Updated (August, 2010): Compare the Nikon D3100 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A330

Nikon D3000

32

"User-friendly ergonomics, without sacrificing control"
dpreview.com | talking about the D3000's button-layout
"Very capable AF system, including 3D AF tracking, on a par with much more expensive DSLRs"
dpreview.com | talking about the D3000's auto-focus

Reasons to buy the Nikon D3000

Screen size
Large screen
3.0"
Sensor size
Large sensor
APS-C 23.6x15.8mm
Badge
Phase detection autofocus
fast and accurate
Size
Really small
Prosumer size 126x97x64 mm
Sensor cleaning
Self cleaning sensor
Avoids dust in your photos
Thickness
Thin
2.5"
Sony Alpha DSLR-A330

32

Reasons to buy the Sony Alpha DSLR-A330

Image stabilization
Image stabilization
Sensor shift
Live view
Has live view
Preview your photos
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Sensor size
Large sensor
APS-C 23.5x15.7mm
Storage slots
More storage slots
2
Badge
Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses

differences

Advantages of the Nikon D3000

Autofocus Faster autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
Catch candid moments easily
Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 92 lenses
Help
More than 80% more lenses available
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.52x vs 0.48x
Help
Around 20% larger viewfinder
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO 563 ISO vs 535 ISO
Help
The D3000 has a slight edge (0.1 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Size Smaller 126x97x64 mm vs 128x97x71 mm
Help
More than 10% smaller
Thickness Thinner 2.5" vs 2.8"
Help
Around 10% thinner
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 3 fps vs 2.5 fps
Help
20% faster continuous shooting
Sensor size Slightly larger sensor APS-C 23.6x15.8mm vs APS-C 23.5x15.7mm
Help
Almost the same
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 3,200 ISO vs None
Help
Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Nikon D3000 Learn more about
the Nikon D3000

Advantages of the Sony DSLR-A330

Live view Has live view Yes vs No
Help
Preview your photos on the camera's screen before taking them
Image stabilization Image stabilization Sensor shift vs None
Help
Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.5 EV vs 11.1 EV
Help
0.4 f-stops more dynamic range
Overall image quality Slightly better image quality 64.0 vs 62.0
Help
Almost the same
Lens focus motor Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
Help
Autofocuses with all autofocus lenses
Storage slots Has more storage slots 2 vs 1
Help
More slots allows storing more images without switching memory cards
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The DSLR-A330's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Color depth Better color depth 22.4 bits vs 22.3 bits
Help
Distinguishes 0.1 more bits of color
Sony Alpha DSLR-A330 Learn more about
the Sony DSLR-A330
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent entry-level DSLRs, and ignoring price

Nikon D3000 Nikon D3000
32 vs 32
Explain scores
Sony Alpha DSLR-A330 Sony Alpha DSLR-A330
Green arrow Too close to call! Snapsort considers these cameras too competitive to make a clear recommendation.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Size Fairly small Help
D3000:126x97x64 mm
DSLR-A330:128x97x71 mm
Thickness Thin Help
D3000:2.5"
DSLR-A330:2.8"
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Light sensitivity (boost) One has boost ISO Help
D3000:3,200 ISO
DSLR-A330:None
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
10 MP
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
D3000:1,600 ISO
DSLR-A330:3,200 ISO
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
D3000:3 fps
DSLR-A330:2.5 fps
Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
Movie format Do not shoot movies Help
No movies
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Viewfinder size Below average viewfinder size Help
D3000:0.52x
DSLR-A330:0.48x
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
D3000:11.1 EV
DSLR-A330:11.5 EV
Low light performance Above average noise at high ISO Help
D3000:563 ISO
DSLR-A330:535 ISO
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
D3000:62.0
DSLR-A330:64.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $547 with 18-55mm lens

Low light performance Is significantly less noisy at high ISO
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Thickness Is thicker
Size Is slightly larger
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$333 body only

$489 - $500 with 18-55mm lens

Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Movie format Records lower quality movies
Thickness Is thicker
Sensor cleaning Lacks a self cleaning sensor
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS

Entry-level DSLR

$299 - $595 body only

$437 - $439 with 18-55mm lens

Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor
Sensor size Has a slightly smaller sensor
Screen size Has a significantly smaller screen
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Low light performance Is much less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has much better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Size Is significantly larger
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$544 - $949 body only

$649 - $867 with 18-55mm lens

Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Sensor size Has a slightly smaller sensor
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi

Entry-level DSLR

$468 body only

$600 with 18-55mm lens

Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Sensor size Has a slightly smaller sensor
Color depth Has slightly less color depth
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Entry-level DSLR

$749 with 18-55mm lens

Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Sensor size Has a slightly smaller sensor

Nikon D3000 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D60

Nikon D60

Entry-level DSLR

Overall image quality Better image quality
Dynamic range More dynamic range
Screen size Much smaller screen
Autofocus Slower autofocus
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$897 body only

$1,047 with 55-200mm lens

Low light performance Much lower noise at high ISO
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Size Much larger
Thickness Much thicker

Sony Alpha DSLR-A330 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony Alpha DSLR-A390

Sony Alpha DSLR-A390

Entry-level DSLR

$471 with 18-55mm lens

Autofocus Faster autofocus
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO
Size Significantly larger
Thickness Much thicker
Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

Entry-level DSLR

Color depth Better color depth
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster
Storage slots Has fewer storage slots
Dynamic range Less dynamic range
Sony Alpha DSLR-A350

Sony Alpha DSLR-A350

Entry-level DSLR

$972 body only

True resolution Significantly higher true resolution
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO
Size Larger
Weight Significantly heavier

appearance

Nikon D3000 Sony Alpha DSLR-A330
Nikon D3000 Sony Alpha DSLR-A330
Nikon D3000 Sony Alpha DSLR-A330

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