Sony NEX-3 vs Sony RX100 II

Below, we are reviewing the Sony NEX-3 and Sony RX100 II, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Large Sensor Compact and both are manufactured by Sony. There exists a noticeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the NEX-3 (14MP) and RX100 II (20MP) and the NEX-3 (APS-C) and RX100 II (1") come with different sensor size.

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The NEX-3 was announced 4 years earlier than the RX100 II which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the NEX-3 matches up versus the RX100 II with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha NEX-3 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. The whole galleries are available at Sony NEX-3 Gallery & Sony RX100 II Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and measurements. The Sony NEX-3 has got exterior measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs) while the Sony RX100 II has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs).

Compare the Sony NEX-3 and Sony RX100 II in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the NEX-3 against the RX100 II.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-3 and RX100 II is 89 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to picture the gap in sensor sizes simply by going through specs. The image underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the NEX-3 and RX100 II.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The NEX-3 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony RX100 II will provide more detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged NEX-3 will be behind in sensor innovation.