Sony Alpha 7 II vs Sony NEX-3N

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Sony Alpha 7 II and the Sony NEX-3N, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Sony Alpha 7 II was introduced in November 2014 and Sony NEX-3N was introduced in February 2013. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Sony Alpha 7 II Highlights

      • 24.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 25,600 Native ISO
      • 117 Focus Points
      • 5-Axis Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 1,230k dot Tilting Screen
      • 0.5" 2,359k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 5.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Sony NEX-3N Highlights

      • 16.1 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 200 - 16,000 Native ISO
      • 25 Focus Points (25 Cross-type)
      • 3.0" 460k dot Tilting Screen
      • 4.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Sony Alpha 7 II and Sony NEX-3N.

      PROS

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      •   Video Capture
      •   Large Sensor
      •   117 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Large Viewfinder - 0.5"
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   High DxO Overall Score - 90
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   USB Charging
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 480 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      •   Price
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.3 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Weight - 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz)
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 74

      Advantage of Sony Alpha 7 II

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha 7 II over Sony NEX-3N.

      Sony Alpha 7 II vs Sony NEX-3N
      Larger Sensor Full Frame vs APS-C
      Higher Sensor Resolution 24.3 Megapixel vs 16.1 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 200
      Higher Native ISO 25,600 vs 16,000
      More Powerful Processor BIONZ X vs BIONZ
      Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 vs 4912 x 3264
      Timelapse Recording With downloadable app vs
      More Focus Points 117 vs 25
      Center Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Image Stabilization 5-Axis Sensor Shift vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,230k dot vs 460k dot
      Viewfinder Electronic vs
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/8000 sec vs 1/4000 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps vs 4.0 fps
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/250 sec vs 1/160 sec
      External Flash Connectivity vs
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Average Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      Higher DxO Low Light ISO 2449 vs 1067
      Higher DxO Color Depth 24.9 vs 22.8
      Higher DxO Dynamic Range 13.6 vs 12.5
      Higher DxO Overall Score 90 vs 74
      Microphone Input vs
      Headphone Output vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Environmental Sealing vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha 7 II.

      Advantage of Sony NEX-3N

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony NEX-3N over Sony Alpha 7 II.

      Sony Alpha 7 II vs Sony NEX-3N
      Built-in Flash vs
      Lighter 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz) vs 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz)
      Longer Battery Life 350 shots vs 480 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony NEX-3N.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Sony Alpha 7 II Sony NEX-3N
        Video Capture
        Live View Autofocus
        HDMI Output Micro Type D
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Sony Alpha 7 II Sony NEX-3N
        Low Video Resolution1920 x 10801920 x 1080
        Low Video Recording Limit30 min30 min
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        Short Battery Life350 shots480 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Sony Alpha 7 II and Sony NEX-3N have 3.0" Tilting screens with 1,230k dot and 460k dot resolutions respectively. Tilting screen makes cameras very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting.

      Image cannot be displayed Image cannot be displayed

      Sony Alpha 7 II and Sony NEX-3N with Tilting screen


      Electronic Viewfinder on Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony Alpha 7 II has a built-in 0.5" Electronic viewfinder with 2,359k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage and 0.71x magnification. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Sony NEX-3N.

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 7 II features a 24.3 megapixel Full Frame CMOS sensor with dimensions of 35.8 x 23.9 mm and a total area of 855.6 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 25,600 and expands to 50 - 51,200 in boosted mode. Sony NEX-3N features a 16.1 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 243.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 16,000.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Sony Alpha 7 II is equipped with BIONZ X processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 6000 x 3376, 3936 x 2624, 3936 x 2216, 3008 x 1688, 3008 x 2000 with 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Sony NEX-3N is equipped with BIONZ processor and can take pictures up to 4912 x 3264 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4912 x 2760, 3568 x 2368, 3568 x 2000, 2448 x 1624, 2448 x 1376 with 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Cameras have Sony E lens mount. Due to Full Frame sensor in Sony Alpha 7 II its crop factor is equal to 1x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length. Due to APS-C sensor in Sony NEX-3N its crop factor is equal to 1.5x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony Alpha 7 II has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS) with 4.5 stops of compensation. This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony Alpha 7 II has a built-in Wi-Fi which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      NFC on Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony Alpha 7 II has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Sony Alpha 7 II has a Micro HDMI and Sony NEX-3N has a Type D HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Sony Alpha 7 II comes with NP-FW50 battery pack with battery life of 350 shots and Sony NEX-3N comes with NPFW50 battery pack with battery life of 480 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Sony Alpha 7 II has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo Hybrid (UHS-I) card slot. Sony NEX-3N has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Sony Alpha 7 II has Electronic shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec on Sony Alpha 7 II, and up to 1/4000 sec on Sony NEX-3N. Sony Alpha 7 II can shoot continuously up to 5.0 fps. Sony NEX-3N can shoot continuously up to 4.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 7 II has Fast Hybrid AF (Phase-detection / Contrast-detection) system with 117 focusing points and Sony NEX-3N has 25 focusing points. Sony Alpha 7 II has detection range from -1 to +20 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Sony Alpha 7 II ranges from -1 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Sony Alpha 7 II. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Alpha 7 II and and manual exposure adjustment on Sony NEX-3N.


      Flash

      Sony NEX-3N has a built-in flash. Sony Alpha 7 II has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Intelligent Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec on Sony Alpha 7 II and 1/160 sec on Sony NEX-3N.

      Physical Parameters

      Sony Alpha 7 II body has dimensions of 127 x 96 x 60 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.36") and Sony NEX-3N body has dimensions of 110 x 62 x 35 mm (4.33 x 2.44 x 1.38"). Sony Alpha 7 II weighs 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz) and Sony NEX-3N weighs 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz).

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      127 mm

      96 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      110 mm

      62 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      96 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      62 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      60 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      35 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Sony Alpha 7 II and Sony NEX-3N

      Sony Alpha 7 II and Sony NEX-3N for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      70
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      GOOD
      75
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   117 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      56
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 480 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      GOOD
      71
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   117 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      55
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 480 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Large Sensor
      •   117 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      EXCELLENT
      87
      •   Large Sensor
      •   117 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz)
      GOOD
      82
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      GOOD
      84
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
      GOOD
      83
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 480 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Sony Alpha 7 II and Sony NEX-3N and give them scores of 78 and 57 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      OVERALL
      78
      OVERALL
      57

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      GOOD
      74
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.3 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   High DxO Overall Score - 90
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 74

      Photo

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      GOOD
      81
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      POOR
      49
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   No External Flash Connectivity

      Video

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      AVERAGE
      55
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      BAD
      16
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit

      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   117 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      AVERAGE
      60
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      GOOD
      78
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,230k dot
      •   Large Viewfinder - 0.5"
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder

      Connectivity

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      EXCELLENT
      91
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      65
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Sony Alpha 7 II

      Sony NEX-3N

      AVERAGE
      67
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
      POOR
      44
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 480 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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