Sony A500 vs Sony NEX-F3

Its time to take a closer look at the Sony A500 versus Sony NEX-F3, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are produced by Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the image resolutions of the A500 (12MP) and NEX-F3 (16MP) but they come with the same exact sensor measurements (APS-C).

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The A500 was unveiled 4 years before the NEX-F3 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-F3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick overview of how the A500 grades versus the NEX-F3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 and Sony Alpha NEX-F3. The full galleries are provided at Sony A500 Gallery and Sony NEX-F3 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony A500 provides physical dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs) while the Sony NEX-F3 has dimensions of 117mm x 67mm x 42mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 314 grams (0.69 lbs).

Compare the Sony A500 versus Sony NEX-F3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the A500 vs the NEX-F3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A500 and NEX-F3 is 63 and 86 respectively.

Quite often, its tough to envision the difference in sensor dimensions just by researching specifications. The picture below may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the A500 and NEX-F3.

Plainly, both of those cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Sony NEX-F3 to render more detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The more aged A500 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.