Sony A3000 vs A68

The Sony Alpha A3000 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2013 and November 2015. The A3000 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the A68 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The A3000 has a resolution of 19.8 megapixels, whereas the A68 provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A3000		Sony A68
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Sony E mount lenses		Sony A mount lenses
19.8 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-16,000		ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		2.7" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
2.5 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
470 shots per battery charge		540 shots per battery charge
128 x 91 x 85 mm, 411 g		143 x 104 x 81 mm, 610 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A3000 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A3000 and the Sony A68 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A68 is notably larger (28 percent) than the Sony A3000. Moreover, the A68 is substantially heavier (48 percent) than the A3000. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A3000 nor the A68 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the A3000 gets 470 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the A68 can take 540 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack. The power pack in the A3000 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
2.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
4.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
5.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
6.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
7.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	1,349	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The A3000 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 53 percent) than the A68, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A68 is 3 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the A68 uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ X) than the A3000 (BIONZ), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24MP, the A68 offers a higher resolution than the A3000 (19.8MP), but the A68 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.25μm for the A3000). Yet, the A68 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 2 months) than the A3000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A68 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A68 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A3000 are 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.3 x 46.1 cm for good quality, 21.8 x 14.5 inches or 55.4 x 36.9 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.1 inches or 46.2 x 30.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Alpha A3000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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 A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
3.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
4.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
5.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
6.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
7.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
8.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
9.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
10.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
11.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
12.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
13.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
14.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
15.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60i).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A68 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A3000 (1440k vs 202k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A3000, the Sony A68, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
5.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
7.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the A68 and the A3000 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A68 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the A3000 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A3000 and the A68 write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A68 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the A3000 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A3000 and Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the A68 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The A3000 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the A3000 and the A68 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the A3000 and A68 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A3000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A68 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A3000 or the Sony A68 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A3000:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.6 stops ISO advantage).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More compact: Is smaller (128x91mm vs 143x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 199g or 33 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (53 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2013).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A68:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 19.8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ X vs BIONZ).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (1440k vs 202k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.47x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (540 versus 470) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A3000 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A68 is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 8 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A3000 and the Sony A68 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A3000 or the A68 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
2.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
4.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
5.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
6.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
7.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	1,349	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu 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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