If you’re looking to up your game from entry-level cameras, then, this Sony a6300 Vs Nex-7 comparison article is the read for you. The Sony a6300 and Nex-7 are semi-pro level cameras with features that are capable of satisfying anyone that’s dissatisfied with beginner cameras.
We have broken down all the features of both of the cameras in comparison in this article so feel free to read through.
 |  |
Before we continue, we would like to pre-inform you that this article is going to be a long read, so, it would require some time for you to completely digest all the information in it.
However, if you do not have that time, our comparison overview can help you make a quick decision. You can begin reading that in the following section.
Want to see the a6300 strictly in the light of its video capabilities? Then click here to read our comparison of the Sony a6300 vs GH4 Video.
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Comparison Overview
For this section, we’ll be highlighting all the features of the two cameras in comparison to help you make the best choice in the shortest possible time.
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Where Both Cameras Get It Right
Both cameras come with articulated screens. Also, these screens have very high screen resolutions to make viewing easier.
Moving on to image quality, these cameras have a high sensor resolution. This feature provides you sharper images and larger potential print sizes for the images.
Also, the Sony a6300 and Nex-7 support the RAW format of images which are high quality and with loads of room to edit to your tastes.
Other great features of these cameras include an electronic viewfinder for framing images, face detection focus for shooting portraits, and auto exposure bracketing for shooting tough lighting conditions.
Both the Sony a6300 and Nex-7 have great performance in continuous shooting mode which is great for shooting action and sports.
Then finally, for shooting videos, these cameras have a microphone port that provides great audio quality for your videos.
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Where The Sony a6300 Does It Better
The Sony a6300 has a built-in wireless feature that allows it to automatically connect to the internet.
It also has a higher max ISO of the two cameras.
Also, the camera has a lot more focus points. These focus points make it easier to focus on different points on the scene being shot.
Other areas where this camera outperforms the Nex-7 include the continuous shooting mode, color depth, and dynamic range.
Finally, the Sony a6300 comes with environmental sealing, NFC compatibility, and smartphone remote control compatibility – all of which aren’t in the Nex-7.
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Where The Nex-7 Does It Better
There are two major features where the Nex-7 does a better job than the Sony a6300.
Firstly, the battery of the Nex-7 lasts longer.
Secondly, this camera weighs a little less than the Sony a6300.
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Where Both Cameras Get It Wrong
One common loss these two cameras share is the lack of image stabilization.
To avoid these blurs, the best option for these cameras would be to get Vibration Reduction lenses, or always shoot with a tripod stand.
Price Value Ratio – Sony a6300 vs Nex-7
Which is more expensive: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 costs a few dollars more than the Nex 7. This wouldn’t be much of a surprise, considering the fact that the Sony a6300 was released quite a number of years after the Nex-7. It also has a lot of features better than the Nex-7.
Now, seeing that the price difference between these two cameras isn’t very large, we would favor the Sony a6300 to give better value for your money.
Although these two cameras have quite a lot in common, there is a lot more the a6300 has to offer for just a little more money.
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Comparison Table
Sony a6300 |
Sony Nex-7 | |
| Wireless Connection | Built-in | Eye-Fi Connection |
| Number Of Focus Points | 425 | 25 |
| Continuous Shooting | 11 frames per second | 10 frames per second |
| Environmental Sealing | Yes | No |
| ISO Range | 100 to 25600 and can be expanded to 51200 | 100 to 16000 |
| Near Field Communication | Yes | No |
| Smartphone Remote Control | Yes | No |
| Color Depth | 24.4 | 24.1 |
| Dynamic Range | 13.7 | 13.4 |
| Low Light ISO | 1437 | 1016 |
| Max Video Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Battery Life | 400 shots | 430 shots |
| Weight | 404 grams | 400 grams |
| LCD Screen Resolution | 922k dots | 921k dots |
| Click here to get the Sony a6300 now! | Click here to get the Nex-7 now! |
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Circumstances They Are Best Suited For
Sony a6300 |
Sony Nex-7 |
| The Sony a6300 is quite the multipurpose camera and can work for a wide range of purposes. It has an impressive max shutter speed value, 24 megapixels of sensor resolution, and also has an outstanding continuous shooting mode performance. These two and many other great features qualify the Sony a6300 best for shooting landscapes, sports, and other similar categories. | The Nex-7 is also a pretty impressive multipurpose camera. The Nex-7 performs above average in almost any workspace. This camera would be the best choice for shooting street photography and here’s why. This camera doesn’t have a large body size, therefore, you don’t have to worry about fitting it into your bag to carry around. This camera also has a fantastic electronic viewfinder and live view mode. This means that you can switch between the two as they best serve your needs. |
| Now, this camera might not be the best choice for shooting portraits. This is because it has no built-in image stabilization feature. This means that a lot of hand-held shots my not have the crisp sharpness that portraits require. | However, the Nex-7 isn’t a camera we would recommend for shooting landscape or wildlife, or any workspace that could have harsh weather conditions. This is because the camera doesn’t have environmental sealing, therefore, it exposed to weather elements that could damage the camera. |
| Click here to get the Sony a6300 now! | Click here to get the Nex-7 now! |
This brings us to the end of the comparison overview section. If you need more information before you make a decision, and that’s only okay, then keep reading. From here on, we dive deep.
