NEX-C3 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor measurements.

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The P520 was announced 18 months later than the NEX-C3 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both cameras offer different body type with the Nikon P520 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the P520 scores against the NEX-C3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix P520 & Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The whole galleries are available at Nikon P520 Gallery & Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera, you will need to factor its weight and volume. The Nikon P520 enjoys physical dimensions of 125mm x 84mm x 102mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 4.0") having a weight of 550 grams (1.21 lbs) while the Sony NEX-C3 has sizing of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Check the Nikon P520 versus Sony NEX-C3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the P520 against the NEX-C3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the P520 and NEX-C3 is 66 and 91 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic here will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the P520 and NEX-C3.

Clearly, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The P520 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Nikon P520 will result in more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics far more aggressively. The more recent P520 should have an edge in sensor tech.