Sony NEX-C3 vs Canon EOS Ra

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony NEX-C3 and Canon EOS Ra. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony NEX-C3 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS Ra is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony NEX-C3 were released 2011 and Canon EOS Ra was released 2018. That is a 7 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony NEX-C3 2011
Canon EOS Ra 2018

Type of camera

Both these cameras are Mirrorless cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony NEX-C3 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS Ra has a "Canon Full Frame"-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 NEX-C3 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Canon EOS Ra 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 (Canon)

Resolution

Sony NEX-C3 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS Ra has 30 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony NEX-C3 16 MP
16032768 pixels
4912 x 3264
Canon EOS Ra 30 MP
30105600 pixels
6720 x 4480

Canon EOS Ra has a 88 % larger resolution than Sony NEX-C3. 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

Canon EOS Ra has a larger ISO-range than Sony NEX-C3. Canon EOS Ra has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 40000 while Sony NEX-C3 has 100 to 12800.

Camera ISO Range
Sony NEX-C3 100-12800
Canon EOS Ra 100-40000

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.

Worth mentioning is that Canon EOS Ra belongs to the Canon EOS R-system and needs an adapter to work with Canons EF, EF-S, MP-E, and TS-E lenses. You can read more about this adapter here:
Canon Lens Mount Adapter EF-EOS R

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony NEX-C3
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS Ra

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony NEX-C3 can shoot up to 5,5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS Ra can shoot up to 8 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony NEX-C3 5,5
Canon EOS Ra 8

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony NEX-C3 and Canon EOS Ra can shoot movies.

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.

Canon EOS Ra weighs 660 gr (equal to 1.46 lb) which is 193% heavier than Sony NEX-C3 and its 225 gr (or 0.5 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony NEX-C3 225 gr
0.5 lb
Canon EOS Ra 660 gr
1.46 lb

Sony NEX-C3 vs Canon EOS Ra Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony NEX-C3 and Canon EOS Ra, 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-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Name Sony NEX-C3 Canon EOS Ra
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Release Year 2011 2018
Release Date 2011-06-08 2018-11-05
MSRP 599 USD 2499 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Camera Type Mirrorless Mirrorless
Sensor
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Sensor Size APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 4912 x 3264 pixels 6720 x 4480 pixels
Megapixels 16 MP 30 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC 8
Image
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
ISO Range 100 - 12800 100 - 40000
White Balance Presets 6 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization No No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 25 5655
Lens Mount Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Canon RF

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-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Articulated LCD Tilting Fully articulated
Screen size 3” 3.2”
Screen dots 920000 2100000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type TFT Xtra Fine LCD TFT LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type No Viewfinder Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.76×
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 3690000
Photography features
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Frames per second 5,5 fps 8 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
Partial
Exposure Compensation +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution 1280 x 720
1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
Built-in Microphone No Yes
Built-in Speakers No Yes
Storage
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No Yes
Headphone Port No Yes
Wireless Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Yes
Built-in (802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth 4.1 LE)
Remote Control No Yes (via smartphone)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony NEX-C3
Canon EOS Ra
Enviromentally sealed No Yes
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Lithium-Ion NP-FW50 rechargeable battery & charger
LP-E6N lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 400 shots 370 shots
Width 110 mm 136 mm
Height 60 mm 98 mm
Depth 33 mm 84 mm
Weight 225 gram 660 gram