Nikon D3100 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A580

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D3100 compared with Alpha DSLR-A580

	NikonD3100	SonyAlpha DSLR-A580
Overview
Released
Released	September 2010	October 2010
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor type
Sensor type	CMOS	Exmor APS HD CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.1 × 15.4 mm	23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	14.2 MP	16.2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	4608 × 3072	4912 × 3264
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–3200	100–12800
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	14.2 million effective and 14.8 million total pixels; Nikon DX format with approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; sensor-cleaning system and Image Dust Off reference data	Approximately 16.7 million total pixels; RGB primary-colour filter, charge protection coating and sensor-shift dust reduction
Image formats
Image formats	NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape Picture Controls; in-camera RAW processing and retouching	JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG; Sony ARW 2.2
ISO detail
ISO detail	ISO 100–3200 in one-stop steps; expanded ISO 6400 and 12800 equivalents; Auto ISO	ISO 100–12,800 for single exposures; Multi Frame Noise Reduction combines six exposures and extends to ISO 25,600.
Image processor
Image processor	EXPEED 2	BIONZ
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Nikon F mount	Sony A-mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	3 fps	7 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	Autofocus with AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses. Other compatible AF lenses require manual focus. Non-CPU lenses work in manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported; electronic rangefinder requires maximum aperture f/5.6 or faster	Sony A-mount; operation confirmed with Minolta and Konica Minolta AF lenses
Autofocus
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A, single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking; AF-assist lamp. Live view uses contrast-detection AF-S/AF-F with face-priority, wide, normal and subject-tracking areas	TTL phase detection: 15 points in live view, including three cross-type points; 11 points with optical viewfinder. Single, automatic and continuous AF; Focus Check Live View also offers contrast AF.
Shutter
Shutter	1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops and Bulb; flash sync 1/200 second	Electronically controlled focal-plane shutter; 30 seconds to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second
Burst detail
Burst detail	Approximately 3 fps under Nikon's manual-focus, S/M, 1/250-second-or-faster test conditions; Japanese specification lists up to 13 RAW, nine RAW plus Fine JPEG or 100 Fine JPEG frames with its specified 4 GB SanDisk Extreme SDHC card	Normal continuous: up to 5 fps with optical viewfinder or 3 fps in live view. Speed Priority: up to 7 fps with focus and exposure locked at the first frame. Maker buffer: approximately 44 Fine JPEG, 22 RAW or 20 RAW+JPEG frames, depending on conditions and media.
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation	SteadyShot INSIDE sensor shift; Sony claims approximately 2.5–4 stops, depending on lens and conditions.
Flash
Flash	Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 12 m at ISO 100, 20°C, or 13 at manual full output; hot shoe; optional AS-15 adapter for PC sync	Automatic pop-up flash; guide number 12 m at ISO 100; ADI and pre-flash TTL; proprietary Alpha flash shoe
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	P/S/A/M, Auto, flash-off Auto and scene modes; beginner Guide mode with illustrative assist images. 420-pixel RGB metering with Colour Matrix Metering II, centre-weighted and spot modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting on/off	Program, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual and scene modes; 40-segment optical-finder metering, 1,200-zone Quick AF Live View metering. Auto HDR combines three exposures; 2D/3D Sweep Panorama and handheld twilight modes.
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	1920 × 1080 at 24 fps	1920 × 1080 at 25 fps
Video detail
Video detail	H.264 MOV at Full HD 24p, 720p 30p/25p/24p or 640 × 424 at 24p; actual NTSC rates 29.97/23.976. Maximum clip ten minutes. Nikon USA's short movie feature list incorrectly describes 640 × 424 as 30 fps; its detailed table and Japan specify 24p. Continuous contrast-detection autofocus available	PAL: AVCHD 1920 × 1080, 50i recording from 25 fps sensor output at approximately 17 Mbps; MP4 1440 × 1080 or VGA at 25 fps. NTSC versions use 59.94i recording from 29.97 fps output. No continuous autofocus during recording (Photography Blog).
Audio
Audio	Built-in mono microphone with linear PCM recording; no external microphone input	Built-in stereo microphone, external stereo microphone input and mono playback speaker
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	3″	3″
Screen dots
Screen dots	230,000	921,600
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	–	No
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	–	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed 3-inch TFT, approximately 230000 dots, adjustable brightness; dots count subpixels	Xtra Fine LCD tilts 90° up and down. Dedicated-sensor Quick AF Live View covers 90%; main-sensor Focus Check Live View covers 100%, with 7×/14× magnification, grid lines and level gauge.
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Pentamirror; approximately 95% frame coverage, 0.8× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 mm eyepoint	Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage and 0.80× magnification with a 50 mm lens at infinity, −1 m⁻¹.
Connections and design
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	550 photographs	1050 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	455 g (better)	599 g
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon Japan records sale on 16 September 2010 for the body, single-lens and double-zoom kits	Sony UK and Hong Kong specify availability from October 2010, following the August announcement; no first-sale day is given.
Recording media
Recording media	One SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot; compatible Eye-Fi cards supported	SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo; manual card selector
Ports
Ports	Hi-Speed USB, mini-HDMI Type C, NTSC/PAL analogue video output and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 remote or GP-1 GPS	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, mini HDMI Type C, remote release terminal, stereo microphone input and Alpha accessory shoe
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	No integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS; optional GP-1 GPS and compatible Eye-Fi card accessories	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	EN-EL14; approximately 550 CIPA photographs. Nikon USA's later page also lists EN-EL14a compatibility	NP-FM500H; approximately 1,050 shots using optical viewfinder or 560 in live view, under CIPA conditions.
Charging
Charging	External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5a adapter with EP-5A power connector	Supplied BC-VM10 battery charger; optional AC-VQ900AM adapter/charger or AC-PW10AM adapter
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 124 × 96 × 74.5 mm from Nikon Japan; Nikon USA's converted inch figures differ slightly	Approximately 137 × 104 × 84 mm (width × height × depth), excluding projections.
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 455 g body only or 505 g with battery and SD card, excluding body cap	Approximately 599 g body only; 679 g including battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo.
Colours
Colours	–	Black
In the box
In the box	EN-EL14 battery, MH-24 charger, DK-5 eyepiece cap, DK-20 eyecup, AN-DC3 strap, BF-1B body cap, BS-1 shoe cover, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM and two ferrite cores for separately supplied USB/audio-video cables	–