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Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10

Portability
89
Imaging
54
Features
55
Overall
54
Sony Alpha NEX-3 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 front
Portability
58
Imaging
51
Features
76
Overall
61

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 Key Specs

Sony NEX-3
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 297g - 117 x 62 x 33mm
  • Revealed June 2010
  • Replacement is Sony NEX-C3
Sony RX10
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 12800 (Increase to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-200mm (F2.8) lens
  • 813g - 129 x 88 x 102mm
  • Introduced March 2014
  • Replacement is Sony RX10 II
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Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 Overview

Here, we are evaluating the Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom and they are both sold by Sony. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the NEX-3 (14MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the NEX-3 (APS-C) and RX10 (1") have totally different sensor sizes.

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The NEX-3 was launched 4 years earlier than the RX10 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the NEX-3 matches up against the RX10 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Sony NEX-3 over the Sony RX10

 NEX-3 RX10 

Reasons to pick Sony RX10 over the Sony NEX-3

 RX10 NEX-3 
IntroducedMarch 2014June 2010More recent by 46 months
Display resolution1290k920kCrisper display (+370k dot)

Common features in the Sony NEX-3 and Sony RX10

 NEX-3 RX10 
Focus manually Dial exact focusing
Display typeTiltingTiltingTilting display
Display size3"3"Same display dimensions
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither features Touch friendly display

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 Physical Comparison

When you are aiming to lug around your camera, you have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Sony NEX-3 enjoys outside measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs) and the Sony RX10 has measurements of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") along with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Analyze the Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached during that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the NEX-3 vs the RX10.

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the NEX-3 and RX10 is 89 and 58 respectively.

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 top view buttons comparison

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 Sensor Comparison

Often, it can be tough to visualise the gap between sensor measurements simply by reading a spec sheet. The photograph below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the NEX-3 and RX10.

Clearly, each of the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The NEX-3 due to its larger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Sony RX10 will deliver more detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older NEX-3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 sensor size comparison

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 Screen and ViewFinder

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Sony NEX-3 Portrait photography factors
Sony RX10 Portrait photography factors
72
you can focus manually
decent MP (14MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
features face detect focus
saves RAW formats
70
you can focus manually
megapixel count decent (20MP)
decent sensor size (1")
has face detection autofocus
saves RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Sony NEX-3 as a Street photography camera
Sony RX10 as a Street photography camera
76
tilting screen
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
no image stabilization
72
screen tilts up and down
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor size (1")
saves RAW formats
environment proofing
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Sports Comparison

Sony NEX-3 Sports photography advice
Sony RX10 Sports photography advice
52
decent MP (14 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
no image stabilization
does not have phase detect auto focus
67
has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (1")
environment proofing
better than average battery (420 shots)
lacks phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Sony NEX-3 as a Travel photography camera
Sony RX10 as a Travel photography camera
59
decent MP (14 megapixels)
no Timelapse function
screen is not selfie friendly
58
better than average battery (420 CIPA)
environment proofing
megapixel count decent (20MP)
built-in flash
pretty wide (24mm)
no Timelapse function
doesn't feature selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Sony NEX-3 Landscape photography highlights
Sony RX10 Landscape photography highlights
68
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Sony E mount)
decent sized screen (3")
decent MP (14MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
no image stabilization
no Timelapse function
63
you can focus manually
pretty wide (24mm)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (1")
saves RAW formats
environment proofing
better than average battery (420 per charge)
can't swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
no Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Sony NEX-3 Vlogging details
Sony RX10 Vlogging details
27
features face detect focus
screen is not selfie friendly
no image stabilization
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pxls)
no microphone jack
30
pretty wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
has face detection autofocus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
comes with external microphone jack
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
doesn't feature selfie friendly screen
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Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX10 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony NEX-3 and Sony RX10
 Sony Alpha NEX-3Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
General Information
Company Sony Sony
Model type Sony Alpha NEX-3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
Category Entry-Level Mirrorless Large Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2010-06-07 2014-03-20
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Powered by Bionz Bionz X
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size APS-C 1"
Sensor measurements 23.4 x 15.6mm 13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor area 365.0mm² 116.2mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 20 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4592 x 3056 5472 x 3648
Highest native ISO 12800 12800
Highest boosted ISO - 25600
Min native ISO 200 125
RAW images
Min boosted ISO - 80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points 25 25
Lens
Lens mount type Sony E fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-200mm (8.3x)
Max aperture - f/2.8
Number of lenses 121 -
Focal length multiplier 1.5 2.7
Screen
Range of screen Tilting Tilting
Screen diagonal 3" 3"
Resolution of screen 920 thousand dot 1,290 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Screen tech TFT Xtra Fine LCD WhiteMagic
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 1,440 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.7x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 30s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s 1/3200s
Continuous shooting speed 7.0 frames per sec 10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 12.00 m 10.20 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in Auto, fill-flash, slow sync, rear sync, off
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/160s -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p) ,1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format MPEG-4 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 297g (0.65 pounds) 813g (1.79 pounds)
Physical dimensions 117 x 62 x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") 129 x 88 x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 68 69
DXO Color Depth rating 22.1 22.9
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.0 12.6
DXO Low light rating 830 474
Other
Battery life 330 pictures 420 pictures
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID NPFW50 NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10sec (3 images)) Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots One One
Launch pricing $0 $698