Sony A700 vs Sony NEX-3

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Sony A700 vs Sony NEX-3, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are designed by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A700 (12MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is relatively comparable and they feature the same exact sensor sizing (APS-C).

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The A700 was manufactured 3 years prior to the NEX-3 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a brief view of how the A700 grades against the NEX-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are viewable at Sony A700 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Sony A700 has got outer dimensions of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") with a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has proportions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony A700 vs Sony NEX-3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the A700 against the NEX-3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A700 and NEX-3 is 58 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to visualize the difference in sensor sizes merely by seeing a spec sheet. The image below might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the A700 and NEX-3.

As you can see, both cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit different resolution. You should count on the Sony NEX-3 to show extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The more aged A700 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.