Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-3N

Below is a in depth assessment of the Pentax RS1500 and Sony NEX-3N, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Pentax and Sony. The resolution of the RS1500 (14MP) and the NEX-3N (16MP) is pretty close but the RS1500 (1/2.3") and NEX-3N (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizing.

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The RS1500 was announced 23 months before the NEX-3N which makes them a generation apart from each other. The two cameras have different body design with the Pentax RS1500 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a short highlight of how the RS1500 grades against the NEX-3N in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Optio RS1500 & Sony Alpha NEX-3N. The whole galleries are viewable at Pentax RS1500 Gallery & Sony NEX-3N Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Pentax RS1500 comes with exterior dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3N has sizing 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 RS1500 and Sony NEX-3N in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the RS1500 versus the NEX-3N.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the RS1500 and NEX-3N is 93 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements purely by viewing technical specs. The graphic underneath will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the RS1500 and NEX-3N.

As you can tell, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The RS1500 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony NEX-3N will render more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older RS1500 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.