Nikon D3000 vs Sony HX90V
The Nikon D3000 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2009 and April 2015. The D3000 is a DSLR, while the HX90V is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D3000) and a 1/2.3-inch (HX90V) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 18 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D3000 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V? 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 Nikon D3000 and the Sony HX90V is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions 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 HX90V is considerably smaller (52 percent) than the Nikon D3000. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D3000 nor the HX90V are weather-sealed.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the HX90V has a lens built in, whereas the D3000 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the D3000 and their specifications in the Nikon Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the D3000 gets 500 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL9a battery, while the HX90V can take 360 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the HX90V can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | 126 mm | 97 mm | 64 mm | 536 g | 500 | n | Jul 2009 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony HX90V | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 245 g | 360 | n | Apr 2015 | US$ 429 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX720 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 36 mm | 270 g | 250 | n | Feb 2016 | US$ 379 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X100 | 126 mm | 75 mm | 54 mm | 445 g | 300 | n | Sep 2010 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D40 | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 470 | n | Nov 2006 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D40X | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 520 | n | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D60 | 126 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 500 | n | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D90 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 703 g | 850 | n | Aug 2008 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D3100 | 124 mm | 96 mm | 75 mm | 505 g | 550 | n | Aug 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D3200 | 125 mm | 96 mm | 77 mm | 505 g | 540 | n | Apr 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D5000 | 127 mm | 104 mm | 80 mm | 590 g | 510 | n | Apr 2009 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-420 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2008 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-450 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2009 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony HX95 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 242 g | 370 | n | Aug 2018 | US$ 429 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony HX99 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 242 g | 370 | n | Aug 2018 | US$ 449 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony HX400V | 130 mm | 93 mm | 103 mm | 660 g | 300 | n | Feb 2014 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony WX800 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 233 g | 370 | n | Oct 2018 | US$ 399 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 HX90V was launched at a lower price than the D3000, despite having a lens built in. 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D3000 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony HX90V a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the HX90V is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 5.6. The sensor in the D3000 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the HX90V offers a 4:3 aspect.
Despite having a smaller sensor, the HX90V offers a higher resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the D3000. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.25μm versus 6.11μm for the D3000). However, it should be noted that the HX90V is much more recent (by 5 years and 8 months) than the D3000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the HX90V has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Sony HX90V implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the HX90V for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D3000 are 19.4 x 13 inches or 49.2 x 32.9 cm for good quality, 15.5 x 10.4 inches or 39.3 x 26.3 cm for very good quality, and 12.9 x 8.6 inches or 32.8 x 21.9 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Nikon D3000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.
In terms of underlying technology, the D3000 is build around a CCD sensor, while the HX90V uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 563 | 62 | |
2. | Sony HX90V | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 738 | 47 | |
3. | Canon SX720 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.3 | 11.8 | 817 | 48 | |
4. | Fujifilm X100 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/30p | 22.9 | 12.4 | 1001 | 73 | |
5. | Nikon D40 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 21.0 | 11.0 | 561 | 56 | |
6. | Nikon D40X | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.4 | 11.4 | 516 | 63 | |
7. | Nikon D60 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.5 | 11.4 | 562 | 65 | |
8. | Nikon D90 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 977 | 73 | |
9. | Nikon D3100 | APS-C | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/24p | 22.5 | 11.3 | 919 | 67 | |
10. | Nikon D3200 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 24.1 | 13.2 | 1131 | 81 | |
11. | Nikon D5000 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 868 | 72 | |
12. | Olympus E-420 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.4 | 527 | 56 | |
13. | Olympus E-450 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.5 | 512 | 56 | |
14. | Sony HX95 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1057 | 51 | |
15. | Sony HX99 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1058 | 51 | |
16. | Sony HX400V | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 629 | 45 | |
17. | Sony WX800 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.2 | 1070 | 51 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The HX90V indeed provides for movie recording, while the D3000 does not. The highest resolution format that the HX90V can use is 1080/60p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the HX90V has an electronic viewfinder (638k dots), while the D3000 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D3000 and Sony HX90V in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
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. | Nikon D3000 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Sony HX90V | 638 | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon SX720 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Fujifilm X100 | 1440 | n | 2.8 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Nikon D40 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D40X | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Nikon D60 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D90 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.5/s | Y | n | |
9. | Nikon D3100 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Nikon D3200 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Nikon D5000 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | full-flex | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Olympus E-420 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
13. | Olympus E-450 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
14. | Sony HX95 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony HX99 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony HX400V | 210 | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony WX800 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
The D3000 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the HX90V uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The HX90V supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D3000 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 Nikon D3000 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony HX90V | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
3. | Canon SX720 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Fujifilm X100 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Nikon D40 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D40X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Nikon D60 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D90 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Nikon D3100 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Nikon D3200 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Nikon D5000 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-420 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-450 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony HX95 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony HX99 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony HX400V | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony WX800 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the D3000 has a hotshoe, while the HX90V does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.
Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the HX90V has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.
Both the D3000 and the HX90V have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D3000 was replaced by the Nikon D3100, while the HX90V was followed by the Sony HX99. Further information on the features and operation of the D3000 and HX90V can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D3000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX90V Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Is the Nikon D3000 better than the Sony HX90V or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Reasons to prefer the Nikon D3000:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
- Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2009).
Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (18 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 31%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the D3000 requires a separate lens.
- More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 126x97mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the D3000).
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More modern: Reflects 5 years and 8 months of technical progress since the D3000 launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the HX90V is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 11 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Nikon D3000 and the Sony HX90V place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D3000 and the HX90V in practical situations. 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 hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | .. | + | .. | 72/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2009 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony HX90V | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2015 | US$ 429 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX720 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | US$ 379 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X100 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2010 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D40 | .. | 81/100 | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Nov 2006 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D40X | .. | 79/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D60 | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D90 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2008 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D3100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D3200 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 73/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D5000 | .. | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2009 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-420 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2008 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2009 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony HX95 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Aug 2018 | US$ 429 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony HX99 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2018 | US$ 449 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony HX400V | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2014 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony WX800 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Oct 2018 | US$ 399 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, 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.
- Canon 500D vs Sony HX90V
- Canon M3 vs Sony HX90V
- Canon SX70 vs Sony HX90V
- Leica V-LUX 3 vs Sony HX90V
- Leica V-LUX Typ 114 vs Nikon D3000
- Nikon 1 J4 vs Sony HX90V
- Nikon D3000 vs Olympus E-M1 II
- Nikon D3000 vs Panasonic FT7
- Nikon D3000 vs Sony HX350
- Nikon D3000 vs Sony HX95
- Nikon D3000 vs Sony NEX-5T
- Sony H400 vs Sony HX90V
Specifications: Nikon D3000 vs Sony HX90V
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Nikon D3000 | Sony HX90V |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4 |
Launch Date | July 2009 | April 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 599 | USD 429 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon D3000 | Sony HX90V |
Sensor Technology | CCD | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | 1/2.3" Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.6 x 15.8 mm | 6.17 x 4.55 mm |
Sensor Area | 372.88 mm2 | 28.0735 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.4 mm | 7.7 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 5.6x |
Sensor Resolution | 10 Megapixels | 18 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3872 x 2592 pixels | 4896 x 3672 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 6.11 μm | 1.25 μm |
Pixel Density | 2.69 MP/cm2 | 64.04 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 1,600 ISO | 80 - 3,200 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 80 - 12,800 ISO |
Image Processor | EXPEED | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 62 | .. |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.3 | .. |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.1 | .. |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 563 | .. |
Screen Specs | Nikon D3000 | Sony HX90V |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.53x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 638k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | 921k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon D3000 | Sony HX90V |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/2000s |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 10 shutter flaps/s |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDHC cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | no | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon D3000 | Sony HX90V |
External Flash | Hotshoe | no Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Geotagging | no internal GPS | GPS built-in |
Body Specs | Nikon D3000 | Sony HX90V |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL9a | Sony NP-BX1 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 shots per charge | 360 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
126 x 97 x 64 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in) |
102 x 58 x 36 mm (4.0 x 2.3 x 1.4 in) |
Camera Weight | 536 g (18.9 oz) | 245 g (8.6 oz) |
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