Sony NEX-3K Digital Camera 14.2MP w/18-55mm F3.5-5.6 Interchangeable Lens| Black Reviews
Sony NEX-3K Digital Camera 14.2MP w/18-55mm F3.5-5.6 Interchangeable Lens| Black
- 14.2 MP APS (1.5x) Exmor CMOS Sensor, Extremely Compact HD Imaging System
- Interchangeable 18-55mm E-Series Lens
- 720p HD / MP4 w/ MPEG-4 AAC-LC Audio. Up to ISO 12800 / Up to 7 fps
- In-Camera 226° Sweep Panoramas
- Memory Stick PRO Duo or SD/SDHC Cards (Not Included)
- Tiltable 3.0″ LCD; Accepts A-mount lenses via LA-EA1 adapter
The performance of a DSLR without the size and weight. The NEX-3 stands apart as the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera.3 Experience gorgeous HD movies,1 astounding low-light pictures, continuous shooting up to 7 fps, incredible panorama shots, and Live View on a tilting 3″ LCD4.
Price:
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Finally, the perfect camera!,
I have been waiting a lifetime for this camera and it was worth the wait! It provides excellent quality shots in the smallest possible sized body. I am a point-and-shoot user who has been disappointed with the photo quality that comes from even expensive point-and-shoot cameras but who has never bought a DSLR because I knew I would never want to lug one around. If this describes you, then this is your perfect camera. Or, if you own a DSLR and use 5% or less of the features on your camera, this is also the camera for you. On the other hand, if you’re a skilled DSLR user, skip this camera because you’ll be frustrated the compromises that make this camera a smart choice for the average consumer.
Why is this camera “perfect” if you’re a typical or even advanced point-and-shoot user?
COMPARED WITH POINT-AND-SHOOTS, you’ll immediately see the following improvements:
– Low light/indoor shots are dramatically better
– Quicker shutter response time
– Ability to do continuous shooting at 7 frames per second and other DSLR-like features
– Great HD video
COMPARED WITH DSLRs, you get:
– A much smaller camera than a DSLR that you can actually carry around on a regular basis
– As good or better HD video because of the advanced auto-focus technology in the Sony Alpha Nex which does a better job of continuous auto-focus than the average DSLR
– Photo quality that is comparable to a DSLR for the average user (again, if you’re an advanced DSLR user, skip this camera)
– An easier-to-use camera that was designed to make the most important features very accessible with the advanced features tucked away in the menus. The advanced features are there if you need them but if you’re more likely to set the camera on the auto setting, you won’t need the advanced stuff much and will appreciate how straight-forward the camera is to use.
COMPARED WITH OTHER WANNABE PERFECT CAMERAS, you’ll be glad you waited for the Sony Alpha Nex because it’s:
– Smaller in size than the other options
– Has better photo performance due to the larger APS-C sensor (12X the size of a typical point-and-shoot and also significantly larger than the competitive Micro Four Thirds sensor)
– Has better video performance
– Is similar or cheaper in price
Other wannabe “perfect cameras” I’ve considered and almost purchased have all been “Micro Four-Thirds” cameras, which owned this category of cameras before the arrival of the Sony Alpha Nex.
Panasonic Lumix GF1: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-45mm Lens
Olympus PEN E-PL1: Olympus PEN E-PL1 12.3MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens (Black)
And I am glad I waited. The Sony Alpha Nex has better photo and video performance than both, a smaller form factor than both and is cheaper than the Panasonic (though slightly more expensive than the Olympus which cut its price when the Sony was announced).
