Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Sony NEX-3N

Here is a in depth overview of the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Sony NEX-3N, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and NEX-3N (16MP) and the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and NEX-3N (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was released 5 years earlier than the NEX-3N and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony NEX-3N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise summation of how the SP-590 UZ grades vs the NEX-3N with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SP-590 UZ & Sony Alpha NEX-3N. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery & Sony NEX-3N Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera often, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-590 UZ has got physical dimensions of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") along with a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3N has dimensions of 110mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.4") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Sony NEX-3N in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are working with at the time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the SP-590 UZ against the NEX-3N.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SP-590 UZ and NEX-3N is 72 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to see the gap in sensor sizing merely by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-590 UZ and NEX-3N.

Clearly, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SP-590 UZ featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony NEX-3N will provide more detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics more aggressively. The older SP-590 UZ will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.