Sony NEX-3N Review | 108 Data compared

The DPReview hands-on preview identifies the Sony NEX-3N as an ultra-compact, entry-level mirrorless camera, noted as the smallest interchangeable lens camera with an APS-C sensor and built-in flash. Key strengths include a secure, grippy design, the versatile 16-50mm Power Zoom kit lens, and an intuitive 'Photo Creativity' mode for beginners. Conversely, the camera suffers from a cluttered, non-intuitive user interface and subtle physical controls. To achieve its small form factor, the NEX-3N lacks an accessory terminal or hot shoe, restricting the use of external flashes, mics, or viewfinders.

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Sony NEX-3N as a compact, entry-level mirrorless camera offering DSLR-quality images, featuring a 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor, a 180-degree tilting screen, and a new, user-friendly zoom lever. Pros include its excellent, portable handling, superb low-light performance, and the convenient built-in flash. However, the review notes significant cons for the sake of affordability, such as a lower-resolution 460k-dot screen compared to its predecessor and the omission of an accessory terminal for microphones or viewfinders. The camera is also described as having slower, sometimes sluggish, operation in terms of burst speeds and menu navigation.

The Sony NEX-3N stands out as an exceptionally budget-friendly compact system camera that offers superb image quality and an impressively pocketable design. A major highlight of this entry-level model is the inclusion of a smaller, motorised 16-50mm kit lens, which provides sharp edge-to-edge clarity and allows the camera to easily slip into a coat pocket or handbag. Thanks to its large 16-megapixel sensor, it excels at producing vibrant JPEGs and delivers low-light performance that outclasses many of its direct competitors. Furthermore, users benefit from a long-lasting battery that yields up to 480 shots, alongside a clever built-in flash that can be tilted upward to bounce and soften light. To achieve its aggressively low price point, Sony trimmed several premium features, resulting in a few notable downsides. The camera lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, a touch-sensitive interface, a dedicated command dial, and the premium magnesium alloy build found on higher-tier models. Performance-wise, autofocus tracking during continuous shooting drops significantly to just 1.2fps, and low-light video capture tends to look noisy. Additionally, the lower-resolution LCD screen suffers from heavy reflections outdoors, requiring users to...

The Sony NEX-3N is a highly affordable entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera that offers exceptional value, essentially bundling the camera body for an estimated $100 when paired with its $350 16-50mm power zoom kit lens. It shares the same 16.1MP sensor as its predecessor, delivering excellent image quality, low-noise high ISO performance, and rich Sony colours that rival bulky DSLRs. A major highlight of the camera is its compact, highly pocketable boxy design and a 180-degree tilting LCD screen that makes it incredibly convenient for self-portraits and beginner-friendly shooting. Tested alongside the camera, the Sony 20mm f/2.8 pancake prime lens provides a versatile 30mm equivalent focal length. It represents a significant upgrade over older models like the 16mm lens by offering improved edge-to-edge sharpness when stopped down to f/4, smooth bokeh, and minimal real-world performance issues, making it an excellent compact walk-around option. However, the kit's low price point comes with noticeable trade-offs in build quality and advanced functionality. The NEX-3N body has a hollow, cheap, and "plastic" feel that does not contour to the hand as well as premium models...

The Sony NEX-3N is a highly portable, lightweight mirrorless camera featuring a 16.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor that delivers exceptional image quality with natural colours and strong low-light performance up to high ISO levels. Designed with a minimalist and streamlined layout, it offers intuitive menu controls, a sturdy rubber hand grip, a 3-inch tilting LCD screen, and outstanding video performance recorded in the high-bitrate AVCHD codec. It serves as an excellent, user-friendly entry point for beginners, packing features like an effortless 180-degree panorama mode, Auto HDR, and a helpful digital zoom lever on the body. However, the camera has notable limitations, most significantly its weak macro photography performance, which prevents close-up focusing with the 16-50mm kit lens. Reviewers also found the lack of a viewfinder makes framing shots difficult in direct sunlight, and the mechanical shutter is quite loud for discreet shooting. Furthermore, using creative functions like Picture Effects and Auto HDR requires laboriously digging through menus to manually change the file settings to JPG Fine first, which can slow down the overall user experience. If you'd like to narrow down...

