Sony NEX-3 Review
Introduction
The Sony NEX-3 is Sony's first mirrorless interchangeable-lens system camera, along with the better-specced NEX-5 model that was launched alongside it. Featuring a 14.2 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, 25-point contrast-detect autofocus system, 49-segment exposure meter and 3-inch tilting LCD panel with 921,000-dot resolution, the NEX-3 certainly seems to have what it takes to compete with the already well-established Micro Four Thirds cameras from Panasonic and Olympus, and the newer Samsung NX series. The plastic bodied NEX-3 can also capture fast-moving action at 7fps, shoot 720p HD (1280 x720) video as MPEG4 files and is supplied with a compact clip-on flash that attaches via an accessory terminal. Lenses can be fitted via the new E mount system, but the NEX cameras can also use regular Sony Alpha lenses via the optional LA-EA1 adapter. In the UK the Sony NEX-3 costs £449 body only, £499 with the 18-55mm f/3.5-6.3 kit lens or £579 with the 18-55mm f/3.5-6.3 and 16mm f/2.8 lenses. In the US the NEX-3 ships with the 18-55mm f/3.5-6.3 kit lens for $599 or the 16mm f/2.8 lens for $549.
Ease of Use
The Sony NEX-3 is virtually identical to the more expensive NEX-5 model, with the exception of its plastic body, 720p movies and lack of an infrared remote receiver (the NEX-5 has a slightly smaller, lighter magnesium body and can shoot full 1080i HD movies). Therefore most of the comments that we made in our Sony NEX-5 review apply equally to the NEX-3.
As when Sony bought into Konica Minolta's DSLR expertise in 2005 and then unexpectedly swallowed the company's camera-making arm wholesale at the start of 2006, launching its own re-branded version in the Alpha 100 that summer, to a degree the NEX-3 again feels like the electronics giant playing catch up. This is because the 14.2 effective megapixel APS CMOS sensor-sporting interchangeable lens camera, also bearing the Alpha name, arrives some time after well-received turns from its direct competitors.
First off the blocks were Panasonic and Olympus. The former's Micro Four Thirds system G1, which started the whole 'compact camera, DSLR quality' race appeared in late 2008, while the latter's retro-styled 'Pen' was announced last summer, winning over not only the minds of photo enthusiasts starved of fresh (or even recycled) ideas, but hearts as well.
Since the beginning of this year we've seen the debut of the innovative lens and sensor swapping GXR system from Ricoh arrive to some praise but largely skepticism, and then Samsung introduce its own mirror-less Micro Four Thirds' rival in the DSLR-styled NX10, a look it shares with most of Panasonic's G-series options (save the mighty DMC-GF1). Both once again maintained compact dimensions but delivered better-than-compact quality.
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| Front | Rear |
So, while it appears that Sony has arrived late to the party, with it already successfully in full swing, in fairness other big names such as Canon, Nikon and Pentax are yet to declare their hands as regards their own 'hybrid' camera - lacking the development and marketing might of Sony - so there are 'worse' ditherers out there.
Examining the playing field as it stands, we'll be looking to establish what there is about the NEX-3 to recommend it over existing trailblazers. For those not wanting to take both compact and DSLR with them on holiday, but go for just the one high image quality best-of-both-world's alternative, is this now the premier option Sony hopes the NEX will be?
The rectangular body shape and blocky grip looked to our eyes closer to the austere 'built in a Russian tractor factory' style of Ricoh's GXR system camera than the immediately appealing retro finesse of an Olympus Pen, or modernist rubber clad curves of the Panasonic G series. The NEX-3 feels solid gripped in the palm, though with a lens attached it's too large for most jacket pockets. It thankfully has a smaller, wider grip which we actually prefer to the NEX-5's blocky affair. With the 18-55mmm kit lens attached the NEX-5 does look and feel top heavy, and that's without fitting an existing Alpha DSLR lens proper, compatibility offered with pre-existing optics via accessory adapter.
