Sony NEX-3 Review
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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