Sony A560 vs Sony NEX-3

On this page, we are analyzing the Sony A560 vs Sony NEX-3, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are offered by Sony. The resolution of the A560 (14MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is fairly well matched and both cameras offer the same sensor measurements (APS-C).

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The A560 was introduced 3 months later than the NEX-3 so they are both of a similar age. Both cameras have different body design with the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a full comparison, here is a quick view of how the A560 scores against the NEX-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The whole galleries are available at Sony A560 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Sony A560 features outside dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has dimensions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony A560 vs Sony NEX-3 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. Here is a front view size comparison of the A560 versus the NEX-3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A560 and NEX-3 is 64 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements purely by looking at technical specs. The photograph here may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the A560 and NEX-3.

As you can tell, each of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions and the same MP so you can expect similar quality of pictures but you may want to take the age of the products into consideration.