Common Features Of The Sony a6300 vs Nex-7
The following features are common to both the Sony a6300 and the Nex-7:
1. Articulating screen
2. LCD Screen Resolution
3. High ISO Range
4. Flash
5. Viewfinder
6. RAW Support
7. Sensor Resolution
8. Face Detection Focus
9. Continuous Shooting
10. Microphone Port
11. Auto Exposure Bracketing
12. No Image Stabilization
Articulating Screen
Which has an articulating screen: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 and Nex-7 both have articulating screens. However, they only move about just one axis – slightly upwards and downwards. This articulating screen type is known as the tilting or tiltable articulated screen.
The former (fully-articulated screen) has a design that allows it to move about two axes. This allows the screen to tilt and also swivel.
While the latter (Cross-tilt articulated screen) is designed to move about various axes, therefore, it can move horizontally vertically and also rotate several angles.
LCD Screen Resolution
Which has a higher LCD screen resolution: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 has a higher LCD screen resolution than the Nex-7. However, both cameras have LCD screen resolution. The screen resolution of the camera LCD determines the quality of the display you’ll be getting on the screen.
This is very important as, a lot of times, the situation might require you to shoot with the LCD screen, therefore, the quality of the screen display will determine how usable the screen would be.
As for the two cameras in this Sony a6300 Vs Nex-7 comparison, they have an impressive screen resolution. However, as stated in the comparison table, the Sony a6300 has a higher LCD screen resolution.
High ISO Range
Which has a higher ISO value: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The max ISO value of the Sony a6300 is higher than the Nex-7. The ISO value of a camera is a feature that determines how sensitive the image sensor is to light. With a very high ISO value, you can take photos in the dark and have them still look well exposed.
The max ISO value of the Sony a6300 has the capacity to be expanded. Now, it is very important to note that as the ISO of the camera increases, the tendencies of having grainy images also increase. Nonetheless, the amount of grain an image possesses with high ISO depends on the camera.
It is for this reason that we have embedded videos showing the ISO-noise performance of the two cameras in comparison.
Built-in Flash
Which has a built-in flash: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 and the Nex-7 both have a built-in flash. The built-in flash is designed as a light enhancement tool that photographers use in low-light.
It is a part of the camera body and is also integrated into the system of the camera. So, what this means is that exposure-related settings on the camera also affect the built-in flash.
However, this built-in flash isn’t a very powerful light source, therefore, there are some conditions where it won’t be as effective as expected. When faced with such situations, the best option for proper lighting would be the external flash as it is a more powerful light enhancement tool.
Now, to use the external flash, the camera must have a component called the external flash shoe. And like we said earlier, both cameras come with an external flash shoe.
Viewfinder
Which has a viewfinder: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 and the Nex-7 both have A viewfinder. The viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose and to focus a picture.
The viewfinder is one of the most important features photographers look out for in framing images. Although the LCD screen can also be used for framing, the viewfinder offers better composure and stability while framing as the camera and hands are positioned closer to the body of the photographer.
There are two basic types of viewfinders, which are electronic and optical viewfinder.
We’ll be paying more attention to the electronic viewfinder, as that is the viewfinder type in both of these cameras.
The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is mostly found on mirrorless cameras as it doesn’t use the mirror mechanism like DSLR cameras.
The EVF has a lot of advantages. Let’s discuss a few.
First, it has a histogram display for monitoring the exposure of the image.
Also, the preview seen on the EVF is the same way the final result of the images will turn out.
Furthermore, when shooting in dim environments, the image preview on the viewfinder will appear brighter.
Now, for the Optical viewfinder, on the other hand, it functions using the mirror mechanism of the DSLR cameras. This involves the use of reflex mirrors and a pentaprism to project the exact view that is seen through the lens of the camera.
