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Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3 Comparison

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Canon G1 X III

24 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon G1 X III
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Sony NEX-3

14 MP | APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony NEX-3
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Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Canon G1 X III, which was introduced in October 2017 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Sony NEX-3, which was introduced in June 2010 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 14.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, NEX-3 is 7 years older than G1 X III. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon G1 X III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-10-25
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 24-72 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 399g. 115 x 78 x 51 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Compare

Sony NEX-3 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-06-07
  • 14MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 297g. 117 x 62 x 33 mm

Sony NEX-3 was replaced by Sony Alpha NEX-C3. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha NEX-C3 vs Sony Alpha NEX-3
Sony Alpha NEX-C3 vs Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III over Sony Alpha NEX-3
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
In-built Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Tiltable Flash
Yes vs No Bounce built-in flash off the ceiling
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 14 MP 71% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
49 vs 25 24 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 920k dots 13% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
9.0fps vs 7.0fps 2 fps faster
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter
3.0-stops vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
CHECK G1 X III PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha NEX-3 over Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
330 shots vs 200 shots 130 more frames with a single charge
Weight
297 g vs 399 g 102 g lighter
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 9.0m 3m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
26.02µm2 vs 13.84µm2 88% larger pixel area
CHECK NEX-3 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Sony Alpha NEX-3
Adjustable LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Continuous Shooting
9.0fps vs 7.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Sony Alpha NEX-3
Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon G1 X III has external dimensions of 115 x 78 x 51 mm (4.53 x 3.07 x 2.01″) and weighs 399 g (0.88 lb / 14.07 oz) (including batteries). Sony NEX-3 has external dimensions of 117 x 62 x 33 mm (4.61 x 2.44 x 1.3″) and weighs 297 g (0.65 lb / 10.48 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Canon G1 X III and the Sony NEX-3. Sony NEX-3 is 16mm shorter and 18mm thinner than Canon G1 X III but it is also 2mm wider. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon G1 X III has a built-in lens but Sony NEX-3 doesn't. Once you put a lens on NEX-3, its thickness will increase significantly.

Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3.
Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony NEX-3 is significantly lighter (102g ) than the Canon G1 X III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on NEX-3, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that the G1 X III has a big advantage over the NEX-3 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

Sony NEX-3 features a Tilting-only screen which is mostly only good for shooting from waist or over-the-head levels. On the other hand, Canon G1 X III sports a Fully Articulated screen which is more flexible and useful, especially for taking selfies and video.


Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3: Sensor Comparison

Canon G1 X III has a 24.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 7 processor. On the other hand, Sony NEX-3 has a 14.0MP APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz processor.

Canon G1 X III's sensor provides 10MP more than Sony NEX-3'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 G1 X III and NEX-3 sensor size comparison.

Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 Cameras


Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 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.

Canon G1 X III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony NEX-3 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony NEX-3 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 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

Canon G1 X III for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony NEX-3 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Environmental Sealings
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
72 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony NEX-3 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
399g
Body Thickness 51mm
3.0X Optical Zoom
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
297g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony NEX-3 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon G1 X III vs Sony NEX-3: 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 Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Canon G1 X III and Sony NEX-3 scores compare:

Canon G1 X III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #154 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Sony NEX-3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #106 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #466 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon G1 X III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony NEX-3 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Canon G1 X III.

Canon G1 X III
Canon G1 X III
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Sony NEX-3
Sony NEX-3
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Sony NEX-3 vs Canon G1 X III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III Sony Alpha NEX-3
Brand Canon Sony
Announced 2017-10-25 2010-06-07
Body Type Large sensor compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 23.4 x 15.6 mm
Area 332.27mm2 365.04mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4592 x 3056
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 200 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 49 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Sony E
Lens Focal Range 24-72 mm (3x) no lens
Max Aperture F2.8-5.6 no lens
Macro Focus Range 10cm no lens
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 9.00 m (at Auto ISO) 12.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 9.0 fps 7.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 399g 297g
Dimensions 115 x 78 x 51mm 117 x 62 x 33mm
Battery Life 200 shots 330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 68
DxO Color Depth not tested 22.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.0
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 830
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