Sony NEX-3NL/B Mirrorless Digital Camera Kit (Black)

I am a long-time, diehard Canon enthusiast who was in search of a large sensor compact system camera (CSC). To give some background, I've owned the following: S400, SD700, S90, XTi, XSi, T2i, 60D, and S95, with the latter three being in my current arsenal. The S95 is compact, but I've grown weary of its noise levels in low light and the fact that pictures from it still possess a point-and-shoot feeling. The T2i has excellent IQ and I love it, but it's on the edge of what I find convenient for travel. To that end, what I desired most was DSLR quality in a more compact form. To fill this gap, there are Micro Four Thirds, 1" sensors, and a host of small body mirrorless APS-C variants. I also had a budget of $700 or less, because as technologies improve and become less expensive each year, I really didn't feel like spending a grand or so on today's camera tech. Having read, researched, and tested some models in my local B&M, I whittled down my candidates to the RX100, EOS M, and NEX-6 (though the 6 was getting out of budget). The RX100 was very attractive and highly acclaimed in the media, but at $650, it was pricey for essentially a P&S. Bearing a styling birthed from Canon's S90+ series, I had lingering doubts about getting yet another high end P&S which costs over twice as much as the S90+ series!. If I lowered the weighting of cost, then this was definitely on the top of my list. The EOS M was attractive as well since I was very familiar with Canon's crop sensor DSLR line, but the new EOS M mount has such a limited supply of lenses and I wasn't planning on spending an extra $150 for the M mount adapter. Rated battery life of 230 CIPA for the EOS M was very disappointing too. Last, I investigated and liked what I saw from the NEX line as an alternative to the RX100. With APS-C sized sensors, the NEX mirrorless CSCs were starting to check off all my requirements, one by one. Though I liked the NEX-6, it was out of my budget, but it was at this point that I stumbled upon the NEX-3N, the current entry-level NEX from Sony. The 3N was released just months ago and was so new that professional reviews were sparse compared to the amount of literature on the RX100, for instance. As another reviewer summarized, the 3N gives you all the core features of the 6 at nearly half the price! Bonus features are stripped: wifi, EVF, high res LCD, and dedicated mode dial, all not present on the 3N. But look - same APS-C sensor, same IQ, same kit lens (16-50), same core features as the 6, but nearly half the price! This was compelling. So, it became a duel between the NEX-3N and RX100. In favor of the NEX-3N were: * cost ($500 vs $650) * APS-C sensor vs 1" * tilting lcd screen for self-portraits and tough shooting angles * battery life (480 vs 330 CIPA) * wider starting focal length of 24mm vs 28mm While the RX100 has a faster lens, it's only faster at the wide angle start of the zoom range. Furthermore, the larger APS-C sensor of the NEX-3N can match the faster lens of the RX100 as it relates to depth of field. Finally, here's a list of miscellaneous tips and things of note: * because of the low res LCD screen, don't use it to pixel peep to check for sharpness (countless times, I've had doubts whether I had accurately focused, but upon import of the pics to my iMac, I was pleasantly surprised with the results, with a very high hit rate of sharp keepers) * use focus peaking and coloration to focus along with DMF; use the LCD screen for framing * if you come from a Canon background, the Sony menu system takes some time to get accustomed to * looking for the perfect case? check out Lowepro's Dashpoint 20... fits the NEX-3N like a glove * use the bounce flash to beautifully light up your subject * get a 40.5mm UV filter and forget the lens cap * the camera software has a tendency to quickly bump up the ISO in low light situations and favors high ISO vs slower shutter speeds... because you cannot limit or cap the ISO when it is in Auto ISO mode (unlike Canons), your only alternative is to hard set it to a lower ISO to force a slower shutter speed and reduce the noise... also, ISO configurability is only available in PASM * some bemoan the lack of an external charger, but I found it convenient to use the same charging systems as those for my phone and tablets, plus, the battery does indeed last a very long time * it's compatible with Eye-Fi cards * videos are beautiful, zoomable, and auto-focus * three ways to zoom provide great flexibility * I don't use the camera strap; instead, I use a BlackRapid Metro sling which works beautifully Sony made the right design choices in their quest to distill the bare essentials of the NEX line down to the core and achieve their MSRP of $500. So new and underrated, but so good. It's the sleeper hit of 2013. The NEX-3N is not perfect, but for me, it exceeds my needs.

