Sony a77 II vs Nikon D3000
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a77 II and Nikon D3000. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a77 II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D3000 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.
Sony a77 II were released 2014 and Nikon D3000 was released 2009. That is a 5 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a77 II | 2014 |
Nikon D3000 | 2009 |
Type of camera
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a77 II has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D3000 has a "Nikon DX"-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 a77 II | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
Nikon D3000 | 75 mm Nikon DX sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
** 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 a77 II has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D3000 has 10,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a77 II |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Nikon D3000 |
10,2 MP
10036224 pixels 3872 x 2592 |
Sony a77 II has a 139 % larger resolution than Nikon D3000. 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
Sony a77 II has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D3000. Sony a77 II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Nikon D3000 has 100 to 3200.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a77 II | 100-51200 |
Nikon D3000 | 100-3200 |
Autofocus and lens compatibility
There is a big difference between these two cameras. Sony a77 II has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D3000 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D3000 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.
Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a77 II
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D3000
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a77 II can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Nikon D3000 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a77 II | 12 |
Nikon D3000 | 3 |
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 a77 II. Unfortunately Nikon D3000 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.
Sony a77 II weighs 647 gr (equal to 1.43 lb) which is 21% heavier than Nikon D3000 and its 536 gr (or 1.18 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a77 II | 647 gr 1.43 lb |
Nikon D3000 | 536 gr 1.18 lb |
Sony a77 II vs Nikon D3000 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a77 II and Nikon D3000, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.
Product |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Name | Sony a77 II | Nikon D3000 |
Manufacturer | Sony | Nikon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Release Year | 2014 | 2009 |
Release Date | 2014-05-01 | 2009-07-30 |
MSRP | 1199 USD | 599 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Camera Type | SLT | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) |
APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX" |
Sensor Type | CMOS | CCD |
Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 3872 x 2592 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 10,2 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | EXPEED |
Image |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
ISO Range | 100 - 51200 | 100 - 3200 |
White Balance Presets | 9 | 12 |
Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
Image Stabilization |
Yes (Sensor-Shift) |
No |
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | No |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous |
Focus Points | 79 | 11 |
Lens Mount |
Sony A See Compatible Lenses |
Nikon F See Compatible Lenses |
Focal Length Multiplier |
APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm |
DX / APS-C (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Articulated LCD | Fully articulated | Fixed |
Screen size | 3” | 3” |
Screen dots | 1229000 | 230000 |
Touch screen | No | No |
Screen type | WhiteMagic TFT | N/A |
Live view | Yes | No |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Optical (pentamirror) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 95% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.) | 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.) |
Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Frames per second | 12 fps | 3 fps |
Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/4000 seconds |
Built-in Flash | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Flash Range | 12 meters | 12 meters |
External Flash | Yes | Yes |
Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
Time-lapse | No | No |
Metering modes |
Multi Center Weighted Spot |
Multi Center Weighted Spot |
Exposure Compensation | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Video recording | Yes | No |
Video format |
MPEG4 AVCHD |
N/A |
Video resolution |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
N/A |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
Built-in Speakers | Yes | No |
Storage |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
HDMI Output | Yes | No |
Microphone Port | Yes | No |
Headphone Port | No | No |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC) |
Yes Eye-Fi Connected |
Remote Control | Yes (wired, wireless, or smartphone) |
Yes (Optional ML-L3)
|
GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a77 II |
Nikon D3000 |
Enviromentally sealed | Yes | No |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery and charger
|
Lithium-Ion EN-EL9a rechargeable battery & charger
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 480 shots | 500 shots |
Width | 143 mm | 126 mm |
Height | 104 mm | 97 mm |
Depth | 81 mm | 64 mm |
Weight | 647 gram | 536 gram |