Olympus 7030 vs Sony NEX-C3

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus 7030 and Sony NEX-C3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the 7030 (14MP) and the NEX-C3 (16MP) is very close but the 7030 (1/2.3") and NEX-C3 (APS-C) boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The 7030 was manufactured 19 months before the NEX-C3 making them a generation away from one another. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus 7030 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise overview of how the 7030 grades against the NEX-C3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 7030 and Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus 7030 Gallery and Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera regularly, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 7030 has exterior dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-C3 has dimensions of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Check the Olympus 7030 and Sony NEX-C3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the 7030 against the NEX-C3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 7030 and NEX-C3 is 95 and 91 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor dimensions only by researching specs. The picture below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the 7030 and NEX-C3.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The 7030 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Sony NEX-C3 will provide you with more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The more aged 7030 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.