Sony a580 vs Nikon D3

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a580 and Nikon D3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Sony a580

Nikon D3

Manufacturing

Sony a580 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D3 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a580 were released 2010 and Nikon D3 was released 2007. That is a 3 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera	Released
Sony a580	2010
Nikon D3	2007

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a580 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D3 has a "Nikon FX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera	Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a580	75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Nikon D3	50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a580 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D3 has 12,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera	Megapixels
Sony a580	16 MP 16032768 pixels 4912 x 3264
Nikon D3	12,1 MP 12052992 pixels 4256 x 2832

Sony a580 has a 33 % larger resolution than Nikon D3. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Nikon D3 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a580. Nikon D3 has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 25600 while Sony a580 has 100 to 12800.

Camera	ISO Range
Sony a580	100-12800
Nikon D3	200-25600

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a580
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D3

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a580 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D3 can shoot up to 9 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a580	5
Nikon D3	9

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Sony a580. Unfortunately Nikon D3 does not support recording movies and movie clips.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Nikon D3 weighs 1300 gr (equal to 2.87 lb) which is 117% heavier than Sony a580 and its 599 gr (or 1.32 lb).

Camera	Weight
Sony a580	599 gr 1.32 lb
Nikon D3	1300 gr 2.87 lb