The LCD screen can be tilted back and forward - if not, unfortunately swung outwards at 90° - to allow for low and high angle compositions we might not have attempted without. While it doesn't offer the High Definition video shooting of the NEX-5, one of the few differences between the two cameras, 720p with stereo sound will be more than adequate for most of the NEX-3's target audience. It also matches Panasonic G-series options and the Olympus E-PL1 by featuring a dedicated red camcorder-style video record button for instant thumb-operated video access, which is useful.
Sony is hoping to win one over on the competition by pitching the NEX-3 as one of the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera, at 239g and 33.4mm in depth counting its camera grip and lens mount. Low light sensitivity without flash also theoretically looks set to show rivals a thing or two by ranging from ISO 200 to a maximum ISO 12800 equivalent setting. Impressive stuff, and matching the sort of spec we're used to seeing on mid range DSLRs. So how does it perform?
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| 18-55mm Lens | 16mm Lens |
Like Panasonic's directly competing GF1 (and unlike the Olympus Pens) there's no in-body image stabilisation offered by the NEX-3 unfortunately, so this is via lens only, the optically stabilized 18-55mm zoom offered as part of a kit deal. Though we did get occasional softness, this appears to work well - at least as effectively as the in-camera or lens based anti-shake methodology deployed by rival brands.
For sure the provided lens is one of the most important components of the NEX-3's set up, but with or without it screwed on to the front via Sony's new E-mount (as opposed to standard Alpha mount utilized by the rest of the DSLRs in its family) the camera design looks a little 'basic' compared to competitors - certainly when viewed from the front.
Sony branding and DSLR-style lens release button aside, all we find on the faceplate is a small porthole-shaped window for AF assist/self timer lamp, rectangular CR3 battery-sized and shaped handgrip with lightly ridged surface for a firmer hold.
The top plate looks similarly functional rather than fashionable. The NEX-3 is turned on or off via a thumb-flick of a chunky, nicely rigid switch to the far right which surrounds the responsive shutter release button, rather than via the recessed button we usually find on cameras with a smaller form factor. Do this and it's a wait of 2-3 seconds before an image materializes on the LCD allowing the first shot to be framed - slightly slower than we expected in this regard, and certainly no match for a DSLR proper. To the left of this switch is a dedicated playback/review button, and just below the switch, on the slope that melds into the back plate, the dedicated movie record button. Press this and the user is instantly recording video, whatever alternative shooting mode might previously have been in use; like the same control found on latter Panasonic G-series camera and the E-PL1, this proves essential with regard to spur of the moment filming.
Also positioned atop the camera are a left and right (stereo in combination) microphone, each sitting either side of the lens mount, with the clip-on flash/accessory port positioned in between. To the right of this is also a small built-in speaker, for reviewing audio in the field.
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| Front | Flash |
Incidentally, should you already have a lens attached, screwing the flash into position proves a tad fiddly and also not very secure - there's no tightening nut via which it is secured into place as on the NEX-5. Though the flash can be stored flat to the body to aid portability and adds hardly any additional weight or bulk, when in use the head needs to be manually raised at a angle of approximately 45°. Certainly overall it's a more elegant solution than the flash that's an optional extra with the Olympus E-P1 and E-P2, resembling an airport control tower imagined by the makers of 60s/70s era Thunderbirds. And, even with bundled lens and flash, the NEX-3 is a cheaper option than either of those two more swish-looking alternatives were on launch.
Press the shutter release button down halfway and, after a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment of focus/exposure adjustment, AF point/s highlight in green accompanied by a beep of affirmation to indicate that the user is good to continue on and take the shot. Do so, and in single shot mode to the sound of a satisfying shutter click, a full resolution JPEG is written to memory in a slightly sluggish 4-5 seconds.
As you'd expect in this price bracket, there is the option to also shoot Raw files, or even more usefully for those who wish to hedge their bets Raw and JPEG images in tandem. These settings are accessed within the Image Size folder and are found within the Quality sub folder. You also get Fine or Normal compression levels offered for JPEGs.
