Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony W830

Its time to take a deeper look at the Sony NEX-C3 and Sony W830, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact and both are sold by Sony. The resolution of the NEX-C3 (16MP) and the W830 (20MP) is relatively comparable but the NEX-C3 (APS-C) and W830 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizing.

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The NEX-C3 was unveiled 3 years earlier than the W830 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W830 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick summation of how the NEX-C3 grades against the W830 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha NEX-C3 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W830. The full galleries are viewable at Sony NEX-C3 Gallery & Sony W830 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera regularly, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Sony NEX-C3 features outer measurements of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony W830 has specifications of 93mm x 52mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.0" x 0.9") and a weight of 122 grams (0.27 lbs).

Examine the Sony NEX-C3 and Sony W830 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. The following is the front view dimensions comparison of the NEX-C3 and the W830.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-C3 and W830 is 91 and 96 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by going through technical specs. The visual underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the NEX-C3 and W830.

As you have seen, both of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The NEX-C3 using its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Sony W830 will provide extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older NEX-C3 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.