Olympus FE-4000 vs Sony NEX-3

Below is a in-depth review of the Olympus FE-4000 versus Sony NEX-3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the FE-4000 (12MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the FE-4000 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The FE-4000 was brought out 10 months prior to the NEX-3 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-4000 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief summation of how the FE-4000 grades against the NEX-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-4000 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are available at Olympus FE-4000 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera often, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-4000 comes with external measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus FE-4000 versus Sony NEX-3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the FE-4000 versus the NEX-3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the FE-4000 and NEX-3 is 95 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to envision the difference in sensor measurements only by going through technical specs. The graphic underneath will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-4000 and NEX-3.

As you can tell, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FE-4000 featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony NEX-3 will show greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs more aggressively. The older FE-4000 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.