As we commented about the NEX-5, not everything on the NEX-3 is located exactly where you might expect it to be found. For example ISO settings are discovered within a brightness option that from the look of the icon that denotes it initially appears to be for adjusting screen brightness only. One would reasonably expect ISO adjustment to be found within the 'camera' folder with the other key shooting options. And so there's a fair amount of familiarisation with the NEX-3's quirks required up front. The Shooting mode gets its own virtual dial though - so at least selecting the options here, including standard P,A,S,M, 9-strong scene mode, intelligent auto and Sweep Panorama, prove easier. Even in intelligent auto mode users still have the ability to get hands on to a degree by controlling background defocus, with a half moon shaped indicator appealing on-screen to the side of the scroll wheel, defocus at the bottom of the arc, 'crisp' at the top.
The NEX-3's external backplate is a similarly pared down affair, the majority of it taken up by the 3-inch widescreen ratio angle-adjustable LCD that stretches from base to top plate. To the right of this is a trio of controls - the top and bottom buttons unmarked until the screen is activated, at which point their purpose is detailed alongside it. The top-most control is revealed as the 'menu' button, a press of which brings up the shooting icons - six in total - the contents of we've already briefly touched on. Instead of the screen-full of text you might expect to be presented with upon press of the menu control, from top left to bottom right of screen, presented instead are Shoot Mode, Camera, Image Size, Brightness/Colour, Playback and Setup icons.
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| Memory Card Slot | Battery Compartment |
The user moves through these options and makes selections via the scroll wheel just below the menu button, which has its own central (and again unmarked) set button. As mentioned this wheel is quite responsive to the touch, which, on a positive note, means that tabbing through options is a swift process, but on the other hand it's easy to slip past the setting you actually wanted when hurrying through them as a photo opportunity suddenly presents itself.
Set at four points around this scroll wheel/pad are a means of adjusting the display, calling up the various flash settings (accessible only if the flash has first been attached of course), exposure compensation (+/- 2EV selectable), and drive mode (single shot, continuous, continuous with speed priority, so focus/exposure fixed from the first shot), or self timer option (10 seconds). The flash options more unusually include rear sync as well as slow sync, plus the regulars of auto and fill in. The NEX-3's red-eye reduction setting isn't found here - instead it has to be first enabled via the aforementioned set up folder if you're shooting portraits with flash.
The bottom button on the camera back provides a means of calling up the on-screen shooting tips, via which Sony no doubt hopes to provide a crutch for new users trading up from a bog standard point and shoot compact. Examples of textual advice, complete with small pictorial thumbnail alongside, include 'increase the ISO sensitivity to make the shutter speed faster', and then, the thoughtful addition: 'higher ISO sensitivity may make noise stand out.' Hand holding for those who want it then, while others may feel Sony has wasted one of its very few dedicated buttons on a feature that, like the manual, many will choose to ignore.
At the base of the camera we find a screw thread for a tripod directly beneath the lens mount, and, in the nether regions of the grip, a compartment storing both rechargeable battery and optional memory card - here Sony reaching out to a wider audience by offering SD/SDHC/SDXC compatibility alongside its own Memory Stick.
While the right hand side of the NEX-3 - if viewing it from the back - features a continuation of the ridged grip but is otherwise devoid of ports or controls, the left hand flank is where users will find separate covered ports for HDMI connectivity and USB output. Only the USB cable was provided with our review sample; there's no standard definition AV output.
Image Quality
All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 14 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 4.5Mb.
Viewed on the desktop there's an overall softness to the NEX-3's images that we hadn't expected - a soft sheen rather than digital crispness - which could well be down to the all-purpose nature of the zoom lens we had in for testing as much as sensor performance. Where it didn't disappoint was in the reproduction of colour, an area in which Sony traditionally excels.
The warmly saturated colours most closely reminded us of the performance of Panasonic's G-series - the GF1 readily trumping Olympus' Pens in head to head comparisons on image quality alone - while the Sweep Panorama images are a definite improvement on the video grab-style results we'd formerly seen from Cyber-shot point and shoots.