RAW Support
Which supports the RAW feature: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
Both the Sony a6300 and Nex-7 support the RAW file feature. When saving images on the camera there are two basic file formats, the JPEG format, and the RAW format.
When shooting in RAW, the camera saves the uncompressed format of the images shot. This means that every detail recorded by the camera from the scene is saved in the image.
The JPEG format is a more widely supported file format. In cameras, files saved in this format are a compressed version of the images shot by the camera.
Now, it is important to note that, due to the detail saved in RAW images, the images tend to have very large storage sizes. So, prepare for that.
Sensor Resolution
What is the max sensor resolution of the Sony a6300 and the Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 and Nex-7 have the same impressive max resolution of 24 megapixels. The sensor resolution determines the quality of images that the camera produces. It is basically the number of pixels that make up the images shot by the camera.
The sensor resolution of a camera has a few functions and we’ll discuss them briefly.
The first is the cropping.
When it comes to shooting scenes that the photographer cannot get to close to, there are always high chances of having unwanted objects in the scene, hence the need to crop.
Cropping is also known to reduce image quality. However, with a high sensor resolution, image quality is preserved even after cropping.
Another function that sensor resolution affects is Downsampling – a process that involves reducing the resolution of images shot at higher resolutions.
Why would anyone want to reduce the resolution of their image? Well, images shot at very high resolutions tend to have larger storage sizes, and sometimes to use images especially on websites, there are size limits.
Now, in order to meet the size requirement, the photographer must then downsample the images.
So, with high-resolution images, even after downsampling images will still retain quality.
Last and most definitely not the least is the display and print size of the images shot by the camera.
Now, for both print and display, the sensor resolution determines how big either of the two can be.
Higher resolutions mean that there are more pixels in the image to stretch out, which also implies larger print and display sizes.
Face Detection Focus
Which has a face detection focus feature: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
Both the Sony a6300 and Nex-7 have the face detection focus feature. Face detection focus is a feature of the camera that allows it to detect and focus on human faces in the scene being shot.
What really makes this feature important is the fact that it doesn’t only detect the faces, but also locks down on the faces.
This means that whenever the face changes position, the camera also detects that position change and re-adjust the focus to the face.
This feature is really great for shooting portraits – of kids especially – and both cameras are equipped with this feature.
Continuous Shooting
Which has the continuous shooting mode: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
Both the Sony a6300 and the Nex-7 have this feature. Continuous shooting is a mode that is mostly useful for shooting action as it allows you to take multiple shots in one second. This way, you don’t miss out on potentially picture-perfect moments.
In terms of performance, these two cameras have a very fabulous shooting frame rate. However, they differ very slightly (see comparison table).
Microphone Port
Which has a microphone port: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 and the Nex-7 both come with a microphone port. This feature is essential for users who intend to shoot outdoor videos. With the microphone, you’ll be able to hook your camera up with an external mic for better audio quality.
Now, even though most cameras have an internal microphone, internal mics tend to pick up background noise which will be bad for your videos. An external mic, on the other hand, records and amplifies the sound from the direction it is pointed at – leaving out as much as possible of the sounds from the environment.
Auto Exposure Bracketing
Which has the auto exposure bracketing feature: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
The Sony a6300 and Nex-7 both have an auto exposure bracketing feature. Auto exposure bracketing is a feature that acts as an exposure-setting aid for the photographer under tough lighting conditions.
When shooting scenes that have a lot of shadows or variations in lighting, one of the biggest challenges photographers might experience is setting the right exposure. Auto exposure bracketing saves you the stress of having to take one picture at a time, trying out different exposure settings.
With the feature on, your camera simply takes multiple photos at different exposure values. Hence, most times, at least one photo comes out perfectly exposed.
No Image Stabilization
Which has an image stabilization feature: Sony a6300 or Nex-7?
Both the Sony a6300 and the Nex-7 lack the image stabilization feature. The image stabilization feature is one that is very helpful when shooting with the camera hand-held. This feature basically makes sure that you never have blurred photos as a result of camera shake.
Seeing that both of the cameras in comparison do not have this feature, it is advised that you shoot more with a tripod stand in order to avoid blurs.
What Are The Unique Features Of The Sony a6300 And Nex-7?
Wireless Connection
Wireless features have made using the camera an easier job in a lot of ways. The most prominent wireless function when it comes to cameras is WiFi, which the Sony a6300 comes with.
Unlike the Sony a6300, the Nex-7 doesn’t have the Wi-Fi connectivity feature in-built. In order to connect to the internet, the Nex-7 makes use of a device called the Eye-Fi card.
