Nikon S3500 vs Sony NEX-3

Let's take a more detailed look at the Nikon S3500 and Sony NEX-3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Nikon and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the resolutions of the S3500 (20MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) and the S3500 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor size.

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The S3500 was brought out 2 years later than the NEX-3 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Nikon S3500 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief summation of how the S3500 grades vs the NEX-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix S3500 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are available at Nikon S3500 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry your camera often, you are going to need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Nikon S3500 has got physical dimensions of 97mm x 58mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.8") having a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has dimensions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Contrast the Nikon S3500 and Sony NEX-3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have during that time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the S3500 and the NEX-3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the S3500 and NEX-3 is 95 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to see the difference between sensor sizing simply by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph here will give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the S3500 and NEX-3.

As you can see, both cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The S3500 due to its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Nikon S3500 will give you greater detail having its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The fresher S3500 will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.