With sharp results achievable when shooting handheld at maximum telephoto - and even at night-time thanks to the handheld Night Shot mode unexpectedly found within the scene mode options which fires a brief rapid burst of images to compensate for shake - at maximum wideangle there is some slight barrel distortion, but this is not overly distracting. Edge to edge sharpness is similarly reasonable, though - another Sony regular - pixel fringing makes an appearance between areas of high contrast.
In terms of low light photography the NEX-3 does pretty well. Noise is fairly unobtrusive up to ISO 6400, the look of the image at that high-ish setting as good as results taken at ISO 800 on standard compacts. This suggests ISO 12800 as not a stretch too far, and so it proves. Inevitably you're getting a noisier image but not one that's very noticeably much softer. Thus low light shooters have broader options at their disposal, and spec that isn't just there for spec's sake.
Noise
There are 7 ISO settings available on the Sony NEX-3. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting:
| JPEG | RAW | |
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ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 12800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 12800 (100% Crop) |
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Sharpening
Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are soft at the default sharpening setting. You can change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default look.
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Original (100% Crop) |
Sharpened (100% Crop) |
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File Quality
The Sony NEX-3 has 3 different image quality settings available, with Superfine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.
| 14M Fine (4.83Mb) (100% Crop) | 14M Normal (3.18Mb) (100% Crop) |
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| 14M RAW (14.3Mb) (100% Crop) | |
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Chromatic Aberrations
The Sony NEX-3 handled chromatic aberrations very well during the review, with limited purple fringing mainly present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the example below.
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Example 1 (100% Crop) |
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Macro
The 18-55mm and 16mm lenses don't allow you to get very close to your subject in Macro mode, as shown below. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.
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18-55mm Lens |
16mm Lens |
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Flash
The flash settings on the Sony NEX-3 are Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow sync and Rear flash sync, with Red-eye reduction available in the Main Menu. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.
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Flash Off - Wide Angle (18mm) |
Flash On - Wide Angle (18mm) |
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Flash Off - Telephoto (55mm) |
Flash On - Telephoto (55mm) |
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And here are a couple of portrait shots. Neither the Auto setting or the Red-eye reduction mode caused any amount of red-eye.
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Flash On |
Flash On (100% Crop) |
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Red-eye reduction |
Red-eye reduction (100% Crop) |
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Night
The Sony NEX-3's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds and there's also a Bulb mode for even longer exposures, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 4 seconds at ISO 200.
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Night Shot |
Night Shot (100% Crop) |
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Dynamic Range Optimizer
D-Range Optimiser (DRO) is Sony's solution to improve shadow detail in photos taken in contrasty light.
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Off |
On |
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High Dynamic Range
High Dynamic Range Optimiser (HDR) is Sony's solution for capturing more contrast than a single exposure can handle by combining two exposures into one image.
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Off |
On |
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Intelligent Sweep Panorama Mode
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 allows you to take panoramic images very easily, by 'sweeping' with the camera while keeping the shutter release depressed. The camera does all the processing and stitching and now even successfully compensates for moving subjects. The main catch is that the resulting image is of fairly low resolution.
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3D Sweep Panorama Mode
Upgrading to firmware version 2.0 installs an additional 3D Sweep Panorama mode on the virtual on-screen shooting dial alongside the regular (2D) Sweep Panorama. If you're lucky enough to own a compatible 3D HDTV, download the samples below to experience the full 3D effect.
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| Download the Full Size Image |
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| Download the Full Size Image |
Creative Styles
There are 6 Creative Style preset effects that you can use to change the look of your images.
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Standard |
Vivid |
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Portrait |
Landscape |
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Sunset |
B/W |
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Sample Images
This is a selection of sample images from the Sony NEX-3 camera, which were all taken using the 14 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.
Sample RAW Images
The Sony NEX-3 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).
