Sony NEX-3N release date, price, specs and features

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Posted on 20 Feb 2013 at 11:57, by Seth Barton

The Sony NEX series has always seriously impressed us - largely due to the excellent low-light performance from its APS-C sensor. The camera's have always been slender and light, but the new Sony NEX-3N is the lightest yet.

SPECS

At only 210g, the NEX-3N is a touch lighter than the new mid-range Sony NEX-5R and 45g lighter than its predecessor, the Sony NEX-F3. It's also a little smaller in every dimension than the outgoing model.

Those size and weight differences are dwarfed though by the fact that the new camera will be bundled with the new 16-50mm power zoom. This is half the length (when collapsed), being 30mm compared to 60mm from the old kit lens. Plus it's nearly half the weight at 116g, compared to 194g.

The new 3N looks to follow the previous F3 in terms of image quality and performance. It doesn't have the new faster autofocus system of the 5R or that camera's extended ISO range.

FEATURES

To go with the change of kit lens, the SONY NEX-3N has a compact camera-style zoom control around the shutter button. This should make the transition from a compact to a CSC far easier for many people, who have never used a camera with lens-based zoom controls.

Here you can see the new zoom controls

The flip-up screen for easy self portraits remains, but there's no Wi-Fi here - as was added to the Sony NEX-5R, which is rather disappointing as we'd expected Wi-Fi to become standard. On the plus side the NEX-3N has a convenient pop-up flash, rather than the NEX-5R's clip-on one.

RELEASE DATE

The Sony NEX-3N wil be available in Europe from mid-march according to Sony.

PRICE

As of yet, we haven't got a confirmed price for the Sony NEX-3N. However, we're fairly amazed that the rumoured prices are around £400. With Sony now using the same 16-50mm power zoom lens as comes with the NEX-5RL and Sony NEX-6, this 'budget' CSC could have easily cost £450-500, as the 16-50mm lens has around a £130 price premium over the bulkier, traditional 18-55mm kit lens.

The power zoom lens is a great addition to this new compact model

You're getting a far more compact lens - so the camera will fit easily in a jacket pocket - with better optical properties and one that is slightly superior when it comes to wide-angle shots. If the £400 price proves true, then that's a lot of camera for the money.