Sony NEX-3 vs Sony A77

Lets examine more closely at the Sony NEX-3 versus Sony A77, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR and both are offered by Sony. There is a sizable difference between the resolutions of the NEX-3 (14MP) and A77 (24MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor measurements (APS-C).

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The NEX-3 was revealed 16 months prior to the A77 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. The two cameras come with different body type with the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A77 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting in to a more detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the NEX-3 scores against the A77 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-3 & Sony SLT-A77. The full galleries are available at Sony NEX-3 Gallery & Sony A77 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to travel with your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Sony NEX-3 features exterior dimensions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs) and the Sony A77 has sizing of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 732 grams (1.61 lbs).

Check out the Sony NEX-3 versus Sony A77 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the NEX-3 against the A77.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the NEX-3 and A77 is 89 and 59 respectively.

Often, its tough to picture the difference between sensor dimensions just by reading a spec sheet. The picture below may offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the NEX-3 and A77.

As you can see, each of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit different resolution. You can expect the Sony A77 to offer you greater detail because of its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots much more aggressively. The more aged NEX-3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.