1/40s · f/8 · ISO 1600
45mm
Download original
1/125s · f/8 · ISO 200
27mm
Download original
1/100s · f/5.6 · ISO 400
82mm
Download original
1/40s · f/4.5 · ISO 1600
60mm
Download original
1/100s · f/8 · ISO 200
82mm
Download original
1/320s · f/8 · ISO 200
67mm
Download original
1/80s · f/11 · ISO 200
27mm
Download original
1/80s · f/11 · ISO 200
27mm
Download original
1/100s · f/5.6 · ISO 800
82mm
Download original
1/30s · f/3.5 · ISO 400
27mm
Download original
1/320s · f/4.5 · ISO 12800
46mm
Download original
1/160s · f/4.5 · ISO 6400
46mm
Download original
1/80s · f/4.5 · ISO 3200
46mm
Download original
1/60s · f/2.8 · ISO 200
24mm
Download original
1/160s · f/2.8 · ISO 200
24mm
Download original
Sample Movie & Video
This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1280 x 720 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 11 second movie is 11.7Mb in size.
Product Images
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Front of the Camera / 18-55mm Lens |
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Front of the Camera / 16mm Lens |
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Front of the Camera |
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Pop-Up Flash |
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Pop-Up Flash |
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Isometric View / 18-55mm Lens |
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Isometric View / 18-55mm Lens |
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Isometric View / 16mm Lens |
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Isometric View / 16mm Lens |
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Rear of the Camera |
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| Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed |
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| Rear of the Camera / Turned On |
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| Rear of the Camera / Main Menu |
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| Rear of the Camera / Camera Menu |
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| Rear of the Camera / Help |
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| Top of the Camera |
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| Bottom of the Camera |
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| Side of the Camera |
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| Side of the Camera |
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| Front of the Camera |
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| Front of the Camera |
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| Memory Card Slot |
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| Battery Compartment |
Conclusion
The Sony NEX-3 is so similar to its big brother, the NEX-5, that you'd be hard-pressed to tell them apart side-by-side. Indeed, there are so few differences that we're not sure why Sony went to the trouble of releasing both models. That said, if you don't need the full HD movies or better build-quality of the NEX-5, then the NEX-3 is a significantly cheaper option that otherwise delivers exactly the same features, image quality and performance.
Lacking the charm of the Olympus Pen series, the usability of the Panasonic G range and Samsung NX10, or the quirkiness and lateral thinking behind the Ricoh GXR, Sony is majoring on its all-conquering brand name and ready-made mass-market audience/appeal to make the NEX-3 a practical if not quite loveable option.
While the debutant interchangeable lens camera may not be (yet) the game changer that its manufacturer hopes it will be, there is still much here to admire. You have to give Sony the fact that, even if at times you feel the flair is lacking, overall it's a competent performer nonetheless.
We weren't blown away by the NEX-3's image quality - coming as it does after some very capable contenders who got there first - but there's a reasonable degree of consistency and the ability to tweak shots to a limited degree in-camera if you desire; otherwise RAW shooting is the way to go.
As with the NEX-5, there are major improvements to be made to usability and intuitiveness, especially for more experienced photographers who will be dismayed by all the button pressing that's required. For more novice users on a budget, though, the Sony NEX-3 makes a logical step-up model from smaller-sensored compacts, and is our pick of the two new NEX cameras.
| Ratings (out of 5) | |
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| Design | 4 |
| Features | 3.5 |
| Ease-of-use | 3.5 |
| Image quality | 4.5 |
| Value for money | 4.5 |
Review Roundup
Reviews of the Sony NEX-3 from around the web.
dpreview.com »
The waiting is now over as, following the showing of some mock-ups at PMA and a torrent of teasers and leaks, Sony finally officially announced its NEX system last month. The details are exactly what you'd expect - HD video capable APS-C sensors in small bodies. What might take you by surprise is just how small the bodies are - the NEX-5 in particular being tiny. In fact the cameras are too small to include in-body image stabilization units, as found in Sony's SLRs, and instead use lens-based 'Optical SteadyShot'. These NEX cameras will come under the Alpha brand but do not make use of the Alpha lens mount, instead using the completely new all-electronic E-mount.
Read the full review »
imaging-resource.com »
As the fourth major manufacturer to enter the market for small, mirrorless digital cameras with interchangeable lenses, Sony had to make a big impression. We think they'll do just that with the new Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3, two cameras they're calling "alpha compact interchangeable lens digital cameras."
