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With a big APS-C sensor, Sony’s NEX-3N entry-level mirrorless cam is anything but basic

NEX-3N_wSELP1650_BK_1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony has officially announced the availability and pricing of the new Alpha NEX-3N Compact System (mirrorless) Camera in the U.S. Boasting it as the “world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable lens with an APS-C size sensor,” the camera, which was unveiled in other global regions last week, will go on sale in April for $500 (including a kit 16-50mm motorized zoom lens).

The 16.1-megapixel NEX-3N, which succeeds the NEX-F3 at the entry-level, is designed for users stepping up from a point-and-shoot but aren’t inclined to buy a DSLR or entry-DSLR users who want to move into a compact system that uses interchangeable lenses. The NEX-3N features a sensor used in many entry-level and midrange DSLRS, offering a max ISO of 16,000; Sony’s new BIONZ image processor engine allows for area-specific noise reduction for better low-light performance; a 180-degree tilting LCD (not touch capable); a grip for improved hold; a zoom lever commonly found in point-and-shoots; three-shot EV bracketing; a built-in flash; and Auto Object Framing that “identifies the main object of a scene and crops photo automatically around it for professional-style composition,” according to Sony.

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The kit lens has a small design that helps keep the camera compact. The NEX-3N will be available in black or white.

Les Shu
Former Senior Editor, Photography
I am formerly a senior editor at Digital Trends. I bring with me more than a decade of tech and lifestyle journalism…
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