Sony A3000 vs Sony NEX-5

Below is a in-depth assessment of the Sony A3000 versus Sony NEX-5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras and both are produced by Sony. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the A3000 (20MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (APS-C).

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The A3000 was revealed 3 years later than the NEX-5 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Sony A3000 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summary of how the A3000 scores against the NEX-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha A3000 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The full galleries are available at Sony A3000 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Sony A3000 has got physical measurements of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

See the Sony A3000 versus Sony NEX-5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the A3000 vs the NEX-5.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A3000 and NEX-5 is 69 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to visualise the difference between sensor measurements merely by reading technical specs. The photograph here will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the A3000 and NEX-5.

As you have seen, both the cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same MP. You should count on the Sony A3000 to deliver more detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more recent A3000 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.