Read the full review »
Specifications
| Sony α mount | NO |
| Sony E mount | YES |
| Compatibility with A-Mount bayonet lenses from Minolta and Konica Minolta | YES (with Mount Adaptor, MF only, exclude some lenses) |
| All types of Sony α lenses | YES (with Mount Adaptor, MF only, exclude Tele-converter) |
| All types of Sony E lenses | YES |
| Minolta & Konica Minolta α/MAXXUM/DYNAX lenses | YES (with Mount Adaptor, MF only, exclude some lenses) |
| Image sensor type | CMOS sensor |
| Image sensor colour filter | R, G, B, Primary color |
| Size (mm) | 23.4 x 15.6mm (APS-C size) |
| Total sensor Pixels (megapixels) | Approx. 14.6 |
| Effective Pixels (megapixels) | Approx. 14.2 |
| Automatic White Balance | YES |
| White balance: preset selection | Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Flash, Setting the color temperature |
| White balance: custom setting | YES |
| White balance: types of color temperature | 2500 - 9900 k with 19-step Magenta / Green compensation |
| White balance bracketing | NO |
| ISO Sensitivity Setting | ISO200 - 12800 equivalent |
| System: Sensor-shift mechanism | NO |
| SteadyShot INSIDE scale (in viewfinder) | NO |
| Camera-Shake warning (in viewfinder) | NO |
| SteadyShot INSIDE capability | NO |
| SteadyShot INSIDE compatibility | NO |
| *SteadyShot INSIDE was previously known as Super SteadyShot |
| Double anti dust system (anti-static coating and sensor shift mechanism) | NO |
| Charge protection coating on Low-Pass Filter and electromagnetic vibration mechanism | YES |
| TTL phase-detection system | NO |
| Contrast AF system | YES |
| Sensor | NO |
| Sensitivity Range (at ISO 100 equivalent); EV | 0 - 20 |
| Eye Start AF System (on off selectable) | NO |
| AF Area: Wide focus area | NO |
| AF Area: Spot | NO |
| AF Area: Local focus area selection | NO |
| AF Area: Multi Point | YES (25 points) |
| AF Area: Center Weighted | YES |
| AF Area: Flexible Spot | YES |
| AF Modes | Continuous, Single Shot, Direct Manual Focus, Manual Focus |
| Predictive Focus Control | YES |
| Focus Lock | YES |
| AF Illuminator | YES (with built-in LED type) |
| AF Illuminator range (meters) | Approx. 0.3m - Approx. 4.0m (E 16mm F2.8) Approx. 0.5m - Approx. 3.0m (E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS) |
| Light metering type | 49-segment metering by the image sensor |
| Light metering cell | NO |
| Light metering: Multi segment | YES |
| Light metering: Spot | YES |
| Light metering: Center weighted | YES |
| Exposure: Automatic | NO |
| Exposure: Program Auto | YES |
| Exposure: iAUTO | YES |
| Exposure: Shutter priority | YES |
| Exposure: Aperture priority | YES |
| Exposure: Manual | YES |
| Exposure: Scene selection | YES |
| Sweep Panorama | YES |
| Anti Motion Blur | YES |
| AE Lock | NO |
| Exposure compensation | YES (+/-2EV with 1/3EVsteps) |
| AE Bracketing | With 1/3 EV / 2/3 EV increments, 3 frames |
| Type | Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type |
| Shutter Speed Range (seconds) | 1/4000 - 30 and bulb |
| Flash Sync Speed; second | 1/160 |
| Built-in-Flash Guide Number (in meters at ISO 100) | 7 (connect to Smart accessory terminal) |
| Flash Metering System | Pre-flash TTL |
| Flash Compensation | +/-2.0 EV (1/3 EV steps) |
| Built-in-Flash Recycling Time (approx. time in seconds) | 4 |
| Flash Mode | Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow sync, Rear flash sync. |
