Nikon D3100 vs Sony WX5

Its time to examine more in depth at the Nikon D3100 and Sony WX5, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Nikon and Sony. The resolution of the D3100 (14MP) and the WX5 (12MP) is very close but the D3100 (APS-C) and WX5 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The D3100 was unveiled 6 months after the WX5 and they are of a similar generation. Both cameras offer different body type with the Nikon D3100 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony WX5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the D3100 grades vs the WX5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon D3100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5. The full galleries are available at Nikon D3100 Gallery and Sony WX5 Gallery.

If you're aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Nikon D3100 has exterior dimensions of 124mm x 96mm x 75mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 3.0") having a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) and the Sony WX5 has measurements of 92mm x 52mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs).

Check the Nikon D3100 and Sony WX5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the D3100 against the WX5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the D3100 and WX5 is 68 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to envision the difference in sensor dimensions purely by looking through specs. The picture underneath should give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the D3100 and WX5.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The D3100 using its larger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Nikon D3100 will render more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively.