Sony NEX-3 vs Sony QX30

Lets take a more detailed look at the Sony NEX-3 versus Sony QX30, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Lens-style and both of them are manufactured by Sony. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the NEX-3 (14MP) and QX30 (20MP) and the NEX-3 (APS-C) and QX30 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The NEX-3 was announced 5 years prior to the QX30 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony QX30 being a Lens-style camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a short summary of how the NEX-3 grades vs the QX30 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony NEX-3 Gallery and Sony QX30 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and proportions. The Sony NEX-3 offers physical measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs) and the Sony QX30 has measurements of 68mm x 65mm x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3") having a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Check out the Sony NEX-3 versus Sony QX30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is a front view scale comparison of the NEX-3 vs the QX30.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-3 and QX30 is 89 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes just by looking through technical specs. The picture underneath might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the NEX-3 and QX30.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The NEX-3 using its bigger sensor is going to make getting bokeh less difficult and the Sony QX30 will provide you with more detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged NEX-3 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.