I have been a loyal Canon customer since the early 2000's. In no way am I a professional, but I do read up on tutorials and appreciate taking beautiful photos using what I've learned. I've owned a few Canon point and shoots, video cameras, the Canon Rebel XTI with several lenses, and most recently the Canon PowerShot S100 which I absolutely loved. The Rebel SLR was fun but became too much of a burden to carry around once the diaper bag and baby gear became priority. And we had way too many near misses with dropping the heavy camera on baby (thank goodness for the neck strap and quick hands)! That's where the S100 came in for beautiful shots, ability to take shots in low light of sleeping babies, pocketability, video function and ease of use. I completely recommend it over a typical point and shoot. All was well until it dropped and the cost of repair couldn't be justified. Plus, who refuses an excuse to buy a new camera? My sister has the Sony Nex5R with stock lens and I found myself borrowing it several times. The photos were so bright and clear, with a nice soft airbrushed effect on skin. I took photos with my SLR and Sony Nex at the same party and I could immediately notice the difference once I uploaded the photos to the computer. I researched the various NEX cameras and wavered between the 5T and 3N. The 5R, though discontinued, wasn't much cheaper than the 5T. I finally decided on the 3N because of price (all 3 models have the same internal sensors and are mirrorless), the kit came with a pancake lens, built in flash, video capability, small size and great overall value for the price. I am usually one to go with the newer models and latest trends, but the 3N just made more sense. I kept reminding myself that I was looking to replace my S100, not my SLR. Some of the newer features of the 5/6/7, such as touch screen and wifi capability, aren't a selling point for my needs. I did buy an external charger and battery for convenience (I do not like having to charge the battery inside the camera), a B&W lens filter/protector (don't buy a cheap filter, it will negate having a quality lens) and anti-glare screen protector. I do miss having a viewfinder because the screen is a bit difficult to see in bright sunlight, but the screen protector helped a bit.. But after a month of casual use, I am very happy with the camera. The images are beautiful, it didn't take long to learn the menu and functions, the size is great for carrying around on my neck or in a bag, and the price is pocket friendly! The kids love when we take 'selfies' with the swivel lens, the video quality is nice, and when they become more involved in sports, I will definitely look into a lens with larger zoom. Thank you!

(Update, please see comments on this review) I want to give this camera 5 stars, because it does take *amazing* pictures with excellent quality and full satisfaction in that area. The reason I gave it 4 stars, however, is due to a severe lack in accessories for the camera and a few 'use' issues. I'll start with the not so great things about this camera: The LCD takes up almost the entire back side of the camera, and what it doesn't take up is covered with buttons. The manual for the camera insists you should not touch the LCD and if you do, you should clean it off immediately with a microfiber cloth. So I spend epic amounts of time trying to not touch this screen that takes up most of the back side of the camera. This issue is mitigated to an extent by opening the LCD away from the camera and using the back of the camera to rest your hands, and that is a totally viable solution, but it takes a lot of getting used to, and it doesn't really help when putting the camera away or pulling it out of your bag/case/pack. It's INEVITABLE that you're going to touch this screen, yet, "you shouldn't do that." It's nerve wracking. I have looked and looked for screen protectors that aren't just sticky plastic sheets. I want something sturdy and thick that will go over the LCD to keep any pressure or taps against it from causing any kind of issue, because I'm guessing replacing this screen would be a costly endeavor. I have yet to find anything that fits. Many items are advertised for "Sony NEX 3" cameras, but that is not the same as the NEX 3NL. Different LCDs, I found, after I ordered a LCD cover and was so excited to use it, and found it did not fit at all. I have finally ordered some of the sticky plastic sheets that I was hoping to avoid. The LCD also has glare issues. I did expect that, so I'm not taking any rating points off for that, but I am irritated that there aren't any accessories for shielding the LCD. Especially considering there isn't an Electronic View Finder on this camera, some kind of anti-glare accessory is necessary. The LCD making the camera difficult to get a good hold of makes me want a grip on it. I don't need a battery pack grip, but something to extend the bottom of the camera to give more area for holding would be an incredible blessing. As it is right now, I carry my camera around almost exclusively by the lenses. The lens that comes with the camera in this kit (16-50mm) is on the slow side at 3.5-5.6. This kit did not come with a body cap and rear lens cap. These are very important items for interchangeable lens cameras, so I think it was shortsighted to not include these items. What I love about this camera: This thing is feature packed. There are a million options for setting up your pictures for the specific situation you're in. If you are looking for a camera that you can use for setting up art photography, portraits, or a few light action shots, this is a great camera. It has several "scene" options, such as "twilight, night, landscape, portrait, anti-blur, etc." It gives you aperture and shutter priorities. It has basic color adjustment settings like high contrast black and white, color popping, and a couple of filter settings like 'retro' which gives a slight sepia tint to your image. I do a lot of after editing of my digital prints, but I've found with several of my photos with this camera I didn't have to do *anything* after the fact. They are high quality from start to finish if you take the time to use the features of the camera as you're taking your shots. Despite it's size and location causing issues, the LCD is gorgeous. All the detail in your frame is available at first glance, which really gives you control over your shots. The ability to tilt the LCD all the way forward for self portraits or setting up a timed portrait is very handy and I've used it a few times at family events to much benefit. The user interface for navigating the camera's features is very intuitive and I didn't feel lost the entire time while I learned. If you've used a digital camera at all, even just your phone camera, then you'll have a pretty easy time learning your way around the menus. The camera's built in auto focusing and stabilization are great. Often the pictures come out cleaner than I expected and that's always a nice surprise. I bought the camera when it was on sale and paid ~$350. I would buy the camera again, even with the knowledge I have, because I do love the camera. I am going to hold out hope for more accessories to come on the market.

