Sony NEX-3 vs Sony A55

Its time to look much closer at the Sony NEX-3 versus Sony A55, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR and both are created by Sony. The sensor resolution of the NEX-3 (14MP) and the A55 (16MP) is pretty well matched and they possess the exact same sensor sizing (APS-C).

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The NEX-3 was manufactured 2 months prior to the A55 so they are of a similar generation. Both cameras come with different body type with the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a thorough comparison, below is a short view of how the NEX-3 matches up vs the A55 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-3 and Sony SLT-A55. The entire galleries are available at Sony NEX-3 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Sony NEX-3 has outer dimensions 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 A55 has proportions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Sony NEX-3 versus Sony A55 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the NEX-3 compared to the A55.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the NEX-3 and A55 is 89 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very difficult to see the gap between sensor sizes purely by reading through specs. The image underneath may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the NEX-3 and A55.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Sony A55 to resolve greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures much more aggressively.