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Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100

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Nikon D3S

12 MP | Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D3S
$5,199.95
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Sony a5100

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony a5100
$448.00
Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D3S is a Pro DSLR camera with a 12.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Sony a5100 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor.
Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious altenatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon D3S and Sony a5100 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D3S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-02-16
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 12800 ( expands to 100-102400)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3″ Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 11 fps continuous shooting
  • 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 1240g. 160 x 157 x 88 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D3 Compare

Sony a5100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-08-17
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sony E (NEX) Mount
  • 3″ Tilting Screen
  • 6 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 283g. 110 x 63 x 36 mm
  • Replaced Sony Alpha a5000 Compare

Nikon D3S was replaced by Nikon D4. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D4 vs Nikon D3S
Nikon D4 vs Sony Alpha a5100

Reasons to choose Nikon D3S over Sony Alpha a5100
External Flash Shoe Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Optical vs None Better framing and control
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster shutter speed
Continuous Shooting 11.0fps vs 6.0fps 5 fps faster
Battery Life 4200 shots vs 400 shots 3800 more frames with a single charge
Environmental Sealing Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording Yes vs With optional app creative shooting
Low Light ISO 3253 vs 1347 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area 71.40µm2 vs 15.28µm2 367% larger pixel area
Top LCD Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
Flash Sync Port Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot 2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Reasons to choose Sony Alpha a5100 over Nikon D3S
Wireless Connection Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution 24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO 25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points 179 vs 51 128 more focus points
Weight 283 g vs 1240 g 957 g lighter
Color Depth 23.8 vs 23.5 higher color depth
Dynamic Range 12.7 vs 12.0 higher dynamic range
Price $448 vs $5,200 $4,752 cheaper
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
NFC Connection Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone_remote control Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Strengths of Nikon D3S and Sony Alpha a5100
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
LCD Screen Resolution 921k dots vs 922k dots Higher resolution screens
Continuous Shooting 11.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D3S and Sony Alpha a5100
Image Stabilization No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D3S and Sony a5100. Sony a5100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 50mm narrower, 94mm shorter and 52mm thinner than Nikon D3S.

Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D3S and Sony a5100.
Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100 Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony a5100 is significantly lighter (957g ) than the Nikon D3S which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Nikon D3S has a Full frame sensor and Sony a5100 has a smaller APS-C sensor, Sony a5100's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Nikon D3S lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D3S
a5100
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D3S
a5100
Min
Average
Max
Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D3S has a 12.0MP Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed processor. On the other hand, Sony a5100 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Sony a5100's sensor provides 12MP more than Nikon D3S's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the D3S and a5100 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100 Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Nikon D3S has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Sony a5100. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Nikon D3S and Sony a5100 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D3S and Sony a5100 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon D3S for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony a5100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon D3S for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5100 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Nikon D3S for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony a5100 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 4200 shots
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
179 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon D3S for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony a5100 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1240g
Body Thickness 88mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
283g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Nikon D3S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5100 for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details


Sony a5100 vs Nikon D3S Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon D3S has an advantage over Sony a5100. There are 286 lenses for Nikon D3S's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 83 lenses for Sony a5100's Sony E (NEX) lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 88 lenses for Nikon F mount and 23 lenses for Sony E (NEX) mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Nikon D3S Lenses # of Sony a5100 Lenses
Standard Zoom 33 (17 Full Frame) 9
Standard Prime 18 (15 Full Frame) 13
Wideangle Zoom 30 (14 Full Frame) 4
Wideangle Prime 45 (43 Full Frame) 27
Telephoto Zoom 49 (39 Full Frame) 6
Telephoto Prime 40 (39 Full Frame) 10
SuperZoom 30 (6 Full Frame) 8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 8 (3 Full Frame) 1
Macro Prime 22 (19 Full Frame) 4
Perspective Control Prime 10 (10 Full Frame) 1
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 (0 Full Frame) n/a
TOTAL 286 (205 Full Frame) 83
Nikon D3S vs Sony a5100: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon D3S and Sony a5100, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon D3S and Sony a5100 scores compare:

Nikon D3S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #5 out of 10 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #161 out of 1131 in all Cameras
Sony a5100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #23 out of 114 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #141 out of 1131 in all Cameras

Sony a5100 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D3S. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that a5100 trails behind the D3S: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon D3S. If not, we recommend the Sony a5100.

Nikon D3S
Nikon D3S
$5,199.95

Sony a5100
Sony a5100
$448.00

Sony a5100 vs Nikon D3S Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D3S Sony Alpha a5100
Brand Nikon Sony
Announced 2010-02-16 2014-08-17
Body Type Large SLR Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Price $5,199.95 $448.00
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame APS-C
Dimensions 36 x 23.9 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
Area 860.40mm2 366.60mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4256 x 2832 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 100 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 51 179
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F Sony E (NEX)
Number of Available Lenses 286 83
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3″ 3″
Resolution 921k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) None
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.7 n/a
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 4.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync 1/250s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps 6.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 1240g 283g
Dimensions 160 x 157 x 88mm 110 x 63 x 36mm
Battery Life 4200 shots 400 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 82 80
DxO Color Depth 23.5 23.8
DxO Dynamic Range 12.0 12.7
DxO Low Light ISO 3253 1347
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