As for the Nex-3 vs Nex-5, if you care about the dollars involved in the price difference, then you should get the Nex-3. Three key differences are not really worth the added cost if you’re looking to maximize value: (1) the typical user will not see a noticeable difference between the higher 1080i video resolution in the Nex-5 vs the 720p resolution in the Nex-3 (and I have a hard time believing that home movies can even benefit from the higher resolution). (2) The Nex-5 has a metal body vs plastic for the Nex-3 which is an aesthetic nice-to-have but not a need-to-have. (3) The Nex-5 is marginally smaller in two of the three dimensions (0.2 inch and 0.1 inch). Because of the overall size of the camera with its lens, shaving a little off of the height and width just won’t make a practical difference. Spend your savings on stuff that will actually impact how you use the camera like a spare battery or a larger memory card.
Other things to note:
– The flash is small and detachable, and it’s different than almost any other camera you’re considering. PRO: you don’t need it often because of the great low-light performance and you get a more compact camera as a result. CON: there’s a part you can lose or forget to bring with you if you really need it.
– If you’re looking to own multiple lenses, there aren’t many available lenses directly compatible with the camera and they’re expensive compared to competing lines. But for the advanced point-and-shoot user, you don’t need multiple lenses; just the 18-55mm or if you splurge,…
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|Excellent, for what it is,
The NEX-3 is a classic case of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. On the upside, the sensor is excellent, even by modern SLR standards. You’re not quite on the cutting edge (think Pentax K-5), but you’re pretty darn close – certainly exceeding the previous generation of SLR sensors. With a plethora of adapters for other lenses, high quality glass is also available, and can produce some rather stunning pictures. The small and light form factor allows you to carry the NEX-3 places you wouldn’t want to take a larger SLR (even a consumer-level one), and the adjustable screen gives you the ability to hold the camera in ways that just aren’t possible with a traditional camera, allowing you to be very creative.
Unfortunately, as has been stated many times before, the control layout is a bit poor, though honestly it’s completely manageable. Things are not as quick or elegant as they could (or maybe should) be, but the camera is perfectly usable. The biggest current downside is available lens selection, which is limited to three kit-lens quality lenses, which are extremely overpriced for what you get. While the lens that comes with this kit (the 18-55) is not awful, it won’t win any awards for optical quality either. The other available lenses are a 16mm prime and a 18-200, the latter of which costs close to $800 dollars – a lot of money to spend for a non-pro lens.
The real question, though, is the future of the format. Sony has announced an aggressive roadmap (7 new lenses in the next 2 years), but we know very few actual details about the lenses that will come out. Does a “high quality standard zoom” mean a 17-55 f2.8, or a 17-40 f4? How much might this lens cost? Will any third party manufacturers produce lenses for the E-mount? How committed is Sony to using this mount going forward? What is the relative level of effort between the A-mount and E-mount lens design groups? All of these are currently unknowns.
If you’re a pro for whom $550 doesn’t sound like a big deal when buying a camera, then this is a great little toy. Light, fun, good image quality in a small package.
If you’re looking at this as a long-term alternative to an SLR, remember that in the land of higher end cameras, you’re buying into a system, more than buying a single camera. That system is so uncertain at the moment that it’s impossible to say whether it will be worth additional investment in two years.
If you’re looking for a one-off camera purchase that will give you better results than the point and shoot’s out there, this is a camera you should look at.
Above all, the NEX-3 is an impressive technical achievement, and a fun little toy to play with. More than a toy, it is completely capable of producing gallery-quality prints when paired with competent glass. It certainly hasn’t replaced my camera bag, but it’s allowed me to leave it at home and still have confidence that I can capture great images.
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|Great camera with poor battery life,
Anyway, great camera, don’t regret my purchase… The only downside that I want to point out is the battery life. I realize the big screen and the continuous autofocus uses up a lot of power, but this camera REALLY sucks up battery power. If you went out for a day of shooting on a fully charged battery, you will need an extra. The camera seems to even suck up a lot of power when it’s not even on. There is new firmware that claims to reduce battery consumption when off, so hopefully that will be an improvement. Which leads to another downside, which is that firmware is only available for Windows and not Mac.
Other than that, beautiful beautiful camera.
*** Just a note that the battery life has improved greatly after the firmware update. Much happier with the camera now!
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