Sony NEX-3 vs Sony a850

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony NEX-3 and Sony a850. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

Type of camera

Sony NEX-3 is a Mirrorless camera while Sony a850 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony NEX-3 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Sony a850 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** 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)

Resolution

Sony NEX-3 has a 14 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a850 has 25 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a850 has a 74 % larger resolution than Sony NEX-3. 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 NEX-3 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a850. Sony NEX-3 has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 12800 while Sony a850 has 200 to 3200.

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 NEX-3
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a850

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony NEX-3 can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds and Sony a850 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.

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 NEX-3. Unfortunately Sony a850 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 a850 weighs 895 gr (equal to 1.97 lb) which is 201% heavier than Sony NEX-3 and its 297 gr (or 0.65 lb).

Sony NEX-3 vs Sony a850 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony NEX-3 and Sony a850, 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 NEX-3	Sony a850
Name	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Manufacturer	Sony	Sony
Release Date and Price	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Release Year	2010	2009
Release Date	2010-05-11	2009-08-27
MSRP	599 USD	1999 USD
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Camera Type	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Camera Type	Mirrorless	DSLR
Sensor	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	4592 x 3056 pixels	6048 x 4032 pixels
Megapixels	14 MP	25 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	Bionz
Image	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
ISO Range	200 - 12800	200 - 3200
White Balance Presets	6	7
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	Yes (Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous
Focus Points	25	9
Lens Mount	Sony E See Compatible Lenses	Sony A 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	Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	920000	921600
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	TFT Xtra Fine LCD	TFT Xtra Fine color LCD
Live view	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	No Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage		98%
Viewfinder Magnification		0.74×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Frames per second	7 fps	3 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	No
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	N/A
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	No
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	MPEG4	N/A
Video resolution	1280 x 720	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Compact Flash Memory Stick Pro Duo
Connectivity	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	No
Remote Control	No	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony NEX-3	Sony a850
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion NP-FW50 rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	330 shots	880 shots
Width	117 mm	156 mm
Height	62 mm	117 mm
Depth	33 mm	82 mm
Weight	297 gram	895 gram