Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony RX1

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.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha NEX-C3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony NEX-C3 Gallery and Sony RX1 Gallery.

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.

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.

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

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.