Sony A300 vs Sony NEX-3

Lets look more closely at the Sony A300 and Sony NEX-3, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are created by Sony. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the A300 (10MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizes (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The A300 was introduced 3 years before the NEX-3 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Sony A300 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple overview of how the A300 grades against the NEX-3 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony A300 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera, you will have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Sony A300 features outer dimensions of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has dimensions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Compare the Sony A300 and Sony NEX-3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the A300 vs the NEX-3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A300 and NEX-3 is 64 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to imagine the gap between sensor measurements merely by reviewing technical specs. The visual here will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the A300 and NEX-3.

As you have seen, both cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different megapixels. You should expect the Sony NEX-3 to offer more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The older A300 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.