Nikon D3000 vs Sony A57

Sony A57 advantages over Nikon D3000

• Focus peaking
  Peaker vs Non-peaker
  Your camera will highlight what's in focus
• In-Camera Image Stabilization
  Yes vs No
  Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
• In-camera panoramas
  Yes vs No
  Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
• Tiltable Screen
  Tiltable vs Fixed
  Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
• Higher effective ISO

  Higher effective ISO

  Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

  Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

  You can learn more at our glossary entry.

  Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  A57 test data on DxO Mark D3000 test data on DxO Mark
  785 vs 563 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• More dynamic range

  More dynamic range

  Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

  Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

  Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  A57 test data on DxO Mark D3000 test data on DxO Mark
  13.0 vs 11.1 evs
  Retain detail in highlight and shadows
• More cross-type AF points
  3 vs 1
  Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
• HDMI out
  HDMI out vs None
  Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
• Shoots 24p video
  Yes vs No
  Gives your movies a big-screen feel
• More dots on screen
  922k vs 230k dots
  Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
• Shoots 1080p video
  Yes vs No
  You'll want this if you shoot video
• More viewfinder magnification
  0.69x vs 0.53x
  Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
• More pixels
  16.1 vs 10.2 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Shoots 60p video
  Yes vs No
  A faster framerate can give you more editing options
• More AF points
  15 vs 11
  More AF points improve autofocus
• Faster JPEG shooting
  10.0 fps vs 3.0 fps
  Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  25 vs 16 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
• Higher extended ISO
  25600 vs 3200 ISO
  Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility