Samsung SL30 vs Sony NEX-3

The following is a complete assessment of the Samsung SL30 and Sony NEX-3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Samsung and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the SL30 (10MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) and the SL30 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizing.

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The SL30 was manufactured 15 months before the NEX-3 making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Samsung SL30 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the SL30 matches up vs the NEX-3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Samsung SL30 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are provided at Samsung SL30 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to travel with your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and size. The Samsung SL30 enjoys physical dimensions of 94mm x 61mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has specifications of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Samsung SL30 and Sony NEX-3 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have during that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SL30 versus the NEX-3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SL30 and NEX-3 is 95 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions simply by checking technical specs. The pic underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SL30 and NEX-3.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SL30 because of its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony NEX-3 will give greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged SL30 is going to be behind in sensor tech.