How many Megapixels does the Sony A3000 have?

The Sony Alpha A3000 is equipped with a an APS-C sensor that offers an image resolution of 19.8 megapixels (MP), or 19.8 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 3:2, the sensor has 5 456 horizontal pixels and 3 632 vertical pixels.

A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Sony A3000 can be considered to be a high-resolution camera that outresolves any 35mm film camera.

A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.

How large can I print with 19.8 MP?

The maximum print size of the Sony A3000 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.3 x 46.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.8 x 14.5 inches or 55.4 x 36.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.1 inches or 46.2 x 30.8 cm. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Sony A3000 to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
2.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
3.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
4.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
5.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
6.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
7.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
8.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
9.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
10.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
11.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91

In the United States, the A3000 was initially launched in August 2013 at a price of $329.

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Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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