The Eye-Fi card is a card that allows the camera to access the internet. So, when the Eye-Fi card is inserted into the camera the camera can then connect to the internet and share files with other devices.
NFC Connection
The Near Field Communication (NFC) connection is another wireless feature that can be found on some cameras.
However, the unique thing about this feature is that it doesn’t require the use of internet access to create its connection. It is also only used for connection and communication with smartphones.
With this feature, all that is required to create the connection is an NFC compatible smartphone to come in contact with the camera.
With this connection, several functions can be carried out including file sharing – all done wirelessly.
For this Sony a6300 Vs Nex-7 comparison, only the Sony a6300 is NFC compatible.
Smartphone Remote Control
Of all the camera remote control methods that exist today, the smartphone remote control method has proven to be the best yet.
The first major advantage of the smartphone remote control method is the preview it shows while shooting.
Unlike a lot of the other remote control tools that allow you to only trigger the shutter of the camera, with smartphone remote control you can see the scene being shot without being on the scene.
This smartphone remote control feature is unique to the Sony a6300 in the Sony a6300 Vs Nex-7 comparison.
Video Resolution
The video resolution of a camera is the number of horizontal lines stacked one on the other from top to bottom of the video. This determines the size of the screen that the video can be displayed on. When a video is displayed on a screen that exceeds its resolution, the video loses its quality and appears blurry.
The Sony a6300 and Nex-7 both have impressive High Definition resolutions. However, the video resolution of the Sony a6300 is higher.
The Nex-7 has a video resolution of 1080p. This means it has 1080 horizontal lines stacked on each other from top to bottom which is 1920 pixels wide (1920 x 1080). This resolution is known as a full high definition resolution.
This video resolution is great, however, it cannot be used for commercial and cinematic purposes. It is restricted to HD monitors and TV screens to retain its quality.
As for the Sony a6300, it has a video resolution of 3840 by 2160. This is one of the highest resolutions that can be found on digital cameras. It is popularly known as the 4K resolution.
This 4K resolution has 2160 lines stacked on each other from top to bottom that is 3860 pixels wide. It is also known as an Ultra High Definition display resolution. This resolution is a better choice for shooting cinematic or commercial purpose videos.
Sony a6300 – What Are The Unique Pros?
The following are the unique pros of the Sony a6300:
1. Comes with in-built Wi-Fi.
2. Has a higher max ISO value, making it the better camera under low light conditions.
3. Features more focus points than the Nex-7.
4. Shoots more frames per second in continuous shooting mode.
5. Comes with environmental sealing, keeping it safe from weather elements.
6. Higher color depth, and so it captures more color detail than the Nex-7.
7. Has a higher dynamic range.
8. Video resolution is 4K.
9. Also, this camera is NFC compatible.
10. Supports smartphone remote control.
Nex-7 – What Are The Unique Pros?
The following are the unique pros of the Nex-7
1. Battery life is longer.
2. The Nex-7 is the lighter camera of the two cameras in the review.
Sony a6300 – What Are The Unique Cons?
The following is the unique constraint of the Sony a6300:
1. Battery life is not long.
Nex-7 – What Are The Unique Pros?
The following are the unique cons of the Nex-7:
1. No environmental sealing, which exposes it to damage under harsh weather conditions.
2. Does not support the smartphone remote control feature.
Common Pros of Sony a6300 And Nex-7
Sony a6300 |
Sony Nex-7 | |
| Articulating Screen | Present | Present |
| Built-in flash | Present | Present |
| External Flash Shoe | Present | Present |
| Viewfinder | The Sony a6300 has an Electronic viewfinder. | Same as the Sony a6300. |
| RAW Support | Present | Present |
| Face Detection Focus | Present | Present |
| High Max Sensor Resolution | This camera has a high sensor resolution of 24 megapixels. | Same as the Sony a6300. |
| Microphone Port | The Sony a6300 has a microphone port that allows you to connect an external microphone to the camera for clear audio while shooting videos. | Same as the Sony a6300. |
| AE Bracketing | This feature on the camera helps with shooting scenes with tricky lighting. | Same as the Sony a6300. |
| Click here to get the Sony a6300 now! | Click here to get the Nex-7 now! |
Common Cons of Sony a6300 And Nex-7
Sony a6300 |
Sony Nex-7 | |
| No Image Stabilization | This feature adjusts different parameters whenever the camera experiences a shake while the shutter is open in order to avoid blurs on the images shot. The Sony a6300 doesn’t have this feature. | Same as the Sony a6300. |
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – What Do People Think About Both?
