Ricoh CX5 vs Sony NEX-3

Lets look more in depth at the Ricoh CX5 and Sony NEX-3, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Ricoh and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the CX5 (10MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) and the CX5 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) boast different sensor measurements.

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The CX5 was revealed 14 months later than the NEX-3 making them a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Ricoh CX5 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a full comparison, here is a simple summation of how the CX5 scores versus the NEX-3 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh CX5 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The full galleries are provided at Ricoh CX5 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Ricoh CX5 offers physical dimensions of 102mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 205 grams (0.45 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has specifications of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

See the Ricoh CX5 and Sony NEX-3 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the CX5 and the NEX-3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the CX5 and NEX-3 is 92 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to visualize the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic here may provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the CX5 and NEX-3.

Clearly, the two cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The CX5 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh trickier and the Sony NEX-3 will provide you with greater detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images way more aggressively. The more recent CX5 should have a benefit in sensor technology.