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Sony NEX-3N Comparison Review

The Sony Alpha NEX-3N is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in February 2013 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 16 megapixel.

camera

Is the Sony NEX-3N a good camera? The NEX-3N has a Camera Elo of 1628. This rating puts the NEX-3N below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the NEX-3N also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Sony NEX-3N is more than 11 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2013.

Headline Specifications
Sony NEX-3N
Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses
16 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60i Video
ISO 200 - 16 000
Viewfinder optional
3.0 LCD, 460k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
4 shutter flaps per second
480 shots per battery charge
110 x 62 x 35 mm, 269 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Sony NEX-3N vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Sony NEX-3N vs credit card front
NEX-3N versus credit card top view
NEX-3N and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Sony NEX-3N alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony NEX-3N 110 mm 62 mm 35 mm 269 g 480 n Feb 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
2.
 
Canon M 109 mm 66 mm 32 mm 298 g 230 n Jul 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
3.
 
Sony A5000 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 269 g 420 n Jan 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
4.
 
Sony A5100 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 283 g 400 n Aug 2014 US$ 549ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A6000 120 mm 67 mm 45 mm 344 g 360 n Feb 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Sony NEX-3 117 mm 62 mm 33 mm 297 g 330 n May 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
7.
 
Sony NEX-5N 111 mm 59 mm 38 mm 269 g 460 n Aug 2011 US$ 699ebay.com
8.
 
Sony NEX-5R 111 mm 59 mm 39 mm 276 g 330 n Aug 2012 US$ 749ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-5T 111 mm 59 mm 39 mm 276 g 330 n Aug 2013 US$ 699ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-C3 110 mm 60 mm 33 mm 225 g 400 n Jun 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-F3 117 mm 67 mm 42 mm 314 g 470 n May 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Sony NEX-3N was launched in the US market at a price of $499. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Sony NEX-3N features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Sony NEX-3N among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Sony NEX-3N sensor measures

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony NEX-3N APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i22.812.5106774
2.
 
Canon M APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.282765
3.
 
Sony A5000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.813.0108979
4.
 
Sony A5100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.812.7134780
5.
 
Sony A6000 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.113.1134782
6.
 
Sony NEX-3 APS-C 14.0 4592 3056720/30p22.112.083068
7.
 
Sony NEX-5N APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i23.612.7107977
8.
 
Sony NEX-5R APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i23.713.191078
9.
 
Sony NEX-5T APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60p23.613.0101578
10.
 
Sony NEX-C3 APS-C 16.0 4912 3264720/30p22.712.2108373
11.
 
Sony NEX-F3 APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i22.712.3111473

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The NEX-3N indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the NEX-3N can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Sony NEX-3N along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Sony NEX-3Noptional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon Mnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.3/s n n
3.
 
Sony A5000none n3.0 / 461 tilting n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
4.
 
Sony A5100none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
5.
 
Sony A60001440 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
6.
 
Sony NEX-3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 7.0/s n n
7.
 
Sony NEX-5Noptional n3.0 / 920 tilting Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n n
8.
 
Sony NEX-5Roptional n3.0 / 920 tilting Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n n
9.
 
Sony NEX-5Toptional n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n n
10.
 
Sony NEX-C3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s n n
11.
 
Sony NEX-F3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Sony Alpha NEX-3N is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the NEX-3N

One convenient feature of the NEX-3N is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha NEX-3N and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony NEX-3N-stereo / mono--micro2.0---
2.
 
Canon MYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
3.
 
Sony A5000-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
4.
 
Sony A5100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
5.
 
Sony A6000Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
6.
 
Sony NEX-3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Sony NEX-5NYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Sony NEX-5RYstereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
9.
 
Sony NEX-5TYstereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
10.
 
Sony NEX-C3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Sony NEX-F3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---

Further information on the features and operation of the NEX-3N can be found in the free online Sony NEX-3N Manual or on the Sony support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the NEX-3N handle or perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony NEX-3N3/5......4.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
2.
 
Canon M3/5+....4/54/5 Jul 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
3.
 
Sony A50003/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
4.
 
Sony A51004.5/5+....4.5/55/5 Aug 2014 US$ 549ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A60005/5+4.5/580/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Sony NEX-3......70/1004.5/54/5 May 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
7.
 
Sony NEX-5N3/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2011 US$ 699ebay.com
8.
 
Sony NEX-5R........4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2012 US$ 749ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-5T........4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2013 US$ 699ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-C33/5+ +..74/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-F34/5....74/1004.5/54.5/5 May 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Sony NEX-3N FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the NEX-3N.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Sony NEX-3N?

The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Sony NEX-3N to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Sony equipped the NEX-3N with the BIONZ image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony NEX-3N?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 16000.

Can the Sony NEX-3N be equipped with an optional viewfinder?

Yes, Sony provides the FDA-SV1 as an accessory (here on amazon) that can be mounted on the hotshoe.

Does the Sony NEX-3N have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the NEX-3N is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha NEX-3N?

Sony does not publish a shutter rating for the NEX-3N. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Sony NEX-3N?

Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your NEX-3N has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony NEX-3N?

The NEX-3N offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Sony NEX-3N feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony NEX-3N for flash photography?

The NEX-3N's flash sync speed is 1/160 sec.

Which battery does the Sony NEX-3N use?

The camera gets its power from the Sony NP-FW50 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Sony NEX-3N
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2013
    Launch Price USD 499
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.4 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 365 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.1 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 16 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 912 x 3 264 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.78 μm
    Pixel Density 4.39 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 16 000 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 74
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1067
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Viewfinder optional
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 4 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support no
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type Sony NP-FW50 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)480 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 110 x 62 x 35 mm
    (4.3 x 2.4 x 1.4 in)
    Camera Weight 269 g (9.5 oz)

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