Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony NEX-C3

In this write-up, we will be looking at the Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony NEX-C3, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the Tough-3000 (12MP) and NEX-C3 (16MP) and the Tough-3000 (1/2.3") and NEX-C3 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The Tough-3000 was announced 19 months before the NEX-C3 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief summation of how the Tough-3000 matches up against the NEX-C3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 and Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery and Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus Tough-3000 features outside measurements of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony NEX-C3 has proportions of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Check the Olympus Tough-3000 vs Sony NEX-C3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the Tough-3000 compared to the NEX-C3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the Tough-3000 and NEX-C3 is 94 and 91 respectively.

Generally, its hard to envision the contrast between sensor sizing just by checking specifications. The graphic underneath will offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the Tough-3000 and NEX-C3.

To sum up, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The Tough-3000 using its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony NEX-C3 will resolve extra detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The older Tough-3000 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.