summary of the Sony NEX-3N review: The Sony NEX-3N is an entry-level compact system camera designed as an affordable stepping stone for users upgrading from point-and-shoot compacts or smartphones. It stands out as the world's smallest and lightest mirrorless camera to feature a large APS-C sized sensor, bundled with a compact 18-55mm power zoom lens. This model borrows several premium features from Sony's higher-end lineup, including a 16.1-megapixel sensor, area-specific noise reduction for enhanced low-light performance, and intelligent framing tools like Auto Object Framing. Additionally, it features a 180-degree tilting LCD screen that automatically activates a dedicated self-portrait mode when flipped up. The camera's primary pros include its highly portable, small chassis, the impressive image quality delivered by its large APS-C sensor, and the inclusion of the handy tilting screen. However, its low retail price point introduces several notable cons, such as a complete lack of a touchscreen interface—which may disappoint smartphone-accustomed users—and limited raw file functionality. Furthermore, it lacks an accessory port or hotshoe, preventing users from attaching external viewfinders or flashes. It also drops the advanced phase-detection autofocus...

The Sony Alpha NEX-3N is an entry-level mirrorless camera that stands out for its impressive compactness, weighing just 9.5 ounces and housing a DSLR-sized image sensor. A primary pro highlighted in the review is its lower asking price compared to its predecessor, the NEX-F3, making it a highly affordable option. It also features an included 16-50mm retractable power zoom lens that keeps the overall package slim and highly portable. In terms of performance, the camera delivers solid low-light capability by keeping JPEG noise below 1.5% up to an ISO setting of 16000, and it captures 1080p video with quiet autofocus execution. However, the budget-friendly price tag comes with several distinct compromises that make it a lesser performer than earlier models. A major con is the camera's overall speed; it suffers from a sluggish 2-second startup time due to the power zoom lens extension, and shutter lag reaches a slow 1.2 seconds in dim conditions. The rear display has also been downgraded to a lower 460k-dot resolution, which lacks the sharpness of previous versions. Additionally, the compact kit lens sacrifices optical...

The Terry White Tech Blog review details the author’s hands-on experience using the Sony Alpha NEX-3N mirrorless camera during a live Sting and Paul Simon concert. Originally hesitant to buy a mirrorless model, the author purchased this entry-level camera due to its affordable price point and highly positive peer recommendations. Testing it live under concert lighting conditions with a 16-50mm kit lens, the author utilized manual camera settings—specifically shooting at f/5.6 and a 1/80th shutter speed—ultimately concluding that while it will not replace a professional Nikon DSLR setup, it serves as an excellent, budget-friendly "walk around" travel companion. Terry The review highlights several prominent pros and cons regarding the camera's real-world functionality. On the positive side, the pros include its low retail cost, strong low-light sensor performance at both 800 and 1600 ISO, and the ability to shoot in full Manual mode and RAW format. Additionally, its compact form factor effectively bypasses venue security restrictions that typically flag larger setups as "professional" gear. Conversely, the cons include a digital zoom feature that is completely disabled when shooting in RAW mode,...

The Sony NEX-3n camera kit offers incredible value for beginners looking for DSLR-quality images without the bulky size. Priced at under $450 with the 16-50mm kit zoom lens, it stands out as an affordable entry into mirrorless photography. On the positive side, it features a large 16.1MP APS-C sensor that delivers great image quality, intense colors, and excellent black-and-white rendering. It also includes a useful 180-degree tilting LCD screen with a self-portrait countdown mode. However, the camera has notable drawbacks, such as a hollow, cheap, "plastic" feel and slow autofocus speeds. It lacks an internal viewfinder, cannot connect to an external electronic viewfinder, and omits physical control dials, which limits manual control for advanced users. The Sony 20mm f/2.8 pancake lens is a compact alternative to the older, softer 16mm lens. It acts as a 30mm equivalent walk-around lens that fits easily into a front pocket. Pros of this $348 lens include smooth bokeh, sharp details across the frame, and pin-sharp corners when stopped down to f/4. On the downside, the lens suffers from noticeable distortion when shooting up close,...