Sony Alpha NEX-3N
Announced February 20, 2013
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Sony Alpha NEX-3N is a compact, entry-level mirrorless camera that offers impressive image quality and a versatile power-zoom lens at an affordable price point. While it lacks advanced features like a viewfinder, accessory port, or touchscreen, it remains a capable, user-friendly option for those transitioning from point-and-shoot photography.
Weighted from 13 reviewer scores
Pros
- Compact, portable, and ergonomic design
- Excellent image quality and low-light performance
- High value for the price
- Versatile tilting LCD screen for various shooting angles
- Fast and accurate autofocus performance
Cons
- Lacks a hot shoe, accessory port, or electronic viewfinder
- Limited screen resolution and lack of touchscreen functionality
- Obtuse menu system and lack of dedicated manual controls
- Slower burst shooting and buffer limitations
- Kit lens distortion and performance limitations
- Launch price $499.99 (USD)
- Sensor 16.1MP APS-C CMOS
- Video 1080p 60p
- Stabilization None
- Burst 4 fps electronic 4 fps mechanical
What the Reviewers Say
All 13 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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The Sony NEX-3N is a versatile, capable and powerful little camera. When the price is considered [...] it jumps out as a particularly strong contender for an entry-level user, or even as a compact backup for a seasoned enthusiast.
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If price has been the only thing keeping you from buying an ILC, you officially have no more excuses left. While the NEX-3n isn’t the best ILC on Sony’s roster, at this price it’s worth every penny.
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Sony has delivered a capable, pocketable camera with the convenience of a compact.
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The Sony NEX-3N is a stylish compact mirrorless camera bundled with a great lens at an impressive price!
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Looking and feeling more like a compact camera than ever, thanks to the combination of the new finger-tip zoom lever and the 16-50mm power-zoom lens, the Sony NEX-3N is almost the perfect introduction to interchangeable lens cameras.
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The Sony Alpha NEX-3N isn't as good a performer as its predecessor, but it does include a collapsible power zoom lens and it comes at a lower price.
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Sony was one of the first manufacturers to enter into the compact system camera (CSC) arena, and as such it has a reasonable heritage with its NEX series.
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It's not the best NEX camera; the NEX-6 adds quite a few features that that make it more appealing overall, but it is quite a bit more expensive, so for $500 you really can't go wrong with the Sony Alpha NEX-3N.
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The Sony NEX-3N is the perfect camera for those just beginning to toy with the idea of turning photography into a serious hobby.
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For those starting out in this mirrorless camera world and are blinded by the many choices the NEX-3N is a wonderful choice if you want to get in on the ground floor of the NEX system.
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We still prefer the more feature-packed Panasonic GF6 and NEX-5R (or the just-announced NEX-5T which adds NFC to the 5R for easier connections to other devices). However, if your budget won’t stretch that far, the NEX-3N is a great choice.
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The versatility of this camera, the price point, and the overall feature set is completely unmatched right now. That's what I will say, and I think that's one of the key reasons that I'm going to give this a full endorsement.
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First things first, the Sony Alpha NEX-3N is an incredible value for money at under thirty thousand Indian rupees.
