Pentax E70 vs Sony NEX-3N

On this page, we are contrasting the Pentax E70 and Sony NEX-3N, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a large difference between the image resolutions of the E70 (10MP) and NEX-3N (16MP) and the E70 (1/2.3") and NEX-3N (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E70 was introduced 5 years prior to the NEX-3N and that is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax E70 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E70 grades vs the NEX-3N when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio E70 & Sony Alpha NEX-3N. The whole galleries are provided at Pentax E70 Gallery & Sony NEX-3N Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera, you need to factor its weight and size. The Pentax E70 offers outside dimensions of 94mm x 61mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3N has specifications of 110mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax E70 and Sony NEX-3N in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E70 vs the NEX-3N.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E70 and NEX-3N is 94 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to visualize the difference between sensor sizing merely by going over a spec sheet. The graphic underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E70 and NEX-3N.

As you can see, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E70 using its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony NEX-3N will offer extra detail using its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older E70 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.