Sony a6300 |
Sony Nex-7 |
| With the Sony a6300, users are very impressed with the size and feel the body of this camera comes with. Another feature that a lot of users love is the autofocus system of this camera which is reported to be fast and responsive. | This camera is very much appreciated for its multipurpose features. The image quality this camera offers doesn’t disappoint users in any way. Also, the user interface of this camera impresses a lot of users. It is said to be easy to learn and use. Users are also very impressed with the battery life of this camera, especially considering the fact that a lot of Sony cameras do not have long-lasting batteries. |
| One feature that users aren’t very impressed with is the JPEG compression of this camera. Apparently, the JPEG format is not as great as RAW. | The only feature of this camera that popped as an issue with this camera is the built-in flash. |
| Click here to get the Sony a6300 now! | Click here to get the Nex-7 now! |
Sony a6300 vs Nex-7 – Our Take
Sony a6300 |
Sony Nex-7 |
| Discussing this camera today has been something that really enjoyed, because, we honestly are in love with this camera. Starting with the fact it isn’t a very large camera and still packs with it such amazing features, you cannot help but love this camera. Also, this camera is a great multipurpose camera, so, it serves a variety of photography needs. | As for the Nex-7, we also equally love this camera for different reasons. Firstly, this camera is rated semi-pro level, however, based on the features we have seen, this camera can also be used to shoot professionally. Another reason we really love this camera is how much of a competition it tried to put up against a camera that was released about three years after it. |
| Do you agree? Then, Click here to get the Sony a6300 now! | You think so too? Then, Click here to get the Nex-7 now! |
SONY a6300 VS Nex-7: Related FAQs
Can I use a Full-frame Lens On Sony a6300?
The Sony a6300 allows for the usage of a full-frame lens. A full-frame lens provides large build quality and has the capacity to capture crisp images in dim light conditions.
It also comes with quick autofocus. Some of the full-frame lenses that are compatible with the Sony a6300 are:
Sony E 24mm f/1.8
Sony E 16-70mm f/4
Sony E 20mm f/2.8
Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS
Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS
Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS
Using a compatible lens with the Sony a6300 makes the camera durable.
Is Sony a6300 A Professional Camera?
The Sony a6300 is a professional camera. The camera is in the category of mirrorless cameras so can be used as a professional camera.
The camera has a 24-megapixel resolution and a sensor that produces high photo quality when capturing images in dim light. The Sony a6300 comes with an outstanding metal design and an exterior MIC jack.
It also has a good APS-C CMOS sensor which produces an improved ISO of 51,200. Additionally, the camera can record HD videos through HFR within 120 FPS. This results in four times slow motion output.
Does Sony a6300 Shoot 4k?
The Sony a6300 camera shoots 4k videos. The camera can record videos with complete pixel readout without any pixel binning. The camera 4k recording can reach 100 Mbps within a bit rate. The shooting rate of the camera is 1080p video within 120fps and this makes the camera produce excellent slow-motion videos. The camera also comes with an inbuilt S-Log gamma used for recording.
This feature of the camera is well known by pro videographers due to the variety of options provided during the recording of videos.
Does The Sony Nex-7 Produce Excellent Video Quality?
The Sony Nex-7 camera produces solid and excellent video quality. The camera is described as a complete package because it has a big sensor. It also comes with a built-in flash, a tilting LCD, and an OLED EVF.
For non-professionals, this camera comes off as an expensive tool while professional videographers have a different view. The Sony Nex 7 has a creative two-dial unit that controls and moves the screen-based functions of the camera to its hardware where videographers want it.
How Long Does The Battery Of Nex-7 Last?
The Sony Nex-7 takes 430 images when fully charged but the number of shots a photographer can take with a single charge of the battery pack depends on the imaging practice and style.
For instance, using the camera LCD screen to review or frame pictures for a long time will affect battery life. Also, if you are using the camera in a cold environment or switching the camera off and on frequently, the number of shots it will capture will drop.
When the battery starts aging, the number of shots it takes will also reduce.
Does The Sony a6300 Have A Microphone Input?
Sony a6300 comes with a special microphone input. The camera has a normal stereo 3.5mm audio input package for inserting external microphones. The camera also retains its Sony XLR-K1M XLR and XLR-K2M adapters through the various interface shoes.
Furthermore, as a result of the improved and quick hybrid AF unit, videographers will notice an improvement that is two times higher than the normal AF accuracy and speed while recording videos. The Sony a6300 has the capacity to produce uncompressed UHD 4k videos using the camera HDMI port.
