Clicky

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3

Portability
94
Imaging
37
Features
33
Overall
35
Olympus TG-320 front
 
Sony Alpha NEX-3 front
Portability
89
Imaging
54
Features
55
Overall
54

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 Key Specs

Olympus TG-320
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-102mm (F3.5-5.1) lens
  • 155g - 96 x 63 x 23mm
  • Revealed January 2012
Sony NEX-3
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 297g - 117 x 62 x 33mm
  • Introduced June 2010
  • Replacement is Sony NEX-C3
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 Overview

Let's look closer at the Olympus TG-320 versus Sony NEX-3, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the TG-320 (14MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is very close but the TG-320 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizing.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The TG-320 was manufactured 20 months later than the NEX-3 making them a generation apart from each other. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus TG-320 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 concise highlight of how the TG-320 grades against the NEX-3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus TG-320 over the Sony NEX-3

 TG-320 NEX-3 
IntroducedJanuary 2012June 2010More recent by 20 months

Reasons to pick Sony NEX-3 over the Olympus TG-320

 NEX-3 TG-320 
Manually focus Dial accurate focusing
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display dimensions3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution920k230kSharper display (+690k dot)

Common features in the Olympus TG-320 and Sony NEX-3

 TG-320 NEX-3 
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen
Touch display Missing Touch display

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 Physical Comparison

If you're going to lug around your camera, you need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus TG-320 has outer measurements of 96mm x 63mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.5" x 0.9") and a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs) and 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).

See the Olympus TG-320 versus Sony NEX-3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at the time. Following is a front view size comparison of the TG-320 versus the NEX-3.

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the TG-320 and NEX-3 is 94 and 89 respectively.

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 top view buttons comparison

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, its difficult to envision the difference in sensor measurements only by viewing specifications. The graphic here may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the TG-320 and NEX-3.

Plainly, both the cameras provide the same resolution but not the same sensor measurements. The TG-320 uses the smaller sensor which is going to make getting bokeh harder. The fresher TG-320 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 sensor size comparison

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus TG-320 Portrait photography information
Sony NEX-3 Portrait photography information
33
MP count good (14MP)
provides face detection focusing
lack of manual focus
manual mode not possible
external flash not possible
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
72
you can focus manually
sensor resolution is decent (14MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
supports face detection focus
exports RAW files
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

Street Comparison

Olympus TG-320 Street photography info
Sony NEX-3 Street photography info
66
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
environment proofing
lighter than competitors (155g)
screen is fixed
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
76
tilting screen
good sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
no image stabilization
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

Sports Comparison

Olympus TG-320 Sports photography info
Sony NEX-3 Sports photography info
40
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count good (14MP)
provides tracking autofocus
environment proofing
very slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames/s)
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
bad battery life (150 shots)
lacks phase detect AF
52
sensor resolution is decent (14 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
no image stabilization
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

Travel Comparison

Olympus TG-320 as a Travel photography camera
Sony NEX-3 as a Travel photography camera
67
lighter than competitors (155g)
environment proofing
MP count good (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
quite wide (28mm)
no Timelapse function
bad battery life (150 CIPA)
display isn't selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
59
sensor resolution is decent (14 megapixels)
missing Timelapse recording
screen isn't selfie friendly
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

Landscape Comparison

Olympus TG-320 Landscape photography highlights
Sony NEX-3 Landscape photography highlights
39
quite wide (28mm)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count good (14MP)
environment proofing
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is small (2.7 inch)
manual mode not possible
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
bad battery life (150 shots)
no Timelapse function
68
you can focus manually
change lenses (Sony E mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
sensor resolution is decent (14 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
no image stabilization
missing Timelapse recording
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus TG-320
Vlogging with Sony NEX-3
32
quite wide (28mm)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides face detection focusing
lighter than competitors (155 grams)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 resolution)
no external microphone jack
27
supports face detection focus
screen isn't selfie friendly
no image stabilization
video resolution low (1280 x 720 pixels)
missing external microphone socket
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

Olympus TG-320 vs Sony NEX-3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus TG-320 and Sony NEX-3
 Olympus TG-320Sony Alpha NEX-3
General Information
Make Olympus Sony
Model Olympus TG-320 Sony Alpha NEX-3
Category Waterproof Entry-Level Mirrorless
Revealed 2012-01-10 2010-06-07
Physical type Compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic III+ Bionz
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.4 x 15.6mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 365.0mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 14 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio - 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4288 x 3216 4592 x 3056
Maximum native ISO 1600 12800
Minimum native ISO 80 200
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points - 25
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Sony E
Lens focal range 28-102mm (3.6x) -
Highest aperture f/3.5-5.1 -
Macro focus range 3cm -
Amount of lenses - 121
Crop factor 5.8 1.5
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Tilting
Screen diagonal 2.7 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 230 thousand dots 920 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen tech TFT Color LCD TFT Xtra Fine LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 4s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting rate 1.0 frames/s 7.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 5.80 m 12.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize - 1/160s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1280x720
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 155 gr (0.34 lbs) 297 gr (0.65 lbs)
Physical dimensions 96 x 63 x 23mm (3.8" x 2.5" x 0.9") 117 x 62 x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 68
DXO Color Depth score not tested 22.1
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 12.0
DXO Low light score not tested 830
Other
Battery life 150 pictures 330 pictures
Battery type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model LI-42B NPFW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10sec (3 images))
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Card slots Single Single
Launch pricing $0 $0