First things first, this a a remarkably small, genuinely pocketable camera that has the outstanding APS-C 16.1 sensor that is in first rate DSLR's like the Nikon 5100 and Sony 580. The Dxo scores for the sensor nearly match that of the Canon mark II. In order to get this sensor in a small, inexpensive package, you get very minimal additional features and controls. The 16-50 lens is mediocre, but very compact and the distortion can be corrected in lightroom. The lens is not very robust and does break easily if bumped hard in the front. There is an adaptor, which I used and later sold, but the bulk of the adaptor,the loss of optical stabilization, make using this camera with the adaptor a poor choice. An alpha55 dslr with a 16-105mm is just as compact and much easier to use. The native e mount lenses are much better but limited in selection. The 50mm 1.8 is a first rate portrait lens. The 55-200 is reasonably good. I don't see the point in lugging around an 18-200mm with this camera, where the whole point is to be small. My suggestion is just travel light and get the 16-50 only or get a small case and add either the 50mm 1.8 or the 55-200. The moveable flash is a very useful feature for indoor portraits. I strongly suggest getting the 50 mm 1.8 and a small case to clip on your belt, if you want to make this a bit more serious. You can get some of the "magic"of the narrow DOF and clarity of the prime lens without breaking the bank. Mostly, the point is that the image quality is excellent from the sensor and cant be matched by small sensor cameras. Even though the lens is not as fast as I would like, the DOF control is still superior to the small sensor cameras. Charging is really not a problem, just get the charger and extra battery if you take more than 200 shots a day. This is a casual camera, not for doing weddings. The LCD is lousy, but that is part of keeping the price down. Menus take a bit of getting used to but can be mastered in a week or so. If you want a small camera you can take with you everywhere, this is a serious winner. If you want to make the NEX system your main thing, you should probably get a more expandable model like the NEX6, If you want a travel camera, that you slip in your pocket, but shoots raw, has a great sensor and you can add one lens to make a kit that you can fit on a belt clip, this is the way to go. I have gotten some seriously good shots with raw and lightroom that would be absolutely impossible with the typical point and shoot, but the minimal expandability and lack of controls, makes this no substitute for a serious DSLR.

THE GOOD: The NEX 3N is said to be the world's smallest camera based on the APS-C sensor, which is the second-largest sensor (about 16mm by 24mm) commonly found in mass-market cameras. The result is fine photo quality in a small package, with good high-ISO performance. Moreover, the 16-50mm e-mount kit lens is optically decent, and retracts to semi-pancake dimensions when the camera is off. So you get true DSLR-like performance in a box that approaches pocket size -- and is indeed pocket-ish size when paired with one of Sony's true pancake lenses, such as the new and nice and very expensive 20mm e-mount. THE BAD: The 3N handles slowly thanks to so many functions and settings being based in menus rather than in manual controls; a settings-control wheel that's small, jumpy and hard to handle; slowish focusing, and the 16-50mm kit lens, which telescopes at a leisurely rate. Worse, the 3N lacks some of the settings that we take for granted today in any capable camera, such as the ability to customize the parameters of the auto-ISO function or even to control the volume of the focusing beep. THE UGLY: In a fit of the Cheaps and/or the Dumbs, Sony decided not to include a battery charger with this camera. Apparently, they've made the same annoying move with the NEX 6, which is the $1,000 big brother of the 3N. But that's OK, says Sony, because owners can charge the battery inside the camera -- using a tiny cable that the company did include in the kit. (I haven't encountered this very bad in-camera-charging idea since I bought a Canon G1 in 2001.) Sure, Sony, this is just what I want to do on my vacation: sit in a hotel room watching my camera charge my spare battery. Of course, a Sony website will happily sell you the company's very own (and very good) NEX-class charger for $55 plus tax (at other websites it costs more like $40, if you can find it). I would much have preferred a higher 3N kit price -- with the furshlugginer charger included.