| Wireless flash mode | NO |
| Slow Synchronization | YES |
| Red-Eye Reduction | YES |
| Flash Popup | NO |
| Automatic Flash | YES |
| Type | NO |
| Focusing Screen | NO |
| Field of View (%) | NO |
| Magnification (with 50mm lens at infinity) | NO |
| Eye Relief | NO |
| Diopter Adjustment | NO |
| Type | YES - Contrast AF Live View |
| Other | Exposure compensation, WB, Creative Style |
| Screen Size | 7.5cm(3.0type) |
| Monitor Type | TruBlack LCD |
| LCD Total Dot Number | 921.600 |
| LCD on/off | NO |
| Brightness adjustable | YES |
| Tilting screen | YES |
| Drive Mode | Single, Continuous, Speed-priority Continuous, 10 seconds and 2 seconds Self-timer, Continuous Self-timer |
| Continuous-Advance Rate (approx. frames per second at maximum) | 7 fps in Speed-priority Continuous mode |
| Number of Continuous Advance | JPEG (L size, Fine): 16/14 images, RAW: 7 images, RAW+JPEG: 7 images |
| Recording Media | Memory Stick PRO Duo™,Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™, SD memory card, SDHC memory card, SDXC memory card |
| Recording Format | JPEG(DCF Ver.2.0, Exif Ver.2.3, MPF Baseline) compliant, DPOF compatible |
| Image Size L - JPEG (pixels) | 4592x3056 (14M) |
| Image Size M (pixels) | 3344x2224 (7.4M) |
| Image Size S (pixels) | 2288x1520 (3.5M) |
| Panorama size:Max. degrees of sweep angle(focal length 16mm/18mm) | 12,416 x 1,856(226deg/201deg) / 8,192 x 1,856(149deg/133deg) / 2,160 x 5,536(151deg/135deg) / 2,160 x 3,872(106deg/94deg) |
| Still Image quality | JPEG,RAW(ARW2.1 Format),RAW+JPEG |
| Noise Reduction (Long exp.NR) | On/Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 second |
| Noise Reduction (High ISO NR) | YES (Auto/Weak) |
| Delete Function | YES |
| Color Space (sRGB) | YES |
| Color Space (Adobe RGB) | YES |
| Color mode/DEC/Creative styles | Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, B/W |
| Dynamic Range Optimizer | Off, Auto, Advanced: Level |
| Date/Time Print | NO |
| Information Display | YES |
| White/Black Out Alert | YES |
| Index Playback | YES (6, 12) |
| Enlarge (Maximum magnification) | 13X(L), 10X(M), 6.7X(S),24X(Panorama STD), 34X(Panorama WIDE) |
| Image Rotation | YES |
| Auto Image Rotation | YES |
| Battery Remaining Indicator | YES |
| InfoLITHIUM Battery Indicator | YES (in %) |
| Histogram Indicator | YES |
| Exif | 2.3 |
| Exif Print | YES |
| PictBridge | NO |
| Menu Language | English / French / German / Spanish / Italian / Portuguese / Dutch / Russian / Swedish / Danish / Norwegian / Finish / Polish / Czech / Hungarian / Greek / Turkish |
| Zone Matching | NO |
| Depth-of-Field Preview | NO |
| PRINT Image Matching III | YES |
| Remote Release Terminal | NO |
| IR Remote Control | NO |
| DPOF(Digital Print Order Format) | YES |
| Indicator of remaining memory space (CF) | YES |
| Beep Sound | YES |
| File Number Memory | YES |
| Folder Name Mode | YES |
| Operating Temperature (degrees C) | 0 - 40 |
| Video Out | NO |
| HD/HDMI™ Out | HDMI mini connector (Type C), BRAVIA Sync (Sync menu), PhotoTV HD |
| USB 2.0 Hi-Speed | YES |
| USB Mode | Mass Storage (PC connection) / PTP |
| Battery System | NP-FW50 |
| Supplied Battery | NP-FW50 |
| Stamina (battery life in CIPA condition) | Approx. 330 images |
| Weight (g) | Approx. 239 |
| Width (mm) | 117.2 |
| Height (mm) | 62.6 |
| Depth (mm) | 33.4 |
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