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Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1

Portability
91
Imaging
56
Features
57
Overall
56
Sony Alpha NEX-C3 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 front
Portability
79
Imaging
69
Features
57
Overall
64

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 Key Specs

Sony NEX-C3
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 225g - 110 x 60 x 33mm
  • Released August 2011
  • Succeeded the Sony NEX-3
  • Successor is Sony NEX-F3
Sony RX1
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 35mm (F2.0-22.0) lens
  • 482g - 113 x 65 x 70mm
  • Released February 2013
Photography Glossary

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 Overview

On this page, we are looking at the Sony NEX-C3 and Sony RX1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact and they are both manufactured by Sony. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the NEX-C3 (16MP) and RX1 (24MP) and the NEX-C3 (APS-C) and RX1 (Full frame) posses different sensor size.

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The NEX-C3 was introduced 18 months earlier than the RX1 making them a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the NEX-C3 matches up vs the RX1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Sony NEX-C3 over the Sony RX1

 NEX-C3 RX1 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Reasons to pick Sony RX1 over the Sony NEX-C3

 RX1 NEX-C3 
ReleasedFebruary 2013August 2011More recent by 18 months
Display resolution1229k920kSharper display (+309k dot)

Common features in the Sony NEX-C3 and Sony RX1

 NEX-C3 RX1 
Manual focus More precise focus
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display size
Selfie screen Neither has selfie screen
Touch friendly display No Touch friendly display

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 Physical Comparison

When you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and size. The Sony NEX-C3 has external measurements of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony RX1 has specifications of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") with a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony NEX-C3 and Sony RX1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at that moment. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the NEX-C3 versus the RX1.

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 size comparison

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the NEX-C3 and RX1 is 91 and 79 respectively.

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 top view buttons comparison

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, it is very tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements merely by going through specs. The visual underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the NEX-C3 and RX1.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The NEX-C3 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony RX1 will provide extra detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older NEX-C3 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 sensor size comparison

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 Screen and ViewFinder

Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Sony NEX-C3
Portrait photography with Sony RX1
73
manual focus
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
81
focusing manually
high flash sync speed (1/4,000 seconds)
decent megapixels (24 megapixels)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
features face detect autofocus
exports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Sony NEX-C3 Street photography information
Sony RX1 Street photography information
79
screen tilts up and down
sensor size is good (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
lighter than others (225 grams)
no image stabilization
66
sensor size is large (Full frame)
exports RAW formats
good high ISO (25,600)
no articulating screen
no image stabilization
heavier than competition (482 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Sony NEX-C3 Sports photography information
Sony RX1 Sports photography information
53
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
great battery pack (400 shots)
painfully slow continuous shooting (6.0 frames per second)
no image stabilization
lacks phase detect autofocus
53
decent megapixels (24MP)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
features tracking focus
focal length is fixed (35mm)
max fps low (5.0 frames/s)
no image stabilization
bad battery power (270 CIPA)
no phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Sony NEX-C3 Travel photography features
Sony RX1 Travel photography features
71
great battery pack (400 CIPA)
lighter than others (225 grams)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
no Time Lapse recording
does not offer selfie friendly screen
62
decent megapixels (24 megapixels)
has built in flash
good maximum aperture (f2.0)
missing Time Lapse mode
bad battery power (270 shots)
heavier than competition (482g)
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Sony NEX-C3 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony RX1 as a Landscape photography camera
70
manual focus
swap lenses (Sony E mount)
screen size is good (3 inches)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
great battery pack (400 shots)
no image stabilization
no Time Lapse recording
64
focusing manually
good maximum aperture (f2.0)
screen size is decent (3 inch)
decent megapixels (24MP)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
good high ISO (25,600)
exports RAW formats
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
focal length is fixed (35mm)
no image stabilization
bad battery power (270 per charge)
missing Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Sony NEX-C3
Vlogging with Sony RX1
27
lighter than others (225 grams)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
no image stabilization
video resolution low (1280 x 720 pxls)
no mic socket
34
good maximum aperture (f2.0)
features face detect autofocus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
does have mic jack
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
no image stabilization
heavier than competition (482g)
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Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony NEX-C3 and Sony RX1
 Sony Alpha NEX-C3Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
General Information
Manufacturer Sony Sony
Model type Sony Alpha NEX-C3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Category Entry-Level Mirrorless Large Sensor Compact
Released 2011-08-22 2013-02-19
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Bionz -
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size APS-C Full frame
Sensor dimensions 23.4 x 15.6mm 35.8 x 23.8mm
Sensor area 365.0mm² 852.0mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 24MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4912 x 3264 6000 x 4000
Max native ISO 12800 25600
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points 25 25
Lens
Lens support Sony E fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 35mm (1x)
Largest aperture - f/2.0-22.0
Available lenses 121 -
Focal length multiplier 1.5 1
Screen
Range of screen Tilting Fixed Type
Screen sizing 3" 3"
Resolution of screen 920 thousand dot 1,229 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen technology TFT Xtra Fine LCD Xtra FineTFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic and Optical (optional)
Features
Lowest shutter speed 30s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting speed 6.0 frames/s 5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 6.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/160s 1/4000s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 25, 24 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30, 25 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 25 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Eye-Fi Connected
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 225 grams (0.50 lbs) 482 grams (1.06 lbs)
Physical dimensions 110 x 60 x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") 113 x 65 x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 73 93
DXO Color Depth rating 22.7 25.1
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.2 14.3
DXO Low light rating 1083 2534
Other
Battery life 400 photographs 270 photographs
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID NPFW50 NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec 3 or 5 images) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
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 Single Single
Pricing at launch $343 $2,798