Sony NEX-C3 vs Olympus Stylus 1

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Sony NEX-C3 vs Olympus Stylus 1

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APS-C 365.0mm²
16.2 megapixels

Go in depth with our full Sony NEX-C3 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the NEX-C3.

1/1.7 inch 43.3mm²
12.0 megapixels
28.00mm - 300.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Olympus Stylus 1 Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus Stylus 1 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the Stylus 1.
Compare Olympus Stylus 1 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus Stylus 1 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Olympus Stylus 1s
Compare Stylus 1 vs Stylus 1s
Compare Sony NEX-C3 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

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Differences

Sony NEX-C3 advantages over Olympus Stylus 1

Less expensive
$600 vs $700 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1/1.7 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.76 vs 1.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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.
NEX-C3 test data on DxO Mark Stylus 1 test data on DxO Mark

1,083 vs 179 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
33 mm vs 56 mm
Thinner
More pixels
16.2 vs 12.0 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Faster shutter
1/4000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Olympus Stylus 1 advantages over Sony NEX-C3

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
Less shutter lag
0.27 vs 0.43 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 5.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 10 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Read NEX-C3 User Reviews

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Olympus Stylus 1

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Review Excerpt

Very small body, refined build. Large sensor for good light gathering. Various low-light shooting modes to improve results. HD video mode with real-time autofocus.
Menu-driven interface is sometimes confusing, making quickly finding what you want difficult. Camera may be too small for some.
Read our Sony NEX-C3 Review

High-quality constant aperture 10.7x zoom lens with excellent performance; Very affordable for what it delivers; Ergonomically sound with a solid, professional feel; Highly customizable; Fast overall performance; Built-in EVF and tilting touchscreen LCD; Automatic lens cap.
Smaller sensor size than 1-inch and Micro Four Thirds models mean far lower image quality as ISO tops 800; 28mm eq. is not as wide as some competitors and not overly suited for landscape photography.
Read our Olympus Stylus 1 Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-C3

Sony NEX-5N

$559
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$700
APS-C

Shoots 24p video
Shoots 1080p video

Compare Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony NEX-5N

Olympus Stylus 1

Sony NEX-5N

$449
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Sony NEX-5N

Compared to Nikon P7100

Sony NEX-C3

Nikon P7100

$559
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$500
1/1.7 inch

Less expensive
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Sony NEX-C3 vs Nikon P7100

Olympus Stylus 1

Nikon P7100

$449
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$500
1/1.7 inch

Less expensive
Shoots 24p video

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Nikon P7100

Compared to Samsung NX200

Sony NEX-C3

Samsung NX200

$559
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$600
APS-C

Shoots 1080p video
More pixels

Compare Sony NEX-C3 vs Samsung NX200

Olympus Stylus 1

Samsung NX200

$449
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Samsung NX200

Compared to Sony NEX-5R

Sony NEX-C3

Sony NEX-5R

$559
APS-C

Less expensive
Higher effective ISO

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Sony NEX-C3 vs Sony NEX-5R

Olympus Stylus 1

Sony NEX-5R

$449
1/1.7 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Sony NEX-5R

Compared to Olympus Stylus 1s

Sony NEX-C3

Olympus Stylus 1s

$559
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$549
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Sony NEX-C3 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

Olympus Stylus 1

Olympus Stylus 1s

$449
1/1.7 inch

Faster JPEG shooting

$549
1/1.7 inch

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

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