I was in the market for a great point and shoot for an upcoming vacation to Acapulco. However, since learning about Sony's line of mirrorless cameras, I invested more time comparing similar cameras. I have never invested more than $400 for a camera, but I have had plenty of experience with DSLR's. I've compared this camera to high-end point and shoots like the Canon G15 and other mirrorless cameras like the Nikon J1. I find this one to have all the my camera needs. This particular camera won me over for its capabilities and the camera's portability. The camera contains a large sensor capable of taking beautiful shots even in low lights. The kit lens for the NEX 3N shoots at 16mm - 50mm which I think is the best suited for everyday use. The camera does have its downfall like the screen inability to tilt face down. The screen is also not the best quality, often showing a grainy version of your shots. This could be seen a plus, if you consider how much power the low resolution screen saves the camera. Overall this camera is great for every day use. It is sleek, powerful, and affordable. If you are a beginner in photography and want a camera that is capable of taking amazing pictures, this is definitely the camera to purchase. Shortly, after you have developed your ability to use the camera you can purchase more capable lenses that are available for the NEX series. If you want to compare different cameras based on specs you can use the website, Snapsort to compare cameras. I used this website to compare various cameras before purchasing this one. Be cautious though, not to be swayed by the camera's ranking, the website may list a particular camera the winner simply because of popularity.

I was very happy with my camera until one of my lenses went bad and the camera refused taking pictures saying "Cannot recognize lens. Attach it properly". I was in Europe for couple months and I quickly found the Sony does not have international warranty and I could not get the lens repaired. Luckily I have more lenses so I kept using my other lenses until I went back to US. But couple week after that the camera body started reporting the same error. Sony service line told me that the cost of the repairs is 200+ USD for post warranty repairs of the body and that the lens will be considered "In warranty". I searched on the Internet and found that all the forums are plagued with the same complaints. Do your search and type "Cannot recognize lens" to see yourself. Sony should be recalling these cameras/lenses and just fixing them, because the NEX can break down even with careful handling. Now I wish I never bought the camera and all the lenses. I am stuck with Sony E-mount lenses which will likely fail when I start using them regularly. My Panasonic camera&camcorder took really hard beating compared to Sony and they still work after years of service. I do not trust Sony quality any longer. Because I had nothing to lose due to the 200+ USD repair costs and I was positive that it is a mechanical issue, I opened up the camera to see myself. I found out that there is a series of springs which push the contacts back against the lens. These springs are badly designed and they only generate very little force, so one of the springs was not pushed all the way through to make contact with the lens. This is clearly an internal mechanical problem on Sony's side. So the more you swap lenses, the more prone the camera is to stop working. Here is a picture so you can see what I am talking about http://tinypic.com/r/fxutxj/8 UPDATE JANUARY 2015 This product and the whole Sony support is a bad joke. I gave another camera to my brother as a gift and the camera is now broken too! The display just gave up one day - when the camera started, the display would shut down after like 5 seconds. Luckily the camera is still under warranty, so I sent it for repair in mid December and I still don't have the camera back. The service sent me back wrong part and they are holding me hostage before they send my camera. Lets summarize the score 2 cameras stopped working, 1 lens stopped working, no international warranty, over two months to get your gadgets repaired. I am making damn sure that I am not buying another Sony product no matter how appealing they are.

I mean, of COURSE it's better than a point-and-shoot. And it better be for the money! Anyway, I do really like the camera. I've only had it for about two weeks, so I don't know what all the features do, and I'm by no means a camera expert, but I have been having a lot of fun with it! We have a trampoline and it's been really great to capture all the mid-air shots from the kids. I personally really wanted a nice camera that was fast to get those kid-shots. It re-loads quickly and takes the shot pretty immediately, both of which things were the most important to me. It also takes extremely sharp pictures in good light, doing the blurry background thing that is really cool, too. I will say I'm a little bummed the night pictures aren't better. It has a decent built-in flash, but there isn't really anything to write home about with the night pictures. Again, though, I haven't read through the whole manual and tried out all the buttons yet, so hopefully I will find a better option. (I will try to remember to update this when I do!) The menu is SUPER easy to use and there are even tips built right in, like an explanation of what the heck aperture is and how to get it to do what you want it to do. That is helpful for someone like me who isn't technically challenged, but I'm also not really interested in being a professional photographer, either. I just want nice pictures of my family and friends! So anyway, bottom line, I recommend this camera. It is very compact, it takes beautiful pictures, and is very easy to use!

The camera is great at the price. But I'm surpised that Sony did not include a carry case or dust cover. Sony doesn;t even have one available to purchase independently. Good camera but poor in the peripherals.